Cattle trader’s son set to plead guilty to vile wombat carnage after backroom plea deal: ‘Senseless and deliberate’
A youth accused of heartlessly massacring wombats in his ute has indicated he will plead guilty to several charges after securing a deal with prosecutors.
Apprentice electrician Tyson Michael Delbridge, 20, of Fish Creek in Victoria’s South Gippsland region, is accused of mowing down the animals on February 18 in Venus Bay.
On Monday, Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court, 30km from Venus Bay, heard Delbridge intended to plead guilty to two charges related to the attack.
He appeared in court joined by older brother Angus Cameron Delbridge and mate Jake Bland, who have both indicated they will also plead guilty to charges related to killing wombats.
The court had earlier been told Delbridge is accused of ‘a senseless and deliberate act of animal cruelty’, according to investigators.
Delbridge is accused of running down the wombats along Lees Road, which runs between Venus Bay and neighbouring Anderson Inlet.
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.
Cattle trader’s son Tyson Delbridge has been identified as the alleged wombat killer
A male and female, one carrying a joey, were among those found dead
The Daily Mail visited the region after Delbridge’s image went viral on social media.
It is an area surrounded by bushland, with a thriving community nestled amid the wilderness.
Almost every second home in the area has a bright yellow sign displayed on its gate warning drivers to be mindful of the wildlife.
Locals told the Daily Mail that up to three cars were believed to have been in the area when the wombats were killed.
Delbridge and his brother Angus are the sons of cattle trader and dairy farmer Cameron Delbridge, a community stalwart with long-established ties to the area.
Delbridge’s lawyer David Hancock told the court his client was prepared to plead guilty at his next appearance in court in March.
‘Mr Delbridge will enter a plea to charge one, and he’ll also enter a plea to charge 21,’ he said.
Delbridge’s legal move has been met with scepticism among local wildlife lovers, who have attended each of Delbridge’s hearings since he was charged.
‘Sounds like he’s going to get off with a fine,’ one Venus Bay resident told the Daily Mail.
Wildlife cameras captured a vehicle believed to be involved in the wombat killings
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.
News of the arrest was welcomed by South Gippsland Deputy Mayor and Venus Bay local Sarah Gilligan.
‘It’s been a very long seven months for the community of Venus Bay after the horrific [alleged] slaughter of too many beloved wombats,’ she told the Daily Mail then.
‘This was a deliberate attack on community values and I’m thrilled to see the office of conservation regulator and police following through.’
The alleged wombat massacre saw locals sharing information updates on social media in the hunt for the alleged perpetrator.
A poll on one page asked readers if anyone convicted of killing wombats should have their vehicle confiscated.
Tyson Delbridge and his dad Cameron (far right) enter court at an earlier hearing
The vehicle authorities believe Tyson Delbridge used to carry out the alleged wombat carnage
Venus Bay locals have erected signs outside their homes telling people to be mindful of the wildlife
The response saw 60 per cent of those who participated suggest a convicted offender’s car should be seized and crushed.
It is not the first time wombats have been killed in the area, with some locals suspecting more were deliberately killed just after Christmas last year.
It is understood some of the latest charges relate to near-identical alleged attacks on wombats in Walkerville, about 27km south of Venus Bay, in late 2024.
An offence of hunting protected wildlife carries a maximum penalty of $10,455 and six months imprisonment.
Animal cruelty offences carry a maximum penalty of $52,275 and 12 months imprisonment.
The Daily Mail contacted Victoria’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action for comment about the plea deal but did not receive a response.
