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Man who terrorised caravan park released

Headshot of Elise Van Aken
Elise Van AkenThe Kimberley Echo
Kununurra Courthouse
Camera IconKununurra Courthouse Credit: WA Magistrates Court

A 39-year-old man has been released from jail after going on a driving rampage around an East Kimberley Caravan park in April, threatening his partner and a witness with the vehicle and a knife.

Appearing in Kununurra Magistrates Court today via video link from Hakea Prison near Perth, David John Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of being armed or pretending to be armed in a way that may cause fear and one count of endangering the life, health or safety of a person.

Police prosecutor Paul Smith told Magistrate Colin Roberts at approximately 6.30pm on April 25, Johnson drove his vehicle erratically around Kimberleyland Waterfront Holiday Park and purposefully almost struck his partner with the car twice.

He said Johnson went on to reverse the car into another vehicle and a tree.

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A witness managed to shelter the victim in his caravan, but Mr Johnson later returned with a kitchen knife, repeatedly brandishing it and telling him he “just wanted to see his girl.”

Johnson’s defence, a Legal Aid WA duty lawyer, said Johnson claimed he wasn’t going to hurt anyone but was more likely to have attempted self harm, but understood the incident would have been scary for other caravan park residents.

Mr Roberts sentenced Johnson to the minimum jail term for the offences of 6 months and 1 day jail, including the 52 days already served, which he suspended for 12 months.

For more details, pick up the June 18 edition of The Kimberley Echo.

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