NT Police Acting Senior Sergeant Neil Mellon has been charged with 31 offences
Just two weeks ago, well-respected water policewoman Sandi Mellon was living a picture-perfect life.
She was sipping beers by the pool in Bali with her best friend by her side while her senior police officer husband Neil raked in a tidy salary back home in Darwin.
But that all came crashing down last Friday when the mum learned the family home she shared with Neil had been raided by her NT Police colleagues.
Mr Mellon, an Acting Senior Sergeant in the Force, was handcuffed on Thursday, moments after turning up to work at Darwin Police Station.
He was later charged with 31 offences, including attempting to pervert the course of justice, stealing, unlawfully accessing data as well as alleged destruction of evidence in relation to a major crash investigation. That charge is believed to be related to the helicopter accident that claimed the life of Outback Wrangler TV star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson early this year.
It’s understood police will allege Mr Mellon flew to the scene after the crash and retrieved Mr Wilson’s body while off duty and before other emergency services arrived, The Australian reported.
The same day Mrs Mellon was grappling with seeing her decorated cop husband charged with a raft of offences, she revealed another blow to her personal life.
Mrs Mellon had fallen out with her best friend – who she only recently holidayed with – and expressed her pain that their relationship had come to a sudden end.
On the same day Mr Mellon was charged, his wife posted a photo of her and her best friend in matching t-shirts to Facebook with a scathing message. The friend had been in Bali with the group
‘See this woman here, she is my best friend – we did everything together, we have been on lots (of) holiday and camping trips as a family,’ Mrs Mellon wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post.
‘Said we were sisters, family. Been joined at the hip for three years’ – before going on to criticise the mate. Daily Mail Australia has chosen not to publish that scathing post, which is no longer online.
The closeness of that relationship before the fall-out was evident in numerous social media posts, with the pair most recently enjoying a trip to Bali with a group of mates. The pair were even picked up from the island’s airport together.
Photos from the holiday showed the mother and her friends soaking up the sunshine in a pool, while also visiting families in local villages to drop off things like food and toiletries.
The group were also seen out for meals and enjoying some of Bali’s famous Bintang beers.
His wife Sandi Mellon had recently enjoyed a trip to Bali with her friends. She later made a ruthless post about her best friend
Photos show a relaxed Mrs Mellon soaking up the sunshine at a pool in Bali, days before her husband’s arrest
The group donated food and supplies to local families in Bali. Mrs Mellon’s holiday came just days before her husband was charged
Before their Bali trip, the two women regularly appeared together on social media, including social occasions.
Daily Mail Australia approached the one-time friends for comment.
Meanwhile, Mrs Mellon’s husband has meanwhile been suspended from his role without pay, while support has been provided to him and his family.
It’s understood Mr Mellon was friends with Mr Wilson, one of the stars of the National Geographic television show Outback Wrangler.
Mr Wilson was harnessed 30m from a helicopter on February 28, collecting crocodile eggs in West Arnhem Land when the aircraft crashed.
The 34-year-old father-of-two was killed in the accident. The pilot, Sebastian Robinson, 28, suffered critical injuries in the crash but survived.
Outback Wrangler is a hit adventure television series filmed in remote Top End locations that airs in more than 90 countries.
Sgt Mellon has been charged with a string of offences including attempting to pervert the course of justice, stealing and unlawfully accessing data
Mr Mellon’s charge of alleged destruction of evidence in relation to a major crash investigation, is believed to be related to the helicopter accident that claimed the life of Outback Wrangler star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson early this year
Outback Wrangler star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson, died in a crash on February 28 in West Arnhem Land
Mr Wilson was one of three cast members along with host and presenter Matt Wright, and Jono Brown.
Mr Wilson had been dangling below the Robinson R44 helicopter on a sling to collect the eggs from difficult to access crocodile nests in swampy areas before tragedy struck.
The father of two’s body was found 40 metres from the main wreckage at the King River crash site, a preliminary Air Transport Safety Bureau report released in April said.
The crashed helicopter and its crew was one of three collecting eggs on the day. It was found by one of the other crews after it failed to respond to radio calls.
NT Police Assistant Commissioner Michael White said some of Mr Mellon’s charges related to a major crash investigation that began in February this year.
He said police will allege Mr Mellon’s actions ‘undermined the integrity’ of the NT police force and community.
‘It’s important to recognise that the behaviour of this officer is going to be before the courts and the matter is in relation to the damage and mistrust of his position within the police force,’ he told reporters on Friday.
Mr Mellon joined the state’s police force in 1995 and was the former officer in charge of the Territory Response Group (TRG) where he is one of the longest serving members, having served 15 years
The 47-year-old joined the state’s police force in 1995 and was the former officer in charge of the Territory Response Group (TRG), where he is one of the longest serving members, having served 18 years.
He was even called upon to protect the Dalai Lama and Barack Obama when they visited Australia.
Mr Mellon was working as the Darwin watch commander and also worked in Alice Springs and at the Police Training College.
He was gifted an Australian Police Medal in 2019 as part of the Australia Day Honours.
Former police commissioner Reece Kershaw said at the time he’d been involved in various tactical operations including body retrievals and shootings.
‘He has encountered distressing, stressful and dangerous situations during his career yet acts bravely, and above and beyond what is expected of members of the force,’ Mr Kershaw said.
He was also awarded for ‘outstanding professionalism, bravery and exceptional operational support’ in 2016 for his work in rescuing a tourist who fell from Uluru.
Mr Mellon has been released on bail and is due to face court on September 22.
Family: The 34-year-old star of National Geographic’s Outback Wrangler leaves behind his wife Danielle and the couple’s sons, Ted and Austin
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