Gold Coast woman Ella Jillian Jones sentenced for weapons and driving charges

A young Gold Coast woman says her sentence in an Ipswich court for a string of weapons and driving offences has been a “blessing and a lesson’’.

Gold Coast woman Ella Jillian Jones faced the Ipswich Magistrates Court for a long list of charges.

A popular Gold Coast woman has faced court on a string of serious weapons and driving charges but described the experience as “a blessing and a lesson”.

Ella Jillian Jones, 20, was sentenced in the Ipswich Magistrates Court on April 20 after pleading guilty to 17 charges including breaches of bail, driving under the influence of liquor, driving without a licence (demerit points), several drugs charges, possessing a knife in public, possessing tainted property, unlawful possession of weapons and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

The court heard the offences occurred in the Ipswich suburb of Spring Mountain, with the exception of two breach of bail offences which occurred in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast.

Her defence lawyer described Jones’ youth as troubled but Jones said she viewed the sentencing as a positive.

“It’s a blessing and a lesson,” she said.

“I don’t want this life, I don’t want to come back here.”

The court heard Jones started smoking cannabis at the age of 12, then methamphetamine at 14 and by 16 she began injecting drugs.

Gold Coast woman Ella Jillian Jones, 20, faced the Ipswich Magistrates Court with a long list of charges on April 20, 2023. Picture: Supplied

The court heard Jones’s criminal history put a strain on her family, in particular her relationship with her siblings, something the court heard she was trying to mend.

Magistrate Kathleen Payne told Jones to consider the impact of her actions on the community.

“It’s apparent from your offending that you simply have no empathy at this point in time and I suspect that’s because of your gross immaturity,” Ms Payne said.

“With time you will develop that hopefully, particularly with the support that you have in the community.

“If you are looking after yourself and yourself only, you’ll find yourself spending a lot of time in custody.

“You need to start thinking of others in the community... it can’t be all about you, which I suspect it is at this moment for yourself.”

Jones was on probation at the time of her current offences, leading Payne to describe Jones’ efforts to correct her behaviour as dismal.

But she offered Jones one last opportunity to do better for herself and the community.

The court heard Jones had been working with horses on and off since 2021, before she entered custody, and intended to work with them again in the future.

Jones was sentenced to a 12-month probation order and disqualified from driving for a year.