Driver ‘didn’t think’ on killer’s request

A man charged with the murder of a woman told police he “didn’t think” about her killer’s request to drive to her home and fill up a jerry can with petrol along the way, a court has been told.

Chilling footage of Bradley Bell filling up a jerry can with petrol for his boss, Brian Earl Johnston, in the hours before Gold Coast mum Kelly Wilkinson’s death has been played during the second day of Mr Bell’s murder trial.

Mr Bell then walks inside the service station and pays for the fuel and some drinks.

The jury was earlier told this jerry can was later used by Johnston to douse his ex-wife Ms Wilkinson in fuel after he repeatedly stabbed her in the backyard of her Arundel home on the morning of April 20, 2021.

Mr Bell, 28, has pleaded not guilty to Ms Wilkinson’s murder.

The Crown contends Mr Bell “aided or enabled” Johnston in his plan to repeatedly stab Ms Wilkinson and set her on fire.

The jury was told Mr Bell allegedly drove Johnston to the house, stopping at a servo to fill up a jerry can with fuel on the way.

Crown prosecutor David Nardone said Johnston allegedly offered Mr Bell $1000 to drive him there.

During his opening, Mr Nardone said Johnston had been asked to leave Ms Wilkinson’s home in Arundel.

Mr Bell and Johnston were co-workers at the time of Ms Wilkinson’s death and Johnston had repeatedly told him he wanted to “kill” his ex-wife, including a plan to “tie her up and burn her”.

On Tuesday, Mr Bell’s second statement to police was read to the jury. He recounted picking up Johnston the night before Ms Wilkinson’s death and driving to another person’s house so Johnston could collect his things.

Mr Bell recalled seeing Johnston carrying a camouflage bag from the property.

On Monday, the jury was told this bag allegedly contained zipties, duct tape, a pinch bar, the bag of white powder and white rope.

“I didn’t question Brian about the bag – I just assumed it had his clothes in it,” Mr Bell said in his statement.

He continued by saying the pair picked up KFC. Johnston then asked if they could “go for a drive” to Ms Wilkinson’s house.

Johnston pointed the house out, saying he just wanted to see if “Kelly was home”, Mr Bell said.

“I didn’t think much of it,” Mr Bell said in his statement.

Mr Bell said he was woken about 3am the next morning by Johnston, who asked him again to drive to Ms Wilkinson’s house.

“I was too tired to think, and he is my boss, so I just did what he asked,” Mr Bell said in his statement.

He also detailed how he “didn’t think” about filling up the jerry can at the service station.

“I didn’t think anything of Brian asking for fuel in the jerry can. He never offered an explanation, and I never asked,” Mr Bell said in his statement.

“It just didn’t concern me. I didn’t feel it was my place to ask.

“Brian is my boss … I was thankful for the job … (and) wanted to keep the job and boss happy.”

In his statement, Mr Bell continued by saying he asked Johnston “you sure you’re all right?”

Johnston then replied “yeah” before Mr Bell drove back to his campsite and went to sleep, he said.

Footage of Johnston pacing his workplace at Exo Group in Coomera, along with the footage of Mr Bell arriving at the service station at 3am, was also played to the jury.

Ed Whitton, Mr Bell’s defence barrister, had earlier told the jury their main focus would be to determine if the Crown had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr Bell “knew or expected what Johnston was going to do”.

“Bradley Bell didn’t kill anyone,” Mr Whitton said.

He urged the jury to assess the evidence fairly and objectively, including a recorded interview between Mr Bell and police.

“Please understand, there will be two sides to this story by the time this trial has finished,” Mr Whitton said.

“I can tell you now … you will hear an explanation from Bradley Bell as to why he said those things to the police.”

The trial continues.