THE downfall of Corowa man Christopher James Glare into drug addiction was outlined yesterday by a District Court judge in Albury when sentencing him to a three-year jail term, with a minimum period of 18 months before being eligible for parole.
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Judge Richard Cogswell said Glare had a good job, a loving wife and daughter, but less than 12 months later was emaciated and charged with seven serious crimes.
“The precipitous fall in this young man’s lifestyle commenced casually,” Judge Cogswell said.
“He casually shared drinks and stories with friends. But they introduced him to the drug commonly known as ice.
“As the young man said, it grabbed him immediately. He was then chasing it until he finished up in custody.”
Judge Cogswell said all the crimes committed by Glare, 30, were related to getting money for his drug habit which had a vice-like grip on him.
Glare pleaded guilty in Albury Local Court in August to a series of aggravated break and enter in company charges involving sporting clubs and was committed for sentencing in the District Court.
Those offences involved the Oaklands RSL Bowling Club, Corowa Golf Club, Tocumwal Golf Club, the Corowa RSL Club and the Rennie Football Club.
There was another offence committed at a cafe in Redlands Road, Corowa, where food and confectionary worth $800 was stolen.
Judge Cogswell said 12 other charges mostly of receiving stolen property and dealing with the proceeds of crime were to be taken into consideration on sentencing.
He said Glare was obviously remorseful.
Judge Cogswell said his whole period of drug use was less than 12 months and he had started rehabilitation before being arrested.
He said Glare needed to serve enough time in prison for the extent of his offending in the community.
But he needed additional time on parole for rehabilitation to elude the grip of a dangerous drug.
Glare’s sentence was backdated to when he was arrested, making him eligible for release on September 29 next year.