Peter Burrows: Salvation Army volunteer guilty of armed robbery

An “institutionalised” Brisbane robber dobbed himself in for two historical hold-ups after becoming a man of faith via the Salvation Army.

A Brisbane man who has spent decades in custody for a string of violent hold-ups has confessed to two historical armed robberies after joining the Salvation Army and finding God.

Brighton man Peter Charles Burrows, 58, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Tuesday to two counts of armed robbery.

The two offences occurred on May 25, 2006, and September 27, 2007, the victim business on both occasions being a Sandgate pharmacy.

On both occasions, Burrows was armed with a knife and wearing a balaclava.

He stole in total about $4000 and hundreds of dollars worth of prescription drugs.

The court heard Burrows again held-up the pharmacy on December 20, 2007, for which he was convicted on September 17, 2008.

On that occasion, he was sentenced in the Brisbane District Court to eight years’ imprisonment, for which he was released in October 2013, according to defence counsel Dominic Nguyen.

Brighton man Peter Charles Burrows, 58. Picture: Alex Treacy

The court heard Burrows, a former heroin addict, had a torrid and lengthy criminal history, stretching back to the 1970s and featuring offences including armed robbery, assaulting police and unlawful use of a motor vehicle, among others.

He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in 1986 and 13 years’ imprisonment, following an appeal, in 1993.

He had spent lengthy periods incarcerated, the court heard, such that he was considered “institutionalised”.

However, the court heard, since his October 2013 release from prison, Burrows had turned over a new leaf, a “remarkable” transformation, Mr Nguyen said.

He joined the Salvation Army at Taigum, volunteering in one of its thrift shops, and lives quietly alone at a caravan park.

Mr Nguyen told the court Burrows, last year, was reflecting on his life and had an epiphany where he decided to “right the wrongs of his past”.

Burrows went to church and then marched himself to Carseldine Police Station where he made a full confession.

“He felt that’s what God wanted him to do,” Mr Nguyen said.

Judge Richard Jones described Burrows as a “rare case” and commended him for his honesty, while acknowledging the seriousness of his offending.

Burrows told the court he could take no credit.

“It was God who gave me the courage and strength,” he said.

“He deserves the glory, not me.

“I did what I was told.”

Burrows was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment with immediate parole.