Teenager who helped friend die: 'I'm sorry' | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

The teen convicted of helping his friend take his life says he is genuinely sorry for what he did.

Dillon Gargett was sentenced to eight months home detention last Friday after becoming the youngest person in New Zealand to be convicted of assisting suicide.

The 17-year-old told The Star he could "absolutely not understand" what was going through his mind when he provided equipment for his mate, Ben Dowdell, to kill himself in Bradford Park, Sydenham, last September.

He said he had known the 16-year-old only a few days but considered him "a friend''.

Gargett said he would like to apologise to the 16-year-old's mother, Debbi Close.

She has indicated she does not want to meet him.

"I could see (in court) she was angry with me,'' Gargett said.

"I was absolutely gutted at what I had taken away from her."

Gargett said he had nightmares about the suicide.

Gargett was arrested a couple of weeks after Ben's death.

Gargett, who has a criminal record, spent four months in jail on remand awaiting sentence. He spent some of that time in the at-risk unit at Christchurch Men's Prison because of concerns about his safety.

Gargett said prison had been difficult and he had been assaulted twice by other prisoners.

"I'm glad I'm home but I'm very upset about what happened. I did need to go to jail and see what it was like. It's made me think about my life, what I've done, how I've hurt people. I just wish I'd seen it earlier.''

Miss Close said any apology from Gargett would be too late but she did not wish him any harm.

"I hope he gets his life back on track, but he is going to get a chance my son never did.''

On the day Ben died, Gargett and three other associates accompanied Ben to Bradford Park.

Two associates left because they did not wish to be involved. Gargett assisted Ben with the equipment but started to leave the park with the remaining associate before Ben killed himself.

The police summary of facts said Gargett and the associate heard a sound from the park as they walked away, but after a brief discussion decided not to go back to check on Ben.

When Ben's father phoned on the night Ben died asking about his son, Gargett did not tell him what had happened, or where to find him. That meant the body was not found until next morning.

During sentencing at Christchurch High Court on Friday, Justice Graham Pankhurst said Gargett's response to the call was "cruel'' and he could not understand why Gargett had not sought help for his friend.

Yesterday Gargett had no answer: "I was just afraid.''

He said at the time of Ben's death he did not care about the law and was drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis to excess. He did not trust anyone enough to tell them Ben wanted to kill himself.

Miss Close said Ben was a "great kid'' but was also vulnerable and troubled. He had learning difficulties, was badly bullied at school and could not read social situations. "When he left home at 16, I knew he was unwell,'' she said. "This was a train crash waiting to happen.''

Because Ben was living with her ex-husband, she did not know he had gone missing until he was already dead.

Gargett's parents said their "hearts go out'' to Ben's parents and brother. "It was a comedy of errors,'' Warren Gargett said. "Two young lads with mental problems, and it escalated into stupidity.''

Justice Pankhurst imposed an eight-month home detention sentence, and ordered Gargett to undertake counselling, including psychiatric counselling.