silverchair Frontman Cleared of Harassment Charges
from silverchair mailing list - 26 July 1999

silverchair singer/guitarist, Daniel Johns, has been completely cleared of all allegations of harassment which had been brought against him in a Newcastle Court case.

A woman calling herself "Emily Spencer" had initiated court proceedings in which she claimed Johns had threatened and harassed her.

Subsequent media reports revealed that the woman's real name was actually Jodie Ann Marie Barnes.

Today Ms Barnes unequivocally withdrew her allegations in Newcastle Local Court. Her legal representative, Mr Ron Vercoe, said that the allegations were "totally untrue" and "unsubstantiated". On behalf of Ms Barnes Mr Vercoe apologised to the Court and to Mr Johns for the "trauma" which this case had caused him and his family.

Mr Vercoe said that it was ". the strangest case he had seen in four decades." and added that he could not understand how the matter had been allowed to progress this far. He said that this area of the law could benefit from reforms to prevent people from bringing such "fallacious and petty claims" against innocent parties.

As Ms Barnes' claims were completely untrue the withdrawal was not opposed.

A spokesman for Daniel Johns pointed out that these groundless charges had received widespread media coverage including a front page story in Johns' home town newspaper. "I hope that the media covers the truth of this matter as prominently as they covered the lies", he said.

Daniel Johns said: "These completely false charges and the sensationalised media coverage which they have received in some places have been very upsetting for myself and my family. I'm glad the truth has finally come out."