Man aided mate’s plan to ‘tie and burn’ wife, jury told

A workmate of the man who murdered Kelly Wilkinson knew of his plan to “tie up and burn” his estranged wife and helped him get petrol, a jury has heard.

Bradley Bell, of Pimpama, faced trial in Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday after pleading not guilty to the murder of Wilkinson, 27, on April 20, 2021.

The 29-year-old is accused of murdering Wilkinson by aiding her estranged husband Brian Earl Johnston, 37, to carry out his plan to stab her and set her on fire.

A vigil was held for Kelly Wilkinson.Credit: Jocelyn Garcia

Crown prosecutor David Nardone told the jury Bell had admitted to police in July 2021 helping Johnston in the lead-up to him attacking Wilkinson at Arundel on the Gold Coast.

“On more than one occasion Brian Johnston told him he wanted to kill his wife. He wanted to tie her up and burn her,” Nardone said.

He said Bell had also been aware Johnston had been charged by police over allegedly raping Wilkinson and had told him he was innocent.

The jury heard cameras at the marine engineering business where Bell and Johnston worked had captured them in conversation with Johnston in possession of tools and sedative drugs he intended to use for her murder.

Nardone said Bell had been staying at a campsite with Johnston when he was woken at 3am and asked to be driven to Wilkinson’s home.

“At 3.09am they stop at a BP station for a jerry can of petrol,” Nardone said.

He said security cameras had captured how Bell had driven Johnston near to Wilkinson’s home at 3.27am and Johnston had taken a bag of tools, drugs and zip ties along with the fuel can.

“By knowing and expecting that Brian Johnston would kill his wife ... in driving him there and getting that petrol ... Bradley Bell too is guilty of the same offence committed by Brian Johnston,” Nardone said.

He said Bell had given an “evolving account” to police concerning his involvement with Johnston after learning about the security camera footage.

Bell’s defence barrister Edwin Whitton told the jurors they would hear awful things about how Wilkinson was murdered but they had to focus on the evidence concerning his client.

“Bradley Bell didn’t kill anyone. Kelly Wilkinson was murdered by a man known as Brian Johnston. It was a brutal murder. I won’t say otherwise,” Whitton said.

“Your main focus will be to decide if it is proved beyond reasonable doubt he knew or expected what Brian Johnston wanted to do and helped him do it.”

Whitton told the jury it would hear two sides to the story by the time the trial was over.

“You will hear an explanation from Bradley Bell as to why he said these things to police that makes up the majority of the prosecution’s case,” Whitton said.

The trial is due to run for 10 days before Justice Michael Copley.

AAP