Dramatic twist after glamorous private schoolgirl turned escort was accused of killing a handsome tradie whose body was found in an apartment fire escape

EXCLUSIVE 

An escort accused of providing drugs to a tradie whose body was found in her apartment stairwell has had a manslaughter charge dropped without any explanation from authorities.

Police had alleged construction manager Paul Browne died three years ago after taking heroin and meth supplied by sex worker Celia Bean and her friend Shayne Johnson.

The onetime TV reality contestant’s body was discovered about 9pm on October 8, 2021 in a fire escape at Bean’s apartment block at Zetland in Sydney’s inner-south.

Police believed the 33-year-old had driven to Rosebery from his nearby home at Zetland the previous night and could have been dead for up to 19 hours before he was found.

A month after Mr Browne’s death police released CCTV footage showing a mystery man wearing a dark tracksuit, cap and white sneakers leaving the scene. 

‘A big part of our inquiry is how he came to be in that hallway and we believe the male depicted in this CCTV footage will be able to assist with that,’ Detective Inspector Phil Hallinan said at the time. 

Detectives from Strike Force Bernacchi charged Bean, a private school-educated university graduate, with manslaughter more than a year later in December 2022.

Johnson, 45, was hit with the same charge the next day and both he and Bean, 39, were refused bail. Neither ever entered a plea.

An escort accused of providing drugs to a construction manager whose body was later found in her apartment stairwell has escaped prosecution after a manslaughter charge was dropped. Celia Bean (above) spent more than 16 months in custody refused bail

Police accused the pair of gross criminal negligence by failing to call an ambulance when Mr Browne overdosed on the drugs they allegedly supplied. 

Parramatta Local Court heard a forensic pathologist had determined Mr Browne might have survived if medical assistance had been provided earlier.

It was also alleged a text message exchange between Bean and Johnson suggested they were trying to distance themselves from the incident by stating they were not responsible for Mr Browne dying.

At Johnson’s first court appearance his lawyer said the prosecution case relied on ‘conjecture’ and ‘speculation’, and expressed concerns that charges had not been laid for more than a year.

Bean’s arrest came shortly after she had completed a five-month intensive correction order for entering a building with intent to commit an indictable offence.

In September 2018, she had been sentenced to a three-month good behaviour bond upon conviction for dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and larceny.

She was convicted at the same time of having goods in her custody which were suspected of being stolen and possessing a prohibited drug. 

Police had alleged onetime reality TV contestant Paul Browne 9above) died after taking heroin and meth supplied by sex worker Celia Bean and her friend Shayne Johnson. Charges against both have been dropped

Johnson, who was released from rehab three days before his arrest, had been jailed for a month in October 2022 for possessing a prohibited drug and driving without ever having held a licence. 

He already had a long criminal record for drug and property offences committed under the surname Teece. 

Bean remained in custody for the next 16 months as the case made its way through the courts until she was granted $2,000 bail on April 19 this year.

She was required to stay with her mother at the family home in the Southern Highlands, not to consume illicit drugs, and not to contact Crown witnesses.

While on remand, Johnson was sentenced to one year and three months’ jail for a previous car theft and the aggravated entry of a dwelling in company with intent to steal.

That sentence expired in November last year. 

Johnson was granted bail on the manslaughter charge on March 27, under strict conditions including that he live in the state’s northern New England district.

The now 46-year-old was also ordered not to contact prosecution witnesses, not to use drugs or alcohol, and not to go within 100km of Sydney.

When Johnson next faced Downing Centre Local Court on the manslaughter charge on April 18 it was dropped by the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions.

Bean faced the same court on May 28 when the 41-year-old’s manslaughter charge was also withdrawn and dismissed.  

Mr Browne’s body was discovered about 9pm on October 8, 2021 in a fire escape (above)  at Celia Bean’s apartment block on Dalmeny Road at Zetland in Sydney’s inner-south

The DPP would not provide an explanation for why the charges were dropped.

‘Reasons for the decision to withdraw a charge are made in accordance with the prosecution guidelines and are legally privileged,’ a spokeswoman said. 

‘As such, we politely decline to comment.’

A NSW Police spokeswoman confirmed Mr Browne’s death was no longer the subject of an active inquiry.  

‘As charges are not being progressed, and the coroner has dispensed with an inquest, there will be no further investigation by Strike Force Bernacchi, pending further information,’ the spokeswoman said.

Before becoming an escort Bean attended exclusive Frensham School in the NSW Southern Highlands where she was an accomplished equestrian and later gained a Bachelor of Science from the University of Sydney.

She also completed a postgraduate diploma in education at the University of Technology Sydney. 

But Bean never put her tertiary qualifications to use, instead working in roles such as a receptionist for a law firm and a customer service representative at Woolworths.

Police believed Mr Browne  driove to Bean’s apartment block at Rosebery (above) from his nearby Zetland home and could have been dead for up to 19 hours before his body was found

One of Mr Browne’s friends told Daily Mail Australia after his death the tradie was ‘a good-looking boy’ who did not need to pay for sex and was more likely just ‘partying’ with Bean.

Isaac Parry said Mr Browne had enjoyed recreational drugs as a younger man, when his interests included ‘girls, music, clubbing and cryptocurrency’.  

Mr Browne auditioned for X-Factor when he was  22, singing the Robbie Williams hit Angels as a dare in front of judges Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Guy Sebastian, Ronan Keating, and Mel B.

In response to all four judges describing his vocal ability as terrible, Mr Browne said his performance fell flat because ‘my mouth is a little dry’ and ‘the song wasn’t in my key’.

Police urged anyone who believed they had information about Mr Browne’s death to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.