NT Water Police boss Sandi Mellon charged with making threats to kill after husband’s affair exposed

The wife of a senior NT police officer charged in relation to a fatal chopper crash has been served with a summons containing a set of serious charges including making threats to kill.

Sandi Mellon.

The wife of a senior Northern Territory police officer charged in relation to the fatal chopper crash that killed Outback Wrangler cast member Chris “Willow” Wilson has been served with a summons containing a set of serious charges including making threats to kill.

Senior Sergeant Sandi Mellon – Officer in Charge of NT Water Police – was on Friday served with a summons to appear in court next month on charges including unlawful entry, trespass, assault, make a threat to kill and disorderly behaviour.

The Australian understands all of the charges relate to an incident on August 26 when Senior Sergeant Mellon confronted another woman, Narelle Jose, about having an affair with her husband.

The 46-year-old is understood to have discovered the affair after Major Crash Unit detectives arrested her husband – former Acting Senior Sergeant Neil Mellon – in relation to the February chopper crash that killed Wilson.

On September 1, Ms Jose applied for a Personal Violence Restraining Order against her former friend Senior Sergeant Mellon and the matter was heard in the Darwin Local Court later that month.

In her supporting affidavit, Ms Jose alleged that Senior Sergeant Mellon went to her Darwin home, punched her in the shoulder, smashed a pot plant, screamed abuse and threatened to kill her on August 26 after discovering the affair. And that the threats and abuse were captured on her home security cameras.

Ms Jose sets out in her affidavit that she had been close friends with Senior Sergeant Mellon for three years but had been having an affair with her husband for the last two of those years.

Senior Sergeant Mellon, who has been on medical leave since early last year, will appear in the Darwin Local Court on February 15. NT ICAC and the NT Ombudsman have also been advised of the matter.

This comes after NT Police last month served Senior Sergeant Mellon with a Notice to Investigate alleged serious breaches of discipline, including sharing confidential information about the helicopter crash with her off-duty police officer husband who then rushed to the scene.

Wilson – who starred on reality television shows Outback Wrangler, Matt Wright’s Wild Territory and Wild Croc Territory – was killed when the Robinson R44 he was slinging from crashed on the King River in a remote part of at west Arnhem Land during a crocodile egg collection mission.

Bush helicopter pilot Michael Burbidge, who was flying a separate chopper on the egg collecting mission that morning, located the wreckage, Wilson‘s body and the critically injured pilot at about 10.36am before calling for help.

Mr Wright immediately flew to the scene with Darwin publican Mick Burns, who owns the crocodile-egg harvesting business, and off-duty police officer Mellon.

Mr Burbidge, Mr Wright and Mr Mellon have since been charged with serious criminal offences related to the major crash investigation into the helicopter crash. The three co-accused are all due back in court on January 25.

Ms Jose said in her affidavit that the mens’ wives Kaia Wright and Jade Burbidge were both also present during the alleged assault at her home.

Senior Sergeant Mellon, who joined the NT Police in 1997, made a formal complaint in October against multiple members of the police executive accusing them of bullying and failing to support her mental health.

The complaint, which was sent to multiple parties including NT Police Minister Kate Worden, also accuses detectives of “callously” including details of her husband’s extramarital affair in the brief of evidence against him to cause her “anguish” at a time when she was already on stress leave.

NT Police last week declined to comment on these matters.

“Investigations into the fatal helicopter crash at west Arnhem Land on 28 February 2022 are ongoing,” a spokesperson said.

“As the matter is before the courts no further comment will be made at this time.”