Mandurah boat crash: John Phillip Burdon charged with manslaughter over death of Deborah Burdon, Kylie Bazzo

The man charged with manslaughter over the tragic boating crash that left two Mandurah women dead last month has been revealed to have a previous drink-driving conviction. John Phillip Burdon, 47, appeared in Mandurah Magistrates Court on Monday afternoon charged with two counts of unlawfully killing another under such circumstances as not to constitute murder. Mr Burdon stood in court, holding himself up with one crutch, as he was unable to sit due to injuries sustained in the boat crash which left him hospitalised for several days. The 47-year-old Halls Head resident is believed to be the skipper of the boat that crashed head first into a pylon in the Mandurah Estuary about 10pm on Saturday, January 21. Mr Burdon’s wife, Deborah Burdon, was pulled from the water on the night of the tragedy but the mother-of-two was unable to be revived and died at the scene. Beloved community member Kylie Bazzo was also knocked into the water, with police divers searching for her until the following night when when they recovered her body near Creery Island. Police confirmed days after the crash that officers had taken a blood sample from the skipper and were investigating whether alcohol was a factor in the horrific incident. On Monday, Sgt Naomi Foster told the court police would not be opposing the bail application but that due to a previous conviction for driving under the influence from 2019 and the “serious nature of the allegations”, Mr Burdon should be subject to several conditions. Sgt Foster did not confirm whether Mr Burdon was behind the wheel of the boat on January 21. Mr Burdon’s lawyer Michael Tudori said while his client continues to receive medical treatment, some proposed bail conditions would not be an issue, but that once he is well he would likely return to his usual fly-in fly-out working schedule. “At some stage, he will be going back to FIFO,” Mr Tudori said, adding that it may complicate future bail reporting conditions. Magistrate Leanne Atkins read Mr Burdon’s charges to him, asking if he understood, to which he replied a soft-spoken “yes”. Ms Atkins granted Mr Burdon’s bail with several conditions, including a $100,000 surety, a $100,000 personal undertaking, that he surrenders his passport to the court registrar, doesn’t leave the State and remains at his residence in Halls Head. Mr Burdon will appear at Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on February 22.