Watsonia: Josie Johnson given last chance at Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court after being found at ‘party house’

A teen mum who was living at a notorious Watsonia party house has told a court she will stay away from the area if she’s let out of jail. And the magistrate had a stern warning for her.

Johnson has said she will stay away from Watsonia.

A teenage mum who’s been jailed four times already this year has told a court she will stay away from Watsonia and her associates if she’s given another chance.

Josie Johnson, 19, was living at a notorious party house in Service Rd, Watsonia. before she was last taken into custody on April 23, Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court heard.

The court heard the DHHS property, which was well known to police and neighbours for being a “party house”, has since been abandoned after being a source of trouble for months.

Johnson’s lawyer Chris McLennan told the court it had been “a house of things just going missing, and people turning up and hiding there … and who knows what”.

Johnson admitted to rifling through cars.

Johnson was living there with several others who have been involved in parts of her offending

The court heard the 19-year-old had been out of jail for less than a week when she stole a car in Ascot Vale overnight on March 18-19.

She also pleaded guilty to rifling through parked vehicles parked in Caulfield about 2am on March 25, stealing a GPS, Swiss Army knife, breathalyser and money box.

Johnson was on bail when she then stole tools from a vehicle parked in a property on Strathmerton St, Reservoir about 9.30pm on April 14.

The court heard she stole an iPhone, iPod and wallet from a car in Watsonia overnight on April 22-23, before she used one of the bank cards from the wallet to spend almost $150 at Heidelberg 7-Eleven.

When she was arrested at the Watsonia house that day she was also charged with repeatedly violating the state’s social isolation laws and breaking her bail curfew.

Mr McLennan said Johnson, who had an 11-month-old daughter in state care, was influenced by marijuana and occasional ice use.

“She’s silly as a wheel for doing this because she promised the court twice this year,” he said.

The court heard Johnson, who had spent 42 days in jail this year before committing the crimes, had repeatedly breached community corrections orders.

MORE: WHY MILL PARK MAN WAS BANNED FROM ENTIRE COUNCIL AREA

POLICE CHASE ENDS IN EPPING QUARRY

CHILD SEX OFFENDER CAUGHT WITH FORTNITE, DATING APP

Magistrate Helen Murphy told Johnson by continually offending and contravening corrections orders she was leaving the court no option but to keep her in jail, despite her young age.

But seeing as Johnson had already spent a considerable amount of the year in custody, Ms Murphy decided to give her one more opportunity with a corrections order, centring it around drug rehabilitation and supervision.

“It needs to be clear in your mind that this is your last chance,” she said.

She sentenced Johnson to one month’s jail for the crimes, with the teenager having already served 22 days since her arrest.

Ms Murphy said Johnson’s 12-month order would begin upon her release, when she would move to Reservoir.

Johnson was also fined $300 for breaching the social isolation laws.