Thief cops a court spray

A MAGISTRATE blasted a 20-year-old thief who spent her birthday in jail, telling her the Townsville community was “sick and tired” of their cars being stolen and destroyed.

Jemma Johnstone, 20, was sentenced to 12 months’ jail yesterday, after she and a group of people drove around in people’s stolen cars, leaving them damaged and burnt out, in December 2019.

The court heard Johnstone had only been released on parole for less than a week when she, along with other people, went on a stealing spree in other people’s cars between December 7-9.

One of the cars was completely burnt out wrecked in Aitkenvale.

Johnstone helped steal booze worth hundreds of dollars from a BWS store in Kirwan and an Irish Finnegans left and liquor outlet. Fuel from a BP Express Aitkenvale store and a Thuringowa petrol station was also stolen.

Johnstone was arrested by police on December 11.

“The community demand an appropriate penalty be imposed as a deterrent to further offending to other persons in the community and this defendant,” police prosecutor Len Brown told Townsville Magistrates Court.

Acting Magistrate John Smith warned Johnstone about continuing to commit crime and property offences in Townsville.

“The public, the courts, and the community as a whole are sick and tired of this type of behaviour, people taking other people’s motor vehicles, damaging them, destroying them, driving in all sorts of manner on public roads,” he said.

Defence lawyer Cassandra Nitz said her client’s behaviour was an “unfortunate” result of mixing with the wrong crowd, and being influenced by them.

Ms Nitz said Johnstone had a two-year-old son and had completed a course which would allow her to secure employment if she chose to.

Johnstone pleaded guilty to six charges, including for stealing and unlawful use of motor vehicle offences.

She will be eligible for parole on June 18.

In July last year, Johnstone was sentenced to community service after she livestreamed herself and a group of people riding around in a stolen car from her Facebook page.

THE PUBLIC, THE COURTS, AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOUR

JOHN SMITH