A man accused of “assisting” the killer of Gold Coast mother Kelly Wilkinson by driving him home and filling a jerry can with petrol on the way has been found not guilty of murder.
Bradley Bell was on trial in Brisbane Supreme Court charged with the murder of Ms Wilkinson, 28, in April 2021.
Ms Wilkinson was murdered by her ex-husband Brian Earl Johnston, who broke into her Arundel home on the morning of April 20 that year, stabbing her repeatedly before dousing her in petrol and setting her alight.
It was not alleged that Mr Bell murdered Ms Wilkinson.
Throughout the trial, the Crown alleged that he “aided or facilitated” Johnston by driving him to his ex-wife’s address and filling a jerry can with fuel along the way.
It was further alleged that Mr Bell knew of Johnston’s plan to murder his ex-wife, including a specific plan to “tie her up and burn her”.
Mr Bell was found not guilty of the alternative charge of murder and manslaughter by a jury on Friday.
He walked free from court that same afternoon.
Kelly Wilkinson (pictured) was murdered by her ex-husband Brian Earl Johnston, who repeatedly stabbed her before dousing her in fuel and setting her alight in April 2021.
Bradley Bell (pictured) was found not guilty of murder and the alternative charge of manslaughter by a jury on Friday.
Several co-workers of Mr. Bell and Johnston testified throughout the trial, along with detectives involved in Mr. Bell’s investigation and arrest.
Mr Bell also gave evidence when the Crown closed its case against him.
Mr Bell’s defence lawyer, Ed Whitton, had told the jury on the first day of the trial that their main objective would be to determine whether the Crown had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr Bell “knew or expected what Johnston was going to do”.
“Bradley Bell didn’t kill anyone,” Whitton said.
Brian Earl Johnston (pictured) is serving a life sentence for murdering Ms Wilkinson
Bell had driven Mrs Wilkinson’s killer to her home.
He urged the jury to assess the evidence fairly and objectively, including the recorded interview between Mr Bell and police.
“Please understand that when the trial is over there will be two sides to this story,” Whitton said.
“I can tell you now… you will hear an explanation from Bradley Bell as to why he said those things to the police.”
Johnston was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Ms Wilkinson earlier this year and has pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape, allegedly committed against his ex-wife in the weeks before her murder.