UPDATE: Justin Downs, 27, narrowly escaped jail time after a shocking incident involving his ex-girlfriend’s pet pythons and is now facing serious drink driving charges following a reckless bender. Last September, Downs was convicted for destroying property after he dumped his ex’s snakes, Mango and Bagel, on a street in Coogee, Australia, leading to a community correction order.
This latest development comes as Downs struggles with multiple drink driving offenses since the infamous breakup. On May 2024, he was charged with mid-range drink driving after a night of heavy drinking. Court documents reveal he and his friends had been partying for nearly 24 hours before he attempted to drive home from Bar Broadway to Coogee for more cash.
During this reckless drive, he rear-ended a vehicle, resulting in his ejection from the car and subsequent unconsciousness in the road. Bystanders performed CPR until emergency services arrived. Downs was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital and later charged.
Just months later, on December 2024, Downs was caught driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.261, well above the legal limit of 0.05, while driving on the Princes Highway in Ulladulla. In February 2025, he faced more charges for mid-range drink driving on Anzac Parade in Moore Park, with a reading of 0.099. Police noted he smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes.
The timeline of Downs’ troubles began with a tumultuous breakup in October 2023. After his girlfriend ended their five-month relationship over the phone, Downs retaliated by removing her pet snakes from their enclosure, damaging property worth over $1,280 in the process. His ex-girlfriend, visibly shaken, posted on social media, expressing her fear for the snakes’ safety, stating, “The snakes are domesticated and won’t survive in the wild.”
Despite a month-long search, the snakes were eventually found hiding under rocks near where they were dumped. Following the incident, Downs was arrested and sentenced to 30 months of community service.
Now, with his latest court appearance, Deputy Chief Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis has handed Downs a 16-month intensive corrections order for his latest offenses, which included multiple drink driving charges and breaching his previous community correction order. As part of his sentence, he cannot leave home between 10 PM and 5 AM for four months and must complete 150 hours of community service.
As this story develops, authorities urge residents to remain vigilant against instances of domestic violence and reckless behavior. The public’s reaction to Downs’ actions has sparked conversations about accountability and the importance of responsible pet ownership.
Stay tuned for more updates on this ongoing case as details continue to unfold.
