The Silverchair frontman had an accident while drunk in March – a court has now ruled that he does not have to go to prison.
Daniel Johns (43), frontman of the 90s grunge band Silverchair, which broke up in 2011, does not have to go behind bars for his offense at the wheel. Nonetheless, he was severely punished. The singer was on trial on Wednesday for having caused an accident while drunk in March.
According to the Guardian, the singer’s lawyer explained his client’s accident and alcohol problem with his complex psychological problems from his time as a child star. In addition, the release of his new album put him under pressure. The battle with anorexia in his early 20s would have resulted in reactive arthritis that flares up under stress – he would have self-treated with alcohol. In addition, a few weeks after the accident, he voluntarily went to a rehab clinic and had given up alcohol ever since.
The terms
The reasoning worked: Judge Ian Cheetham said John’s background and circumstances were exceptional. He gave the musician a 10-month “intensive correction order”. He was ordered to continue his treatment and not to get behind the wheel for seven months. When he gets his car back, it must also be fitted with an alcohol scanner for 24 months.
Johns drove his gray SUV out of a gas station on the Pacific Highway in March and crashed into a van. Both vehicles landed on a natural strip. The passenger in the van was taken to the hospital.
