Freo`s Johnson fined over drug charge

Fremantle have ruled out imposing any further sanctions on utility Michael Johnson
despite the 25-year-old pleading guilty to cocaine possession on Tuesday.
Johnson was fined $500 and told to pay $119.20 in court costs after admitting his
guilt to possessing 0.15gm of cocaine in a Perth laneway in the early hours of May
16.
The father of two was caught by police with the cocaine after he was seen nasally
ingesting a substance just hours after attending the engagement party of teammate
Stephen Dodd.
Johnson didn't appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday but his lawyer John
Prior said his client had been the subject of national publicity and had been
humiliated.
Johnson had already been suspended by his club for six weeks, barred from training
until May 31, dumped from the leadership group, fined $5000 and ordered to undergo
drug counselling as well as voluntary target-testing under the AFL's illicit drugs
policy.
Fremantle chief executive Steve Rosich said the Dockers wouldn't impose any more
sanctions on Johnson as a result of Tuesday's court proceedings.
Johnson's case had been set down for July 5 but a special application was made to
bring the case forward.
The court was presented with references for Johnson from Dockers coach Mark Harvey
and Rosich.
Magistrate Paul Heaney said he was aware of the punishment imposed on Johnson by his
club and the references presented to him indicated he was a person of good
character.
He said he would deal with him as he would with any other young person who had no
previous criminal record and had been caught with a small amount of an illicit drug.
Harvey, who skipped a scheduled press conference last Friday and then stormed out of
a post-match press conference on Saturday when questioned about the Johnson drug
issue, defended his handling of the topic.
"I think we handled it really well even though some people suggested I should have
spoken about it a bit more," Harvey told Perth radio.
"As a coach I don't think that is necessarily necessary when the club comes out and
makes a statement.
"It has only taken up a small amount of time, the players were dogmatic in focusing
on Sydney and beating Sydney.
"It was no good dwelling on it, what's happened and the team has to forge on without
Michael for a few more weeks."
The controversy surrounding Johnson seemed to have little impact on the Dockers, who
notched their seventh win of the season with an upset victory over Sydney on
Saturday.
Fremantle can improve their season record to 8-2 with a win over North Melbourne at
Subiaco Oval on Sunday.