A 19-year-old man who pleaded guilty to drink-driving, careless driving and driving an unregistered vehicle after a May rollover in Victoria has separate court proceedings pending over allegations that a vehicle ran down nine wombats in the Venus Bay area.
Tyson Michael Delbridge of Fish Creek, in South Gippsland, was convicted on the traffic-related charges at Korumburra Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, fined A$1,000 and disqualified from driving for six months. The convictions relate to a crash on May 28 in which his four-wheel-drive rolled in bushland, was destroyed by fire and left him thrown clear of the vehicle. A blood-alcohol reading taken later recorded 0.062 per cent, above the zero limit for probationary drivers.
Delbridge, who appeared unrepresented, told the court he did not recall the crash and described his actions as "young and dumb." He told the judicial registrar, "I'm sorry for doing what I did," and acknowledged he was fortunate to have a friend who found him after the accident. The vehicle was uninsured, firefighters attended and images from the scene show it being doused during salvage operations.
Separately, Delbridge has been charged over an incident in which wildlife officers and police allege a vehicle struck nine wombats along Lees Road between Venus Bay and Anderson Inlet. The Investigation by the Conservation Regulator and Victoria Police followed reports from locals and footage from wildlife cameras that investigators say captured a vehicle believed to be responsible.
Authorities say the bodies were found by residents and placed at the side of the road; at least one of the adult wombats was carrying a joey, which survived and was taken to a wildlife shelter. Those found guilty of wildlife cruelty in Victoria can face significant fines and up to two years' imprisonment.
Delbridge left court on Wednesday following the traffic convictions and declined to discuss the separate animal-cruelty allegations with media, telling reporters, "Go away please" and, "I don't consent for you to take videos of me. Go away." His parents accompanied him at the hearing; his father, identified in court reporting as Cameron Delbridge, challenged a photographer outside the courthouse and said the young man would defend the wombat-related charges when they come before the court.
Local reaction to the alleged killings has been strong. Residents who discovered the wombat carcasses reported distress, and volunteers and wildlife organisations have urged anyone with information to come forward. The Conservation Regulator issued a statement at the time of the discovery saying wildlife cruelty was unacceptable and urging the public to report wildlife crime to Crime Stoppers.
Police and the regulator have said the investigation has been active for several months, and that multiple vehicles may have been in the area when the wombats were killed. Sources cited in local reporting suggested up to three cars were present in the vicinity at the relevant time.
Delbridge is due to appear in Korumburra Magistrates' Court next month on the charges relating to the wombat deaths. It has not been established in court that he is guilty of those allegations; the charges remain to be tested at a hearing.
The magistrates' court proceedings on the traffic offences noted the sentence and licence disqualification, and the matter of the alleged wildlife cruelty will proceed separately under the conservation regulator's and police's investigative timetable. Authorities have encouraged anyone with further information or relevant footage to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers.