Joel Trevor Johnson guilty of stealing teen’s bike and riding Gold Coast light rail without paying

A former heroin addict has told a court he ‘feels really bad’ for stealing a teen’s only mode of transport to get to school and her part-time job.

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A FORMER heroin addict “feels really bad” for stealing a teen’s only mode of transport from a Gold Coast shopping centre, a court was told.

Joel Trevor Johnson pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court to two charges of stealing and fare evasion.

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He was charged after stealing a bike last July from Pacific Fair Shopping Centre.

Johnson was also guilty of stealing another bike in September 2020 and fare evasion.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Daniel McShane said the teen used the bike to ride to school and her part-time job.

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“Her parents were forced to buy her a new bike off Gumtree for $350,” he said.

The court was told Johnson had faced court for similar offences in 2016 and 2019 and had previously been found guilty of using the light rail 52 times without paying.

Johnson, 34, who represented himself, said at the time of stealing the bicycles he was a heroin addict and made some “silly choices”.

“I feel really bad about that hey. If I had have known at the time I wouldn’t have done it,” he said.

“I’ve changed me ways and I probably won’t be doing this again to this extent.”

Johnson was fined $1050. No conviction was recorded.

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