A man involved in a Father's Day fatal shooting in Queensland has fought back tears while being told of the death's impact on family, with the victim's daughter saying: "I wish dad was here for my formal".
Zachary John Hall, 32, provided the getaway car after Clinton Pollock was shot by another man with a sawn-off rifle north of Brisbane on September 2, 2018.
Receiving a suspended sentence, father-of-two Hall was urged to become the best father he could for his young children after listening to a heartbreaking victim impact statement written by Mr Pollock's mother Donna.
Hall tried to keep his composure as Justice Sue Brown read excerpts.
"Mrs Pollock wrote ...'Clinton's daughter ... has her formal in November (last year) ... and it breaks my heart every time I remember her saying I wish dad was here for my formal'," Justice Brown said in Supreme Court on Tuesday.
"It hurts so much. She should have her father around for a very long time to come," she read.
Justice Brown said there were "no happy ending in cases like this" but urged Hall to turn his life around to ensure Mr Pollock's death wasn't "just a statistic".
"You need to be a father away from these courts who is going to be around for a very long time to come," she said.
Hall thought he may be required as "back up for a fight" when he agreed to drive three men to Mr Pollock's Deception Bay residence on September 2, 2018, the court heard.
There had been "increasing hostilities" between Mr Pollock and another man following a drug deal.
After a brief argument when the group arrived, a man shot Mr Pollock, 35, who died where he fell at the front gate a short time later.
Hall admitted driving the men to the home in his car and helping them escape, taking turns behind the wheel with Christian James Sands before one of them hid the weapon in bushland.
But Hall said he did not realise the man had the weapon or intended to shoot Mr Pollock, defence barrister Angus Edwards said.
Hall later told police he had never seen anything like this happen before and was shocked and upset.
He was also not sure whether Mr Pollock had been fatally injured when they fled.
Hall had "spiralled into the drug world" after his uncle committed suicide, the court was told.
He was on parole for a dangerous drugs offence at the time of the shooting.
Hall has been in custody since 2018.
Justice Brown said Hall had spent an extra 12 months in custody - and 1344 days overall - due to "administrative failures".
Hall pleaded guilty to a charge of accessory after the fact to a malicious act with intent and was sentenced to four years' jail, suspended for four years.
Two other men have been jailed for their involvement in the shooting.
Sands was sentenced to three years in prison in September 2019 for accessory after the fact to a malicious act with intent.
Joshua Michael Meale was sentenced to six years' jail, also in September 2019, for accessory to manslaughter after the fact.
Justin John Meale has been charged with murder. His trial is set for November.
