Christian Butler learns fate over savage bashing of ex, ex’s new lover at Groote Eylandt

A young man who led a brutal ambush bashing of his ex-girlfriend and her new partner on Groote Eylandt won’t be required to serve additional jail time.

Brothers Christian and Mason Butler. Picture: File.

July 30: A young man who led a brutal ambush of his ex-girlfriend and her new partner on Groote Eylandt won’t be required to serve additional jail time, after 80 members of the Lalara clan signed a letter saying they were committed to rehabilitating the defendant.

Christian Butler, 19, pleaded guilty in June in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory at Darwin to seven offences, most seriously two counts each of aggravated assault and threats to kill, as well as stealing, damage to property and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

All charges stemmed from the early hours of April 2, 2023, when Butler, his brother Mason Lee Butler, 21, and friend Braydon Mamarika, 19, visited hell upon two young campers, aged 17 and 18, at Jagged Head’s Wayne’s World.

The trio taunted and bashed the pair in revenge for the 17-year-old girl, Paiten Edwards, breaking up with the defendant and moving on to a new relationship.

At one point the defendant kicked Ms Edwards in the head twice, causing her neck to snap back and “crack” the court was told.

Her new paramour, meanwhile, was bashed so brutally he blacked out, and the defendant spat on him approximately 10 times, asking all the while, “Do you like that?”

At Butler’s sentencing hearing on July 16, Justice Judith Kelly said Butler’s offending was “very serious”.

“[It] took place in an isolated remote location, where the victims were far from help,” she said.

“You ambushed them in the middle of the night while they were lying asleep in their swag and unable to defend themselves.

Christian and Mason Butler were refused bail after allegedly assaulting a couple on a camping trip.

“The offending was motivated by jealousy and by your wanting to control and punish [Ms Edwards] for having a new partner after your relationship with her broke up.”

However, Justice Kelly found a number of factors in favour of the defendant.

She said he was “obviously intelligent,” possessed a number of training certificates, came from a “strong Indigenous family,” and had shown insight into the offending by taking responsibility for his actions.

The court heard 80 members of the Lalara clan, of which the defendant is a member, had signed a letter saying they would take responsibility for his rehabilitation and “strict supervision”.

She sentenced Butler, who spent five weeks on remand, to three years and three months’ imprisonment, suspended forthwith for an operational period of three years.

It was the same sentence handed to his brother Mason, although Mason spent eight months on remand.

Mamarika, who did not participate in the violence, was dealt with by the Darwin Local Court earlier this year after pleading guilty to charges of stealing, engaging in violent conduct, damaging property and being armed with an offensive weapon at night.

Christian Butler to learn fate over savage bashing of ex, ex’s new lover at Groote Eylandt

June 16: The last in a trio of young men who bashed, taunted and brutalised two teen campers at Groote Eylandt because the female victim had commenced a new relationship has pleaded guilty to a raft of offending.

Christian Butler, 19, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory at Darwin last week to seven offences, most seriously two counts each of aggravated assault and threats to kill, as well as stealing, damage to property and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

All charges stem from the early hours of April 2, 2023, when Butler, his brother Mason Lee Butler, 21, and friend Braydon Mamarika, 19, visited hell upon two young campers, aged 17 and 18, at Jagged Head’s Wayne’s World.

The impetus for the violent attack was the break-up between the 17-year-old female victim, Paiten Edwards, and the defendant, and her kindling of a new relationship with the 18-year-old male victim, Blake Booth.

Jagged Head at Groote Eylandt. Picture: Supplied

The court heard that on the night in question, the two teen victims were sleeping when they were disturbed by headlights from the trio’s stolen Toyoto LandCruiser.

The Butlers, who had a car full of edged weapons, which were not used, commenced a withering attack on the young lovers, both of whom were punched and kicked multiple times while still in their tent.

At one point the defendant kicked Ms Edwards in the head twice, causing her neck to snap back and “crack” the court was told.

Mr Booth, meanwhile, was bashed so brutally he blacked out, and the defendant spat on him approximately 10 times, asking all the while, “Do you like that?”

Braydon Mamarika leaving Darwin Local Court. Picture: Fia Walsh

The assault chipped his teeth and caused him to bleed “profusely” from the mouth and nose.

The Butlers furthered the violent spree by trashing the campsite and causing extensive damage to a Nissan Patrol.

After the Butlers and Mamarika left – the latter did not actively participate in the assault according to the Crown facts, although he was initially charged with it – the battered duo packed up and began driving to seek help, but found their exit route blocked by the trio’s LandCruiser.

Mamarika, who was driving, chased the terrified pair down the bush track, but they were able to escape and raise the alarm at Alyangula.

Christian Butler’s sentence was adjourned to July 16 to enable the commissioning of a report assessing the defendant for community supervision.

Mason Butler, who pleaded guilty to the same seven charges as his brother, was sentenced last December to three years and six months’ imprisonment, suspended after the eight months he had already spent on remand.

Mamarika was sentenced in the Darwin Local Court in March to a 12-month good-behaviour bond after pleading guilty to charges of stealing, engaging in violent conduct, damaging property and being armed with an offensive weapon at night.