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Daniel Johns was sentenced to a 10-month intensive corrections order

Daniel Johns has escaped the possibility of a jail sentence after being issued with a 10-month intensive corrections order over a drink-driving incident.

In March this year, Silverchair’s lead singer Daniel Johns was checked into rehab mere hours after getting into a drunken car crash.

Now, the Aussie rockstar has avoided a jail sentence and received a 10-month intensive corrections order.

daniel johns jail
Credit: Tony Mott

The sentencing is basically a court sentence of two years or less which is served in the community under the strict supervision of Community Corrections.

Johns has also been disqualified from driving for seven months and ordered to fit a breathalyser interlock device into his car for 24 months after getting his license back.

The 43-year-old arrived at Raymond Terrace Local Court near Newcastle on Wednesday for his sentencing wearing a baggy grey suit.

Earlier this year when Johns was charged with high-range drink driving he had just caused a crash at North Arm Cove, causing his car and the one he crashed into to land on a nature strip.

According to the police facts given in court today, Johns was heading north in his SUV when he drove on the wrong side of the road and hit a light commercial truck travelling in the opposite direction.

Luckily, no one was badly injured but when Johns was tested by police, his blood alcohol results came back three times the legal limit.

Hours after the accident the Silverchair star checked himself into a rehab facility for four weeks and stated that he hasn’t touched alcohol since.

Shortly after, Johns took to social media and said he was suffering “panic attacks” causing him to self-medicate with alcohol.

“As you know, my mental health is a work in progress. I have good days and bad days but it’s something I always have to manage,” he said.

“Over the last week I began to experience panic attacks. Last night I got lost while driving and I was in an accident. I am OK, everyone is OK.

“Alongside my therapy, I’ve been self-medicating with alcohol to deal with my anxiety and depression. I know this is no sustainable or healthy.

“I have to step back now as I’m self-admitting to a rehabilitation centre and I don’t know how long I’ll be there. Appreciate your love and support as always.”

The musician’s lawyer, Bryan Wrench also spoke on Johns’ mental health: “He was a very successful musician. He was 14 when that came to him in an unwanted fashion and that came with attacks and vitriol,”

“People defaced and graffitied his mother’s fence with homophobic slurs.

“He was pursued by a weird stalker, and there was a defamation case after he was accused of going to a brothel, which was totally untrue.

“He is a recluse, his house is his only safe place.”

While considering Johns’ sentencing, Magistrate Ian Cheetham said it would be best for Johns to continue with psychiatric treatment in the community: “There is no doubt a custodial sentence will not achieve an appropriate result for him or the community,” 

The Magistrate pointed out that even though the maximum penalty for such an offence would be an 18-month jail term, Johns was entitled to a 25 per cent discount because of an early guilty plea.