Threats, knives and a burnt LandCruiser: one night on the prawn trawler Brampton

A dispute between two fishermen on a prawn trawler moored in Frances Bay has finally drawn to close this year with both being reprimanded by a judge, one more seriously than the other. Read on to find out what happened on one Sunday night.

A drunken clash between two fishermen – which ended with a $70,000 LandCruiser being set on fire – has drawn to a close with one now serving time in prison while the other has walked away with a fine.

In Darwin Local Court on Friday, the court heard the conclusion of the dispute between Cameron Michael McLaughlin and Roy Sullivan started on a prawn trawler called Brampton.

The court heard Mr McLaughlin's account of events which occurred on July 23, 2023 – a night which culminated in his LandCruiser being burnt to a crisp.

Sitting moored in Francis Bay, Mr McLaughlin visited the Brampton to speak with Mr Sullivan in an attempt to settle a dispute, according to Mr McLaughlin’s defence lawyer Storm Lawlor.

Mr Sullivan was living on the boat at the time, while Mr McLaughlin was based out of his troop carrier – a vehicle he had invested a considerable amount of money into so he could travel the country.

Crown Prosecutor Day Payne said that Mr McLaughlin entered the boat holding a knife – which his defence denied – and maintained that Mr McLaughlin had no permission to be on the ship.

The prosecution also argued that Mr McLaughlin threatened Mr Sullivan by claiming he was in possession of a 44. Calibre rifle.

The prawn trawler Brampton. Picture: Supplied

When Mr McLaughlin left the boat to go back to his car – which was parked at Frances Bay – prosecution argued that Mr Sullivan felt threatened that Mr McLaughlin would return with a rifle, so he phoned the police.

But Mr McLaughlin’s defence had a different perspective on the events, with Mr Lawlor arguing that his client had come back to the boat to retrieve his car keys, which Mr Sullivan had apparently thrown overboard.

When the police came, Mr Lawlor said that his client did not resist and immediately complied with all directives, including surrendering a 35cm blade Mr McLaughlin had concealed under his shirt.

However, what both parties agreed to were the events which occurred while Mr McLaughlin was at the police station.

Back at Frances Bay, Mr Sullivan got in a forklift, tipped over Mr McLaughlin's LandCruiser, boasted of his actions to friends online, before finally setting fire to the vehicle.

“His vehicle had everything in it that he owned – it was then burnt and destroyed,” Mr Lawlor said.

For his actions, Mr Sullivan will now spend the next four years in prison, after Justice Peter Barr sentenced him in the Supreme Court on January 25.

And while Mr McLaughlin lost his LandCruiser, he was also fined $2000 and ordered to pay a $300 levy by Justice Stephen Geary after an early guilty plea to weapon possession and trespassing charges.