Gulf fishing trip torture trial hears claims of abuse and violence by Yarn Garrick Ward

A month-long fishing trip in the Gulf of Carpentaria to catch barramundi ended with the arrival of three boatloads of police officers in a remote estuary, some armed with semiautomatic weapons, a court has heard.

A MONTH-LONG fishing trip in the Gulf of Carpentaria to catch barramundi ended with the arrival of three boatloads of police officers in a remote estuary, some armed with semi automatic weapons, a court has heard.

Karumba’s Yarn Garrick Ward, 44, pleaded not guilty to one count of torture at the start of his trial in the Cairns District Court on Tuesday.

Crown prosecutor Rachel Boivin outlined the case to the jury, explaining how when in 2019 George Jelef, 50, agreed to go on a fishing trip with Mr Ward, he didn’t expect it to be any different from the ones the pair had done before.

Ms Boivin said the trip started normally, with the pair spending some time at Gore Point, where they met up with another fishing boat crewed by skipper Bryan Wilson and deckie Robbie Sneddon, but things changed when they arrived at Gin Arm Creek.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Mr Wilson or Mr Sneddon.

In the remote location, tied alongside Mr Wilson’s boat, the four men began fishing for barramundi.

Mr Jelef told the court Mr Ward worked him hard and then refused to provide him with gloves when his wore through, cutting his hands.

He described how Mr Ward would routinely belittle and abuse him.

The conduct then escalated to an incident where Mr Jelef described Mr Ward assaulting him across the head with an oar.

On another occasion, Mr Jelef said Mr Ward told him to get the f*** off his boat or he would break Mr Jelef’s legs, causing Mr Jelef to jump off the boat into crocodile-infested waters and swim to the bank of the creek.

The court heard Mr Jelef spent the night on the riverbank before being found by Mr Ward and Mr Wilson in the morning.

He said Mr Ward then abused him and kicked him repeatedly in the ribs.

The court also heard claims that Mr Ward hosed Mr Jelef down with cold water while he worked, made him eat raw fish, put him in the freezer and turned on the fans while refusing to let him out, and even threw a kettle at him.

Eventually, the court heard how 11 police officers, some of whom were armed with semiautomatic rifles, visited the creek to perform a welfare check on Mr Jelef off the back of a complaint from his family, and he was taken back to Burketown with them.

Defence Barrister James Sheridan explained how in mid-2019, his client had decided to help out Mr Jelef, who was going through a tough time.

“George also had a drug addiction or a drug problem or habit at that time,” Mr Sheridan told the court.

Mr Ward, giving evidence, told the court that in 2019, Mr Jelef’s drug use was getting worse and worse.

He said he had seen Mr Jelef use drugs in the week before the fishing trip and that his behaviour on the trip was at first “ridiculous” and then “erratic”.

Mr Ward denied all of the allegations against him.

The trial will resume before Judge Deborah Richards on Wednesday morning.

Originally published as Gulf fishing trip torture trial hears claims of abuse and violence by Yarn Garrick Ward