Accused teen faces angry mob after alleged 'wombat massacre'

A teenager accused of running down nine wombats in his car in an alleged act of brazen cruelty is taking the matter to trial. Apprentice electrician Tyson Michael Delbridge, 19, of Fish Creek in Victoria's South Gippsland region, is accused of mowing down the marsupials in his ute on February 18 in the coastal Victorian town of Venus Bay. On Tuesday, Delbridge fronted the Wonthaggi Magistrates' Court, about 30kms from Venus Bay, where the court heard he intended to fight the charges in a contested hearing scheduled for May next year.

Delbridge was greeted by a swarm of protesters as he approached and left the court surrounded by his family members. He refused to answer questions when confronted by Daily Mail, and stared down a photographer as he attempted to avoid the angry mob. Inside, the court heard disturbing allegations about what wildlife authorities claim happened on the night of the wombat massacre. Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action prosecutor Rachel Waters told the court she expected multiple witnesses who were present on the night to give evidence against Delbridge. One of those witnesses was granted a court imposed gag order forbidding the publication of his name over fears of retaliation by Delbridge's supporters, the court heard.

That witness alleged that Delbridge ran down at least four wombats on purpose and later made admissions to doing so, the court heard. The court heard Delbridge and his mates had allegedly been hunting foxes under spotlight on his Fish Creek property, before deciding to drive out to another family property at Venus Bay. In an alleged convoy of three vehicles, Delbridge is accused of running off the road and over multiple wombats which were grazing, one of which was believed to have had a joey. 'The act of using the motor vehicle to hit a wombat would have likely resulted in unreasonable pain and suffering to the wombats before they died,' Ms Waters said. The court heard the bodies of the wombats were found by a local the following day. 'One wombat had a joey that could not be found and another wombat had grass in its mouth, indicating that it was not on the road when struck,' Ms Waters said.

Acting on information from concerned locals, wildlife officers executed a warrant on Delbridge's home about a week later. The court heard officers found a logbook in Delbridge's old Landcruiser that appeared to have an entry for the date of the incident crossed out. They also allegedly recovered a card from the vehicle that contained a disturbing note. 'Inside the vehicle, there was a birthday card with a picture of a wombat on the front, and a note written by the accused that said 'Going batting',' Mr Waters said. The court heard a person allegedly in the ute with Delbridge on the night of the incident made a statement to police pinning the crime on him. It is not suggested Delbridge is guilty of the offences, only that he has been charged.

Delbridge was later taken to Leongatha Police Station, where he was cautioned and told his rights before being asked a series of questions. He told police he couldn't recall hitting any wombats in his vehicle or seeing any that had been dead on the side of the road, the court heard. 'When asked why a witness would make a statement that he had intentionally driven off the road and hit the wombats, he said 'because they wanted to',' Ms Waters said. When told about the media attention the wombat deaths had attracted, Delbridge conceded it was 'not good'. Delbridge's image previously went viral on social media after Daily Mail revealed he had been charged over the alleged wombat killing spree.

The charges followed an extensive investigation by the Conservation Regulator and Victoria Police into the deaths. Investigators claimed Delbridge had shown no remorse over the deaths of the wombats, which had deeply disturbed the local community, the court heard. DEECA plans to call five witnesses when the matter returns to court next year, including two other youths allegedly in the convoy. One of those witnesses is yet to provide a statement and attended court on Tuesday in support of Delbridge. Dalbridge's lawyer David Hancock told the court his client's defence would focus on the credibility of the witness, who cannot be named.

He also told the court he intended to obtain dash cam footage from a motorist that he claimed would assist in clearing his client. The expected hearing has been pencilled in for two days at the Latrobe Magistrates' Court – the same law courts where mushroom killer Erin Patterson went to trial. Delbridge will return to court in May.