Heartbroken dad opens up after Mount Pritchard dispute over a gum tree allegedly led to fatal driveway fight
EXCLUSIVE
A grieving father has spoken out after his son was allegedly killed in a dispute over fallen branches following years of complaints about his neighbour’s towering gum tree.
Edgar Campos, 42, has been charged with the murder of Michael Wickham, 60, during a driveway confrontation at Mount Pritchard, in Sydney’s south-west, on Saturday.
Mr Wickham lived with his father John Franks in Streeton Avenue, next to a two-bedroom house owned by Campos on Townview Road.
A large gum tree stands in the backyard of the house on Townview Road and hangs over the cottage that Mr Franks has lived in for almost 60 years.
Campos bought the property on Townview Road in 2009 but started renting it out after moving to a four-bedroom house about half a mile away on Dargie Street in 2013.
According to Mr Franks, he and his son had repeatedly complained to Campos about the gum tree, which often dropped branches on their property.
“We always asked him to prune it,” Mr. Franks said. ‘But no, never did anything.
‘I was almost stabbed by a spear once because branches kept breaking off during storms.’
John Franks (left) said he and his son Michael Wickham (right) had repeatedly complained to Campos about a gum tree in the backyard of a house he owned
The grieving father says he complained about his neighbor’s gum tree for years before his son was reportedly killed in a row over fallen branches. John Franks is pictured at the Mount Pritchard home in Sydney’s western suburbs where he lived with son Michael Wickham
A wild storm that hit Sydney on Saturday afternoon caused more tree branches to fall and Mr Wickham is said to have driven to Campos on nearby Dargie Street.
CCTV footage allegedly showed Mr Wickham arriving at Campos’ home and the pair becoming involved in an altercation, shouting in each other’s faces as they pushed and shoved.
Separate security footage reportedly showed the pair throwing punches before Campos allegedly wrapped his legs around Mr Wickham and wrestled him to the ground.
Onlookers gathered as paramedics attended and attempted to revive Mr Wickham, who died at the scene.
Mr Franks was not aware of any conversation his son had with Campos on Saturday, or the precise events on Dargie Street.
“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “The police have a statement from me.”
Campos was arrested at the scene and taken to Fairfield Police Station, where he was charged with murder.
A large gum tree (above) stands in the backyard of a house Edgar Campos owns and hangs over the cottage Mr. Franks has occupied for almost 60 years
The gum tree branches were cut up in Franks’ neighbor’s driveway when Daily Mail Australia visited on Monday
He appeared via audiovisual link at Parramatta Local Court on Monday when bail was not applied for and was formally refused.
Mr Franks, who is in the early stages of dementia, was standing in the front garden of his home on Monday when Daily Mail Australia spoke to him.
Branches of the gum tree had been cut into pieces in his neighbor’s driveway, while further branches and leaves were piled outside his fence, surrounded by State Emergency Service tape.
“That’s part of it,” Mr. Franks said, pointing to the stacks. “This damn thing right here, that’s the other half of it. It pretty much split and went everywhere.”
Mr Franks said the gum tree had been growing in Streeton Avenue for almost as long as he had lived.
“The tree was planted a few years after we all moved in,” he said. “The Fairfield council came by and gave each of us two bushes.
‘I got rid of ours because there was a bug in it, a little skinny thing. But that’s what they gave us, as a kind of starting point.”
A neighbor in Streeton Avenue who did not want to be named said the tree was a hazard and a nuisance to other residents, apart from Mr Franks and Mr Wickham.
“Just fall over, the leaves go everywhere,” she said.
Mr Franks, pictured outside his home, was unsure how he would cope on his own but had friends who said they would help him
Branches of the gum tree were stacked outside Mr Franks’ fence on Monday, surrounded by State Emergency Service tape
There were three cars parked in the driveway of Campos’ home (above) on Monday, but a woman who spoke through the front door said no one inside wanted to talk
Mr Franks said his only child, who had been his full-time carer for the past 10 years, was a ‘jack of all trades’ who enjoyed working on cars.
“A really stupid character,” he said. “The kids here all loved him.”
Mr Franks wasn’t sure how he would cope on his own, but he had friends who said they would help him.
He was more immediately concerned about organizing a funeral for his son after the autopsy was completed.
The Streeton Avenue neighbor said Mr Wickham was a popular member of the community.
“Michael is a very good man, he helps everyone,” she said. ‘He took care of the father, was good to the neighbors. Michael is an excellent man.’
Mr. Franks did not know what Campos did for a living or whether he had a family.
“I didn’t have much to do with him,” he said. “I knew him when he first moved there.”
There were three cars parked in the driveway of Campos’ home Monday, but a woman who spoke through the front door said no one inside wanted to talk.
“We don’t talk to reporters, thank you very much,” she said.
Anyone who witnessed the alleged incident or has CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Campos will return to Parramatta Local Court on February 27.