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A high-ranking police officer charged with 32 counts in the Outback Wrangler helicopter crash is at the center of a messy breakup after his wife revealed on social media that he was having an affair with her best friend, the former queen of beauty.
Neil Mellon, an acting master sergeant, is accused of interfering with the Northern Territory helicopter crash that killed reality star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson and seriously injured pilot Sebastian Robinson in February.
His charges include attempt to pervert the course of justice, theft, illegal access to data and alleged destruction of evidence in a major accident investigation.
But in addition to Mellon’s troubles, an affidavit filed in Darwin court on September 1, seen by Daily Mail Australia, claims his wife, Sandi-Lee Mellon, discovered that he had been having an “affair” with her best friend. Narelle Jose for two years.
Narelle Jose is pictured with Sandi Mellon at a Christmas function during their three-year friendship.
NT Police Acting Sergeant Major Neil Mellon, 47 (pictured), was arrested after walking into work at the Darwin police station in August and charged with interfering with the helicopter crash investigation.
Ms. Mellon, who used to work as a police officer with her husband, found out about the affair the same day her husband was slapped with multiple offenses and their home was raided by his police colleagues.
The affidavit was part of an apprehended violence warrant filed against Ms. Mellon by Ms. José, but was withdrawn for unknown reasons following a court subpoena on October 18.
On September 2, Ms Mellon took to Facebook with a scathing post about Ms Jose above a photo of the former best friends in matching Christmas shirts, reindeer headbands and glasses of white wine.
“Look at this woman here, she’s my best friend – we did everything together, we’ve been on a lot of vacations and camping trips as a family,” she wrote.
He’s been joined at the hip for three years and I just found out that he’s been fucking my husband for two of those.
Narelle Jose (pictured as Darwin on Wednesday) took out a restraining order against her former best friend, Sandi Mellon
One day after Ms. Mellon’s house was raided, her husband was accused and she found out that her husband was having an affair with her best friend, she told all her friends on Facebook (pictured)
Six days later, Ms. José filed the restraining order against Ms. Mellon.
In the affidavit, Ms. José confessed that she and Mr. Mellon began having an affair a year after they met through mutual friends.
“Ms. Mellon and I have been close friends for three years,” she said in the affidavit.
Two years ago, Neil Mellon and I started having an affair.
‘Neil Mellon is the husband of Mrs. Mellon.’
Ms Jose and her husband declined to comment when approached by Daily Mail Australia.
Mr. Mellon would only confirm that he no longer lives with his wife.
Happier Times: Narelle Jose (top left) is shown having dinner with her husband (bottom left), Sandi Mellon (top right) and Neil Mellon (bottom right) in June 2020
Narelle Jose used to be a model. She was nearly crowned Miss Australia in 2005 and once graced the cover of Inside Sport magazine (pictured)
But Ms Mellon told Daily Mail Australia how a former friend had betrayed her in the worst possible way.
“Our friendship went from zero to 100 very quickly and we spent every weekend, every vacation, family birthdays, everything [together].
In a series of posts on social media, the couple could be seen enjoying a trip to Bali together.
Photos from the vacation showed the mother and her friends sunbathing by a pool, enjoying meals together and also visiting families in local villages to bring food and toiletries.
Narelle Jose is shown on the left and Neil Mellon is shown on the right. They had an affair for two years.
Ms. José is married with two children and is a former beauty queen who was in the top three contestants at Miss Australia in 2005.
She once graced the cover of Inside Sport in a bikini, saying in an interview that she gave up a potential career in sports to become a model.
Ms Mellon has worked as a police officer for 26 years and was featured in a video in March this year about women working in Darwin’s water police division.
Neil Mellon was charged with a series of offences, including attempting to pervert the course of justice, theft and illegal access to data.
Her husband was charged in the helicopter crash while walking to work at the Darwin police station on August 25.
Police also allegedly found illegal fireworks and improperly stored weapons during a raid on the family’s home.
Wilson was hitched 100 feet from a helicopter on February 28, collecting crocodile eggs in West Arnhem Land when the plane crashed.
The 34-year-old father of two died in the accident. The pilot, 28-year-old Sebastian Robinson, suffered serious injuries in the crash but survived.
It has been widely alleged that Mellon was off-duty when he flew Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright and two others to the scene of the crash in another helicopter to recover the body before emergency services arrived.
On Wednesday, Mellon claimed to Daily Mail Australia, while holding a whip cutter in his front yard in Darwin on Wednesday, that those reports were not true.
“You have to investigate because I never went back there,” Mr. Mellon claimed.
Mellon was handcuffed while walking to work at the Darwin police station in August following a six-month police investigation into the crash (pictured)
The police officer was suspended without pay after being charged and has kept a low profile amid the intense attention surrounding the case.
“I’ve been working and keeping busy,” he said, holding the whip cutter and its spinning blades in the air.
Mellon said he knew reality star Matt Wright was in court early Wednesday, but had not been watching the news.
‘It’s none of my business,’ he said.
His matter will be referred to in the Darwin Local Court on December 7th.
Wright was charged Tuesday with seven counts related to the helicopter crash, including attempting to pervert the course of justice, destroying evidence and fabricating evidence.
“Matt Wright strenuously denied these charges,” said his attorney, David Newey. He is pictured arriving at Darwin Local Court on Tuesday.
He appeared in Darwin Local Court on Wednesday, where he was granted bail. The matter of him will be brought up again on January 25th.
The reality star “strongly” denies the charges and his lawyer made a statement on his behalf after Wednesday’s hearing.
Mr Wilson was hooked 30m from a helicopter on February 28, collecting crocodile eggs in West Arnhem Land when the plane crashed in February.
The 34-year-old father of two died in the crash. The pilot, 28-year-old Sebastian Robinson, suffered serious injuries in the crash but survived.
Outback Wrangler is a hit adventure television series filmed in remote Top End locations that is broadcast in over 90 countries.