Kelly Wilkinson killer Brian Johnston to give evidence in Bradley Bell’s murder trial

Kelly Wilkinson’s estranged husband and killer is back in court, this time as a witness in the trial against his co-accused, who drove him to the scene of the crime.

Brian Johnston has been called to give evidence in the trial of Bradley Bell, who is accused of being a party to the murder of Kelly Wilkinson.

Kelly Wilkinson’s estranged husband and killer, Brian Johnston, has taken the witness stand to give evidence in the trial against his co-accused, who drove him to the scene of the crime and told police he “knew his intentions the entire time”.

Brian Earl Johnston has taken the witness stand in Brisbane Supreme Court this morning to give evidence in the trial of Bradley Bell, 29, accused of being a party to Johnston’s murder of Kelly Wilkinson.

Bell pleaded not guilty to one count of murder on Monday morning, and maintains that he did not know Johnston was going to kill Ms Wilkinson.

Crown prosecutor David Nardone called Johnston as the last witness to give evidence as part of the Crown case on Wednesday morning.

Johnston entered the courtroom to give evidence wearing a black suit and glasses, his head now bald.

He sat in the witness box with a calm demeanour, replying a simple “yes” when asked whether he had killed his wife Kelly Wilkinson.

When asked whether he had stabbed and burned her, Johnston said he didn’t “exactly remember the details”.

“There’s a lot of it that’s very blurry,” Johnston explained.

But he accepted “that’s what the autopsy report says” and that he had inflicted her injuries.

Johnston told the court that “everyone knew” about his mental health issues and the fact he was suicidal in the weeks leading up to the murder.

Johnston denied having told his co-accused Bell that he had intended to kill Ms Wilkinson.

“No sir, I left the will and suicide letters that contradict those allegations,” Johnston said.

He said he had not said anything about wanting to harm Ms Wilkinson prior to her death.

Johnston said he “believed” he had told Bell the day before Ms Wilkinson’s death that he intended to commit suicide.

After Mr Johnston gave evidence, Mr Nardone told the court that concluded the Crown case.

Defence barrister Ed Whitton indicated his client Bell would take the stand next to defend his innocence.

Bell told the jury that he had lied in each of the three interviews he gave to police.

“Yes I drove him, yes I bought the petrol,” he said.

“I didn’t kill anyone, I didn’t know anyone would get killed.”

Bradley Bell

Bell said he had omitted the fact he drove Johnston to the scene of the crime in his first interview because he was “worried it’d get him in trouble”.

But in his final interview after being arrested for murder, Bell claimed he had fabricated details to “fit the story” because he believed it would help his own standing with the police.

“If I had sort of helped the detectives convict Brian, I wouldn’t be in trouble, they wouldn’t need me,” Bell explained his thinking to the court.

“I didn’t know I was going to be digging a hole deeper.”

“I was confused and scared... I didn’t know I was confessing for a murder.”

Bell had told police during that third interview that he “knew (Brian’s) intentions the entire time” and that Johnston had told him multiple times that he wanted to kill Ms Wilkinson.

Three years later on the witness stand, Bell claimed he had lied while affected “a little bit” by the marijuana he had smoked the morning of the interview.

Bell also told the jury that he had smoked “five or six bongs” the night before he drove Johnston to Ms Wilkinson’s house.

Bell said he had understood he was in “a lot of trouble” when arrested, but that he had thought wanting a lawyer was a “sign of guilt”.

He said the detail about Johnston offering him $1000 to “drive (him) around, don’t ask questions” was true, but that Johnston had said that just once, earlier in the week before the incident.

Bell claimed that when he spoke to Johnston at work the day before Ms Wilkinson’s death, a conversation which was captured on CCTV, he had believed Johnston was talking about committing suicide but that he “did not believe him at all”.

“If I believed him, I would have sat down, I would have spoken to him, I would’ve convinced him not to do it,” Bell said.

Bell’s evidence will continue in the afternoon.

Earlier in the morning, the jury heard the final minutes of a recording of Bell’s third and final interview with police, given on July 20, 2021 – the date of his arrest.

Bell was heard recounting to police officers during that third interview the “most awkward drive ever” on the morning on Ms Wilkinson’s death.

“There was not a word said,” Bell told police.

The jury has heard throughout the trial how Bell drove Johnston to Ms Wilkinson’s house around 3.37am on April 20, 2021 – hours before Johnston doused her with fuel and burned her.

Bell had stopped off during the journey to fill a 20L jerry can with fuel – later used by Johnston to douse his wife.

He could be heard telling police during his third interview that he “knew his (Johnston’s) intentions the entire time” and he “had been talking about it all day”.

“It was Brian, I just didn’t think he was capable,” Bell was heard telling police.

“That was the only reason I played along with it, I just didn’t think he could do anything like that.”

In the earlier part of the interview, played to the jury on Tuesday, Bell had told police that Johnston had offered him $1000 to “drive him around” to Ms Wilkinson’s – but that he had never been paid.

Kelly Wilkinson

He had also stated that Brian was his boss, and that he needed to keep his job, because he was homeless at the time.

In the second part of the interview heard on Wednesday morning, Bell was heard telling police that he had knowledge of Johnston’s initial “murder-suicide” plan.

“He wanted to kill himself after this – after the whole thing.”

The case continues.