Julie Perry pleads guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice

A Geelong mother of five has avoided jail after she and another man attempted to bribe a victim of a home invasion to not give evidence in court.

Julie Perry fronted the County Court on Wednesday.

A Geelong mum told a covert police officer in a cell her relatives had made $180,000 from selling cannabis plants they had stolen during a home invasion.

Julie Perry, 36, appeared at the County Court in Melbourne via video link on Wednesday wearing a fluffy leopard print dressing gown.

She previously pleaded guilty to a single charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice in November last year.

The charge follows a home invasion on Orbit Drive in Whittington in March 2023 where Scott Perry, Zach Perry, Ricky Wilson and a woman, who can’t be named for legal reasons, impersonated police officers and stole cash, jewellery, two vehicles and cannabis plants.

On November 29, the four offenders were due to front Geelong Magistrates’ Court for a contested committal hearing.

But the day prior, Perry and her co-accused Nathan Theobald attended the victim’s home to convince him not to go to court to give evidence.

Perry and Theobald were captured on CCTV arriving at the home before speaking to the victim, who was talking with a neighbour across the street.

Theobald told the victim the thieves would be “more than happy” to repay the $12,000 in cash they stole and would do “whatever it takes” for him to not go to court.

Perry asked the man “can you consider not going tomorrow?” multiple times before she said to Theobald “come on Nate, let’s leave, let’s just go”.

The victim told police of the attempted bribe when investigators visited him to provide copies of their statements and summons.

On December 11, Perry was found by police at her home hiding on the top shelf of her wardrobe covered in clothing.

She was arrested and taken to the Corio police station where she denied attempting to bribe the witness.

Perry was placed into a police cell with a covert operative where she said her relatives had been charged over a home invasion.

She said they made $180,000 by selling the cannabis plants they stole.

Her lawyer, Amanda Hurst, said her client has been “terrified” of the prospect of going to jail since she was charged.

Judge Gerard Mullaly said Perry “played a much lesser role” than Theobald.

“He was doing all or most of the talking,” he said.

“The crime of attempting to pervert the course of justice is a serious crime with a long maximum term of 25 years imprisonment.”

Judge Mullaly said Perry has five young children, three with “significant disabilities”.

“They rely on you and would not be able to cope if you were separated from them,” he said.

“A community corrections order will allow your family with high needs to remain together.”

Perry was sentenced to a CCO for 12 months and must complete 90 hours of community work.

Had she pleaded not guilty, she would have been jailed for six months followed by a CCO for two years.

Theobald pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice in October last year and was sentenced to 15 months in jail.

Those involved in the home invasion have since been sentenced; Scott for a maximum of seven years and two months, Zach and Wilson to a maximum of three years and nine months and the woman for 15 months.

Originally published as Julie Perry pleads guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice