A young hoon accused of running down nine wombats in his ute has lashed out at media after being convicted of drink-driving.
Apprentice electrician Tyson Michael Delbridge, 19, of Fish Creek in Victoria’s South Gippsland region, has still to face court over the allegation he mowed down the beloved native animals.
The charges followed an extensive investigation by the Conservation Regulator and Victoria Police into the deaths in Gippsland’s Venus Bay.
On Wednesday, Delbridge refused to answer questions about the alleged incident.
‘Go away please,’ he responded as he left the Korumburra Magistrates’ Court – the former homeland of mushroom killer Erin Patterson.
‘I don’t consent for you to take videos of me. Go away.’
Delbridge was supported in and outside court by his parents.
He is the son of cattle trader and dairy farmer Cameron Delbridge, a community stalwart with long-established ties to the local community.
Mr Delbridge attempted to shield his son from a Daily Mail photographer outside court.
‘Who the bloody hell do you think you are,’ he barked.
Mr Delbridge indicated his son would defend the wombat charges when they hit court next month.
‘None of this crap is proven,’ he said.
Wombat lovers who converged outside the court to taunt Delbridge quickly turned on his protective dad.
‘Where does he learn his behaviour from,’ one asked.
Delbridge’s image went viral on social media last month when Daily Mail revealed he had been charged over the alleged wombat killing spree.
It is not suggested that Delbridge is guilty of killing the wombats, only that he has been charged.
The youth is accused of running down the wombats along Lees Road, which runs between Venus Bay and Anderson Inlet on the opposite side.
It is an area surrounded by bushland, with a thriving community nestled in the wilderness.
On Wednesday, Delbridge pleaded guilty to unrelated charges of careless driving, drink-driving and driving an unregistered vehicle.
The court heard Delbridge was lucky to be alive after rolling his ute in the bush on May 28.
Delbridge was thrown from the vehicle, before it burst into flames.
Images of the incident show Country Fire Authority firefighters dousing the flaming remains of Delbridge’s car, which was a total write-off and uninsured.
The teenager later recorded a .062 per cent blood alcohol reading – well over the zero requirement imposed on probationary drivers.
In another stroke of luck, Delbridge was found soon after the crash by a mate who happened to be in the area.
Appearing in court unrepresented, despite his father’s apparent wealth, Delbridge told the court he couldn’t even recall the crash.
Asked by the judicial registrar how the crash happened, Delbridge responded: ‘Young and dumb, I guess.’
Delbridge had been helping a mate on his farm when he decided to get behind the wheel just after midnight.
‘I’m sorry for doing what I did,’ he said.
Judicial Registrar Anthony Gwynne asked Delbridge if he realised how lucky he was to be alive.
‘You’re incredibly lucky to be here today,’ he said.
‘You were lucky you were thrown from the vehicle, as a result of that you’re lucky not to have sustained any serious injuries.
‘And you’re lucky you had a friend who came past at the time.’
The teen replied: ‘Yeah I know. Very lucky.’
The alleged wombat killer was convicted and fined $1000 and banned from driving for six months.
The court heard he had already bought a new car.
Delbridge is expected to vehemently deny he was the driver who killed the wombats when he appears in the same court next month.
Last month, a neighbour defended the alleged wombat killer, telling Daily Mail she could not believe he was responsible.
‘He’s a good kid,’ she said.
The neighbour, who did not give her name, said Delbridge’s parents were distraught about the allegations against their son.
‘His mother is beside herself,’ she said.
The woman claimed Delbridge had always been kind to her and routinely stopped by to offer his assistance on her rural property.
She claimed Delbridge was likely being blamed for the wicked deeds of others.
‘There were other cars in the area at the time,’ she insisted.
Delbridge would not reveal on Wednesday if he was indeed ‘covering up’ for someone else.
Sources have told Daily Mail that up to three cars were believed to have been in the area when the wombats were killed.
The bodies were found by disturbed locals who took them to the side of the road.
At least one of the victims had a joey, which survived and was taken to a wildlife shelter.
In a statement issued at the time, Chief Conservation Regulator Kate Gavens said wildlife cruelty was unacceptable and pledged to investigate and seek prosecution for serious incidents.
‘The Conservation Regulator takes wildlife cruelty seriously, and I encourage the public to report any information about wildlife crime to Crime Stoppers,’ she added.
Investigators had been on the hunt for the alleged wombat killer for months, with the charges bringing some relief to the outraged local community.
Those found guilty of cruelty to wildlife face massive fines and up to two years behind bars.
