Manslaughter charges dropped against man accused of Mandurah boat tragedy

Friday, 22 November 2024 09:46

By Monique Welhan

John Burdon and his wife Debbie. PIC: 9News

A man accused of killing his wife and her best friend in a boat crash on the Mandurah Estuary nearly two years ago has had his manslaughter charges dropped.

John Burdon was accused of being the skipper of a boat that crashed into a channel marker in January 2023, killing his wife Debbie and her friend Kylie Bazzo.

But just a week before Mr Burdon's trial was due to start, prosecutors dropped the charges because they could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that he was responsible for the crash.

It is understood four witnesses told prosecutors that the 48-year-old was not navigating the boat at the time.

Mr Burdon's lawyer Michael Tudori said the same four witnesses told police this information at the time of the crash.

“What has come about is that there were four independent witnesses, four people on a pontoon boat, seconds before the impact that caused the two females to become deceased," he told reporters outside of court on Thursday.

“Who witnessed another person — not John Burdon — driving the boat.

“This information was given to police. It was in statements given to the police, yet the police did not want to follow that up. They did not make the appropriate inquiries."

Mr Burdon was knocked unconscious during the crash and had no recollection of the event.

“That’s an absolute horrible thing to happen to someone who’s been led to believe last two years that he’s responsible for the death of his wife," he said.

“It’s not really good enough ... when there are two families that have had to grieve.”

Mick Young was also onboard at the time of the crash...he was not injured.