Bryce Kelly, 54, sentenced at Bendigo Magistrates’ Court for burglarising his neighbour

A Bendigo pensioner who was busted breaking into his neighbour’s house claims it was a former PM caught on CCTV and not him

Bryce Kelly outside Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

A Bendigo pensioner with gout who was busted breaking into his neighbour’s house and stealing from their shed claimed it was Scott Morrison who was responsible, not him.

Bryce Kelly, 54, outside Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Bryce Kelly, 54, pleaded guilty at Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Monday to burglary and selling stolen goods after breaking into his neighbour’s White Hills home.

On May 2, 2023, Kelly broke into a house through the back door “just a few doors up” from his home wearing a face mask and fluoro jacket entering multiple rooms and “rummaged” through draws.

Kelly then went into a shed and stole a number of items before leaving wearing a stolen Richmond Football Club hat.

On May 4, about 6am, Kelly returned to the same house and tried to break into the backdoor using a “jimmy bar”, but was unsuccessful, leaving damage to the door and frame.

Kelly then sold off the stolen goods at Bada Bing Bendigo, including a wire snipper tool, a flame soldering iron, binoculars, a sigwell welder, motorbike goggles, a clamp and a Stanley tape measure.

Kelly was caught on CCTV on both occasions, but denied the allegations when arrested by police saying: “It’s Scott Morrison not me, mate”.

Kelly’s lawyer told the court his client was “not well” and was going through a “breakdown” at the time of the offending and had since come to regret his actions.

Magistrate Johanna Metcalf placed Kelly on a two year good behaviour bond, telling him to stay out of trouble.

Kelly said he was now “too scared to J-walk” and had since gotten work as a chaplain at a church.