Alleged Bandidos bikie Michael Ryan Warburton was released on parole yesterday after pleading guilty in Southport Magistrates Court to nine charges, most relating to a police chase in Arundel in July.
The charges include unlawful use of a motor vehicle, evading police, forgery and dangerous drug possession.
Warburton, via video link, spoke up when Magistrate Pamela Dowse said judging by his criminal history it appeared he liked it behind bars – to which he replied: “No I don’t.
“I don’t like it, that’s the God honest truth.”
Magistrate Dowse commented she had not been to that particular prison but knew it was not a nice place.
“You don’t want to come out here,” Warburton replied.
He claimed his criminal history was a “thing of the past”.
“You told that to the Judge last time you were sentenced,” Magistrate Dowse replied.
Warburton said he had been in custody for almost a year this time and had “learnt a very harsh lesson”.
Magistrate Dowse said Warburton might be “a bit of a slow learner”.
In December 2016, the Bulletin revealed Warburton was in Ellery’s Southport unit when he is believed to have killed himself a month earlier.
Ellery had asked Warburton to visit, a court was told in 2018, after witness statements alleged Ellery killed ex-girlfriend Shelsea Schilling. Ellery was dubbed Lizard Man due to prominent facial tattoos.
Warburton arrived to find Ms Schilling in a pool of blood. For an hour he supported Ellery who sources said had changed into his best suit, put on his favourite song, laid down in front of a mirror, and draped Ms Schilling’s lifeless arm across his body.
Ellery told him: “I promised her I would go with her” and committed suicide in front of him, the Brisbane Supreme Court was told in June 2018.
Ellery’s family have long called for an inquest into the two deaths, saying he had been living in fear in the lead-up and they always found it strange he left a suicide note and apology for the Schilling family but not his own family.
In March last year, Warburton hit headlines when his ankle was injured when his van was rammed at a Coomera shopping centre over an alleged drug debt. Another man was stabbed by a third man during the incident.
Warburton yesterday pleaded guilty to leading police on a chase, involving the police helicopter, in Arundel at 8pm on July 13 last year. Police were called when a stolen car was seen driving in the suburb.
Warburton refused to stop and led police on a chase before the car was stopped by road spikes. He then ran off but stopped when police pulled a taser on him.
Warburton was found with stolen bank cards and steroids.
Defence lawyer Dave Garrett, of Howden Saggers Lawyers, said he would remain on parole until November next year for unrelated charges.
Magistrate Dowse sentenced him to nine months prison with immediate parole.
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Source: The Gold Coast Bulletin