Connor Griffin: Launceston man driven off rails by dad’s alleged crimes

The young son of alleged predator Launceston General Hospital nurse James Griffin was driven off the rails by the accusations against his father and the older man’s suicide, a court has heard.

The young son of alleged predator Launceston General Hospital paediatric nurse James Geoffrey Griffin was driven off the rails by the accusations against his father and the older man’s suicide, a court has heard.

South Launceston man Connor James Griffin, 20, pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court on Wednesday to charges of aggravated evasion of police, driving while disqualified and reckless driving.

A second charge of aggravated evasion of police was dismissed.

The court heard the offending occurred about 7.50pm on January 23 this year while Griffin was behind the wheel of a purple Ford utility.

Police witnessed the vehicle driving south on Wellington St near Mood Food in Launceston with Griffin “showing off and drawing attention to himself”, the court was told.

After discovering his licence was disqualified, police activated their sirens and attempted to pull him over, but he sped off towards Kings Meadows at an estimated speed of 100 km/h, with the signed speed limit 60 km/h.

Police disengaged the pursuit but about 10 minutes later were alerted by a member of the public Griffin was at Innocent St, Kings Meadows.

Breaking News Breaking News South Launceston man Connor James Griffin, 20. Picture: Facebook

Police exited their vehicle at which point Griffin began reversing his utility.

After “firm verbal commands” he ceased and put his hands in the air in submission.

However, once police came closer he put pedal to the metal, accelerating “rapidly” at an estimated 80 km/h an hour on the wrong side of the road past a point police were standing “seconds” prior, the court heard.

Griffin was located at his residence later that night at 9.25pm and arrested.

He told officers he “didn’t stop because he was scared of going to jail” and expressed remorse.

Defence counsel Grant Tucker told the court his client felt “guilt by association” due to his father’s alleged sexual offending and had “things running through his head” due to constant media reporting on the case.

Mr Tucker said Griffin’s offending was also driven by alcohol.

“He’s given up alcohol now, he’s got things going on in the background that any young man shouldn’t, he’s dealt with it this way which is unfortunate,” Mr Tucker said.

“He obviously needs to go get counselling, these issues are going to come up fairly regularly.”

Mr Tucker said his client lived with his de facto partner, had a young child from a previous relationship and was a second-year panelbeating apprentice.

Griffin was fined $3460, disqualified from driving for two years, placed on a 12-month Community Correction Order conditional on him performing 35 hours of community service, and ordered to pay costs.

His father James Griffin was a paediatric nurse at the Launceston General Hospital between 2009 and 2019 where he allegedly groomed and abused a series of teenage girls.

The accused took his own life after the allegations were levelled.

A commission of inquiry prompted by the case is currently under way examining the government’s response to child sexual abuse in institutional settings.