Jodie Bennett faces Shepparton Magistrates’ Court for allegedly sending threatening text to victim

A Shepparton granny dropped her bundle and sent pictures of armed men and a vile warning to a woman who blamed her for causing a car accident.

A Seymour grandmother sent a photo of armed men to a woman she was involved in a car crash with and warned them, “Don’t f**k with me”.

Jodie Bennett, 40, appeared at the Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Friday where she pleaded guilty to one count of use a carriage service to harass after she threatened a person using text messages who refused to pay her for damages after a car accident.

The court heard Bennett was involved in an accident with another woman and her daughter in Mooroopna on December 12, 2021.

After the crash, both parties exchanged details, but on December 21, the victim sent a text to Bennett blaming her for the crash, and that she would not send her any money for the damages.

The court heard Bennett responded saying “Don’t f**k with me, I nearly ran someone over today,”.

The court heard the victim remained calm but was concerned with Bennett’s behaviour.

Jodie Bennett appeared at the Shepparton Magistrates' Court on Friday where she allegedly sent a threatening photo to someone.

The next day, Bennett sent the victim a photo of men holding firearms, warning the woman to pay up or something bad would happen, the court head, causing her

fear and anxiety.

Bennett was arrested on July 22 last year and confirmed to police the number that sent the alleged text was hers.

Bennet’s lawyer told the court the situation was “completely out of proportion” and the victim did not deserve to receive the messages and be treated in that way.

Despite Bennett’s threats, her lawyer said she had a support person who helped her deal with stress in her life and “bigger incidents that might occur in her trauma and mental health”.

“Her car was everything to her,” Bennett’s lawyer told the court.

The court also heard Bennett had used cannabis and stopped but required “ongoing support”, having taken antidepressants prescribed by her GP.

Bennett hopes to “put this chapter behind her” so she can help her daughter raise her new baby, the court heard.

Magistrate Peter Mithen understood Bennett had “a lot on her plate”, but found her behaviour intimidating.

“What you sent by text message is pretty vile,” Mr Mithen said.

“If they are not designed to intimate then I don’t know what is,” he said.

Mr Mithen handed Bennett a good behaviour bond.