Friend of Bronson ‘Lizard Man’ Ellery sentenced on weapons charges
A WEEK before Bronson Ellery brutally murdered his ex-girlfriend Shelsea Schilling and took his own life, the lizard man’s mate took one of his guns, hoping to prevent him from doing something silly.
Crime and Court
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A WEEK before Bronson Ellery brutally killed his ex-girlfriend Shelsea Schilling and took his own life, the Lizard Man’s mate took one of the former bikie’s guns, hoping to prevent him from doing something silly.
Michael Ryan Warburton, 26, was sentenced on a number of charges in Southport Magistrates Court yesterday, including possession of a shortened rifle and ammunition he is said to have taken off his mate, the heavily-tattooed Ellery, after recognising he was in a bad frame of mind.
The revelation comes almost a month after Ellery bashed and suffocated Schilling before taking a lethal dose of drugs which police suspect may have happened in front of several witnesses.
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Detectives went looking for Warburton as part of their investigation into the deaths of Ellery and Schilling and found the rifle, ammunition and a pair of nunchakus in the bedroom of Warburton’s home during a search on November 16.
But it was not until Tuesday this week that officers found Warburton and took him into custody after another raid at the Pimpama home and questioned him for hours over the murder-suicide.
Warburton’s lawyer, Dave Garrett from Howden Saggers Lawyers, told the court his client had a four-year-old child with special needs and had avoided police so he could remain with his son, despite the fact he was wanted for questioning over the two deaths.
“It wasn’t Mr Warburton’s rifle that was found,” he said.
“Mr Warburton is now a witness in a local murder-suicide that occurred in Southport in November.
“Police were looking for him to provide a witness statement.
“His plan was to get rid of the rifle, to destroy it — it was never used in a crime.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to stop that tragedy from happening.”
FIREARMS WERE LAID OUT IN ELLERY’S UNIT
The young father is said to have been a witness “after the fact” in the murder-suicide and it is believed he saw the duo’s bodies inside Ellery’s Southport unit.
Warburton appeared in court yesterday charged with driving with a disqualified licence, failure to appear in court, possession of a weapon, possession of a restricted item and possession of explosives.
The driving charge relates to an offence in which Warburton was found by police to have driven while his licence was disqualified on Compass Drive at Biggera Waters in December, 2015.
On the driving matter, Magistrate Kay Philipson took into account the fact Warburton’s licence had been disqualified a number of times in the past, as well as a need to deter the 26-year-old.
He sentenced Warburton to 12 months prison, with parole set for December 22.
His licence was disqualified for three years.
On all other charges, Warburton was convicted but not further punished.
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