Farrah being used, says mother
18.10.1997
CONFESSED killer Ross Farrah was being used as a scapegoat in a political game of one-upmanship to change Queensland's Mental Health Act, according to his mother.
Yvonne Farrah of Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast believes that while her son is too dangerous to go back into the community _ yet _ his rehabilitation, including freedoms, should not be set back because he escaped while on an escorted outing a week ago.
Farrah, 27, has been a patient of the John Oxley Memorial Hospital, Brisbane, since 1995, when he strangled former girlfriend Christine Nash after kicking her about 20 times in the face.
While Farrah confessed, the Mental Health Tribunal ruled he could not stand trial because he was of unsound mind at the time.
Mrs Farrah said he was not concerned that her paranoid schizophrenic son was a danger while on escorted leave _ which she said had happened ``lots of times _ because he was with nurses and receiving medication for his illness.
``He's being treated for his mental illness. I'd be more fearful of someone not diagnosed with mental illness sitting next to me at the movies,'' she said.
Mrs Farrah said that as well as the movies and a previous visit to a sports centre, Farrah had been taken on a drive to Somerset Dam and to the mudflats near Nudgee.
``They (mentally ill patients) look forward to it.''
Mrs Farrah admitted there had been times when she had been frightened of her son _ but she had walked away and waited until he was calm.
Mrs Farrah said that while her son had not laid a finger on her, he had sworn at her and accused her of poisoning his food while in the grip of his mental illness.
But he never held a grudge and Mrs Farrah said he would never have any premeditated thoughts of revenge against anyone because his aggressive reactions were only impulsive.
Despite the horrific killing, Farrah had loved Ms Nash deeply and was full of remorse for what he had done.
Mrs Farrah said she was the one who first contacted mental health authorities before Ms Nash's killing and requested he be admitted to hospital.
``I begged them to put him in hospital _ I said I was fearful of what he might do to Christine. Four days later they let him out . . . Christine had him released. She signed the documents to release him, not me.
``It's the mental hospitals that are letting us down. If more notice had been taken then, we would not be in this situation. After two years it has destroyed my family.''
Mrs Farrah said Farrah had been responding well to treatment and she hoped he would recover enough to eventually be released.
``But I worry about him going back into the community . . . when there's things like marijuana or alcohol,'' she said.
