CFS volunteer Christopher Harvey went on berserk rampage after taking drugs – victims describe their terror and trauma
Christopher Harvey took ecstasy – and a few days later went on a crazed crime spree in which he bit a young mum and tried to carjack a vehicle with a baby inside.
Police & Courts
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Victims of a young CFS volunteer who rammed and ran one family car off the road, before biting a mother and stealing her car, have recounted the horror of the attacks in court.
In separate statements read to the District Court, two young families – each of which had a young baby in the car at the time – described their ongoing fear at the rampage perpetrated by Christopher Lachlan Mpumelelo Harvey in the Mid North in September 2020.
Harvey, 22, was in the midst of a psychotic episode after consuming MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, a few days beforehand.
He rammed into the car of one family on the Horrocks Hwy, causing their vehicle to roll, and crashed into the other family’s car.
The father of that family then went to his aid – but Harvey assaulted him and tried to steal their car while a four-month-old baby boy was inside. The mother tried to stop him, but was bitten on the arm. After the baby was removed, Harvey fled in their car.
The woman who was bitten described what unfolded as “the worst night of my entire life”.
“I’ve never felt more scared, or helpless. We were attacked for being good Samaritans after stopping and getting out of the car to see if he was all right because we thought it might be someone having a medical event,” she said in her statement.
She described her partner being “viciously beaten” by Harvey.
“I still have nightmares and I can vividly hear the sound of fists beating my partner’s face and body,” she said.
“I thought he was dying and I was hopeless to help.”
Her partner said his scars were permanent reminders of the attack.
“My first instinct in the past has always been to offer my assistance and help, but after this experience there will always be doubt,” he said.
Other victims described hypervigilance, constantly waking in fear and suffering regular flashbacks.
During Harvey’s rampage, he also drove at another motorist. He was later arrested after breaking into Alan Harris’s house at Stockport and asking for a blanket and bandage for his cut foot.
Harvey pleaded guilty to multiple offences including three counts of creating a likelihood of serious harm, recklessly causing harm and theft.
Corrine Harrison, prosecuting, said the crimes were “clearly extremely serious” which had “enormous and long-lasting” effects on the victims.
Nick Vadasz, for Harvey, said his client was a CFS volunteer trained in aiding in car crashes and was in the midst of a psychotic episode brought on by his consumption of MDMA a few days earlier.
He also had other drugs in his system, including cannabis and anxiety medication.
He said Harvey was “extremely regretful and sorry and wanted to apologise to all parties”.
Harvey returns to court in February.
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