DAVID JOHNSON FINED FOR DRUNKEN INCIDENT
Ben Jensen 7 October 2007

By Ben Jensen TOUGH DEFENDER DAVID JOHNSON has been fined $2,000 by the Geelong Football Club following an ugly alcohol fueled incident hours before the AFL Grand Final Parade that ended in Johnson's arrest after police were forced to use capsicum spray. But the fine isn't the end of Johnson's troubles; he has been charged by police with resisting arrest and being drunk. Johnson faces a fine, other non-custodial sentence or even jail time, and will appear at Geelong Magistrates' Court on November 5.

Police used capsicum spray to subdue Johnson, after he resisted arrest. Johnson was involved in an incident earlier in the night near the 'Room 99' nightclub. Police took Johnson to his Newtown home around 2:30AM after finding him drunk near Room 99 venue in Ryrie Street, however he was spotted again in Moorabool Street two hours' later near the Home House nightclub.

Home House is owned by controversial paparazzi Darren Lyons, who is in trouble of his own and will appear before a British inquest into the death of the late Princess of Wales, Diana Spencer. Nightclub management deny Johnson actually attended the club, although they also initially denied Johnson was spotted outside the club.

He was then involved in an assault on three people (two men and a woman) before fleeing the scene when police arrived. After a two hundred metre chase Johnson was brought down with the capsicum spray and taken into custody.

Instead of watching his AFL teammates in the Grand Final parade on Friday morning, Johnson was being interviewed at the Geelong police station.

Johnson played in the VFL Premiership the previous Sunday, his second flag after also being a member of the victorious 2002 side led by Tim McGrath and Ron Watt, along with teammates Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly, Paul Chapman and Steve Johnson. He appears likely to retain his place at the club but that may depend on the outcome of his court appearance in early November.

Johnson was unlucky to lose his spot in the AFL side, playing seven of the first eight matches before being forced out with a calf injury for the match with Port Adelaide in round 9. Like fellow defender Josh Hunt, Johnson did not regain his place in the side for another two months, although Hunt ended up retaining his place. Johnson played rounds 16 to 19 but was dropped for Hunt in round 20. He played one more game after the withdrawal of Jimmy Bartel with appendicitis, but was left out the following week.

OFFICIAL GEELONG STATEMENT

Geelong defender David Johnson has been fined $2000 by the club.

Johnson met with the club's leadership group following an off field incident last week. The leadership group recommended the sanction and it was accepted by club management.

Johnson was remorseful and has been an outstanding member of the club since being drafted in 2001.

As the matter is still under police investigation the club will be making no further comment at this time.