<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An accused murderer will walk from court after a judge found his special vulnerabilities will make his time in custody more difficult.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victorian Supreme Court Justice Rita Incerti granted bail to Steven Johnson, 73, this morning, five months after he was charged with the murder of Christopher Jarvis.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Johnson, who was seated in the dock wearing a neck brace, pulled off his glasses and wiped away tears as he learnt of the decision.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australians-are-consuming-a-lot-more-of-these-four-drugs/26afbacd-1621-47b1-8ca9-86eb5e17ff35" target="_blank"><strong><span>Australians are consuming a lot more of these four drugs</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Thank you, Your Honour," Johnson told Justice Incerti.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I will obey all those (bail) orders, as I have previously."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jarvis, 38, was last seen leaving his home in Wangoom, near Warrnambool, in Victoria's west, in June 2006.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/accused-christopher-jarvis-killer-bailed-but-case-against-him-not-weak/2430d606-adeb-4beb-8407-6082ba754dc5" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His body has not yet been found but police believe it is buried in Framlingham Forest, a native woodland owned by an Indigenous trust.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Johnson was first charged with Jarvis' murder in November 2022 but the charge was dropped in August 2023.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His alleged co-accused Glenn Fenwick ultimately pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter after agreeing to make a statement to police against Johnson.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fenwick, who could be released on parole as early as October, claims he joined Johnson in confronting Jarvis over outstanding rent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It's alleged Johnson struck Jarvis in his driveway, threw him to the ground and then fired a starter pistol near his ear when he would not stop screaming for help.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fenwick claims he only helped hold Jarvis down and then load him into the boot of the car, before they all drove to Framlingham Forest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It's alleged Johnson then struck Jarvis to the head with a baseball bat before removing his clothes and burying him in a shallow grave.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Johnson's barrister Patrick Doyle SC on Thursday argued the prosecution case against his client was weak as it centred around Fenwick's evidence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/man-accused-of-faking-his-death-to-avoid-rape-charges-is-found-guilty-of-sexual-assault/20e55c02-d67f-4b18-afc2-b2f72fc6e7ff" target="_blank"><strong><span>Man accused of faking his death to avoid rape charges is found guilty of sexual assault</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There were discrepancies in Fenwick's story and the fact he made the statement to receive a discounted sentence would give a jury reason to pause, Doyle said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Justice Incerti today found the prosecution's case against Johnson could not be described as weak, although there were triable issues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She accepted much of the evidence against Johnson came from Fenwick and the ultimate strength or weakness of his account would be examined at a committal hearing in January.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Credibility and reliability will be a central issue in this case," Justice Incerti said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The judge pointed to Johnson's "special vulnerabilities" including his age and medical conditions as exceptional reasons why he should be granted bail.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She noted those vulnerabilities have made his time in custody more difficult, as he has not received some of the medical care he needed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice Incerti also rejected prosecution claims Johnson was an unacceptable risk of contacting Fenwick or moving Jarvis' body if released.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She said a series of bail conditions, including a no-contact order and a ban from entering Framlingham Forest, could alleviate any concerns.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Johnson's wife put forward a $500,000 surety as part of his bail, while the 74-year-old will also have to follow a 9pm to 6am curfew.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He will return to Warrnambool Magistrates Court in January for his committal hearing.</span></div></div>