Lilli Trenerry sentenced for assisting Thomas O’Connor in Salisbury North drive-by shooting

A woman has been sentenced after she lied to police about what went down in a revenge drive-by shooting because she was in fear of her bikie mates.

A woman has been sentenced to a good behaviour bond after she lied to police about what happened in a shooting because she was in fear of her bikie mates, a court heard.

That fear led Lilli Mae Trenerry, 28, to tell police a random car had then fired shots at them, which led to her best friend being shot in the hip.

Trenerry was present with former Hells Angels OMCG members, Thomas Mortiz O’Connor, 32, and Thomas Wilshire Patterson, 30, and O’Connor’s girlfriend, Natalie Marie Pilkington, 28, on November 26, 2020.

Ms Pilkington or Ms Trennery are not alleged to be members of Hells Angels or any other outlaw motorcycle gang.

The court previously heard Trenerry orchestrated the group to take revenge for her brother.

O’Connor then “unexpectedly” fired bullets into the garage door of a Salisbury North property – which was the wrong house and not the target of their plan.

Lilli Trenerry pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. Photo: Facebook

Lilli Trenerry leaving Adelaide Magistrates Court after an earlier appearance. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Kelly Barnes

The group then attended at Lyell McEwin Hospital shortly after the shooting, where Ms Pilkington was treated for a gunshot wound to her hip.

The court heard when asked how Pilkington sustained the gunshot wound, Trenerry told police it happened when they were walking along the street.

Thomas O'Connor pleaded guilty to breaching his home detention order. Photo: Facebook

“An unknown car pulled up, fired some shots and they got a lift to the hospital from a random person,” John Wilson, for Trenerry, said during sentencing submissions in March.

“Obviously none of that was correct.”

Mr Wilson said Trenerry was actually at Patterson’s house after the initial shooting when she saw O’Connor and Ms Pilkington go into the bathroom.

“She heard a loud bang, a gunshot and then she went in with Mr Patterson to the bathroom … and observed Ms Pilkington who had been shot,” he said.

“The inference that Ms Trenerry drew is that Mr O’Connor had shot his long-term girlfriend in the hip.”

Mr Wilson said both men being Hells Angels at the time and O’Connor’s violent actions explained why Trenerry made the false statements to police.

“She feared what could happen to her if she was to implicate either of them in any of the offending that night,” he said.

“She was scared of Mr O’Connor, she thought he shot my mate, what could he do to me?”

The court heard Trenerry also lied to police about O’Connor driving the car at the time of the shooting, telling them she didn’t remember.

During sentencing, Judge Rauf Soulio said Trenerry’s fear of potential consequences explained her offending but didn’t excuse it.

Judge Kudelka sentenced O’Connor in July last year for discharging a firearm to one year and 10 months, with a non-parole period of eight months.

Taking into account the eight months O’Connor, of Mile End, had spent in custody and his good family support, she ordered the sentence be served on home detention.

The remaining trio were previously facing trial for discharging a firearm to injure, annoy or frighten a person but after negotiations Trenerry, of Morphett Vale, and Patterson, of Brahma Lodge, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender.

Thomas Patterson pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and assisting an offender. Photo: Facebook

Natalie Pilkington had her charge dismissed. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Kelly Barnes

No charges were pursued against Ms Pilkington.

The court heard Trenerry started abusing methamphetamine and Xanax following the breakdown of her relationship.

The court heard Trenerry had previously worked in traffic management but was currently unemployed.

Judge Soulio recorded a conviction against Trenerry and sentenced her to a $1000, one year good behaviour bond, with supervision.

“Providing false information to police not only prevents the apprehension of offenders but may lead to a waste of resources,” he said.