…Researched and contributed by Jack Sylva for TDPel Media.
Three men are on trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia, for the alleged murder of Bradley Lyons in December 2018.
Jordan Bottom, Rikki Smith and Albert Thorn are accused of assaulting Lyons, bundling him into the boot of a car and holding him captive on a metal massage table in an attempt to extract a confession from him.
The prosecution alleges the trio then shot Lyons and buried him in a shallow grave in the Gippsland region of Victoria.
The case against the men is based on false allegations that Lyons was sexually abusing children.
False allegations
According to the prosecution, an investigation by the police found no evidence to support the allegations made against Lyons, who lived with his wife and seven children.
The men attacked Lyons as he lay in bed following an early morning shift at a supermarket, assaulting him and restraining him before tying him to the massage table.
He sustained injuries to his face and head and was bleeding heavily.
The prosecution claims that all three defendants were complicit in the “summary execution” of Lyons.
Pleas
The men have each pleaded not guilty to the murder of Lyons, with both Smith and Bottom also denying false imprisonment charges.
Thorn allegedly told his eight-year-old daughter the day after Lyons’ death that he had “killed someone last night” and that the victim had been rude to children and had sexually abused them.
Bottom allegedly wrote rap lyrics about the killing.
Commentary
This case is a stark reminder of the dangers of vigilantism and the importance of relying on evidence and the rule of law.
False allegations can be incredibly damaging, and it is crucial that accusations are thoroughly investigated before any action is taken.
The defendants’ alleged actions are a clear violation of the principles of justice and are deeply concerning.
The case also highlights the need for adequate mental health support and education to address issues of anger and revenge in society.