Julie Coy: Tomakin woman convicted after damaging Jehovah’s Witness hall at Rosedale

A woman fed up with receiving “offensive” Jehovah’s Witness letters has snapped in a drunken rage, driving her Landcruiser into the boom gates of a church hall.

Julie Coy was convicted and slapped with multiple large fines in Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday.

A woman fed up with receiving Jehovah’s Witness letters has snapped in a drunken rage, driving her Landcruiser into the boom gates of a church hall with a shotgun hidden in the vehicle.

Julie Coy, 58, of Tomakin, faced Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday where she pleaded guilty to destroy or damage property, drive recklessly/furiously, high-range drink driving, possess unauthorised firearm, possess ammunition without holding a licence, not keep firearm safely and unauthorised person fail to surrender firearm.

Police documents tendered to the court reveal on the afternoon of April 18 this year, Coy received a letter from Jehovah’s Witness which she found “offensive”.

Coy’s lawyer, Geoffrey Knox, said his client found the letter offensive as she received one every year on the anniversary of her husband’s death, asking if she wanted help.

However, this year the letter arrived after Coy had consumed a “large” amount of alcohol leading her to “snap”.

Agreed facts state about 5.30pm, Coy got into her Toyota Landcruiser and drove recklessly to the ‘The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses’ at Rosedale to ram the boom gates and brick pillars.

Julie Coy was convicted and fined in Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday.

After doing exactly that, members of the hall called police who found Coy in her damaged car next to the smashed boom gates when they arrived on scene.

Coy provided a breath test reading of 0.177 to police, who began to search her car.

During the search, officers discovered a shotgun shell under her seat, prompting them to search the car for a firearm, when they discovered a single shot Winchester .410 shotgun hidden in the tray.

Coy was immediately arrested and taken to Batemans Bay police station, where she provided a second positive breath test reading.

Mr Knox told the court the shotgun was not taken to the property with any ‘ill intent’ in mind, rather, it was stored in Coy’s vehicle as she regularly camps and uses it for protection.

Despite taking it with her, the gun was never registered nor did Coy ever apply for a licence.

Magistrate Doug Dick said these were incredibly serious offences with “a lot to consider”.

“Sometimes people hit breaking points, but when there is alcohol involved, bad decisions can be made,” he said.

“I want to make it clear here that my job is not to forgive, it is to punish.”

Mr Dick convicted Coy, fined her a total of $3500, sentenced her to a three year community correction order and suspended her driver’s licence for 12 months.