A man charged with a string of offenses over the death of a vulnerable woman had been released from prison to community supervision after committing similar assault charges two years earlier.
Emma Bates, 49, was found dead inside her home in Cobram, near the New South Wales border in Victoria’s far north, about 2.15pm on Tuesday, after suffering injuries to her upper body and face.
John Torney, 39, who lived next door, was charged in Bates’ death Wednesday night with intentionally causing injury, reckless causing injury, common assault, aggravated assault on a female and unlawful assault.
However, it is understood there will be no murder charges because coroners could not immediately confirm the cause of his death, or whether Torney’s alleged assault caused it.
An autopsy could take weeks to establish the cause of death, if anything.
It can now be revealed that Torney had been serving a Community Supervision Order for assault offenses committed in Robinvale, four hours north-west of Cobram, in 2022.
John Torney (pictured), 39, has been charged with a series of assault offenses over the death of Emma Bates, 49.
Ms Bates (pictured) was found dead inside her home in Cobram, near the New South Wales border in Victoria’s far north, about 2.15pm on Tuesday, after suffering wounds on the upper body and face.
Corrections Victoria declined to comment.
Torney, who also spent much of his life in Mildura, had planned to move from the Sunraysia region of north-west Victoria to “start over” and had moved to Cobram to live with his mother and two brothers in the house next to Mrs. Bates.
But Bates’ family said that with their move “Mildura’s problem became Cobram’s problem”.
“Emma detailed a lot of issues during this time,” Bates’ sister Rachel told WhatsNew2Day Australia.
‘Frequent fights, drug activity, police, the house repeatedly vandalized and the government coming in and patching everything up.
“In fact, Emma received an anonymous letter warning her about John’s history when he moved away. She hated the man.”
Torney had been serving a Community Supervision Order for assault offenses committed in Robinvale, four hours north-west of Cobram, in 2022 (pictured outside Mildura Magistrates’ Court, Mildura, 2016).
Torney had moved to Cobram to live with his mother and brother in the house next door to Mrs Bates (pictured: Mrs Bates’ house).
WhatsNew2Day Australia approached one of Torney’s brothers for comment on Thursday, but he threw a can at the fence.
Bates’ family said they couldn’t understand why police didn’t bring more serious charges.
“We don’t understand,” Rachel said.
“It appears the coroner may believe his diabetes played a role in his death.
‘Anyway, I still don’t understand… how it’s not involuntary manslaughter. Regardless of whether a pre-existing condition contributed, his (alleged) actions led to his decline.
Victoria Police declined to comment.
Rachel said she hadn’t been able to talk to her sister “for a few weeks.”
“Which was not normal and the brothers who had managed to get through were quickly taken out and there was always an unknown man at the bottom,” he said.
‘We had shared messages and photos at that time. A silly photo of a cat always made his day.
Police had previously said Bates and Torney knew each other and had been widely reported to be in a relationship.
Bates’ sister (pictured), Rachel, said he had “the biggest heart of anyone we know.”
Mrs Bates was lovingly described as the ‘crazy cat aunt’ to 17 nieces and nephews (pictured: her front door)
But Bates’ family confirmed she and Torney had only known each other for weeks, not months, and revealed the 49-year-old “hated” him.
‘Emma knew what kind of person John was. She hated it,” Rachel said.
‘Somehow we don’t know how he managed to get into her life.
‘Emma lived to help the disadvantaged and the misunderstood. She had the biggest heart of anyone I know. This connection with John lasted for weeks. Neither months nor years.
Rachel paid tribute to her sister and said she did not let her lifelong health problems get in the way of helping others in the Cobram community.
‘She was a type one diabetic, this caused many health complications, she was hospitalized frequently. “She used her scooter to get around,” Rachel said.
‘Despite all her health problems, she had the biggest heart of anyone we know. She was always helping someone.
Ms Bates used a scooter to get around due to health complications associated with her type one diabetes (pictured: police search property)
‘Take food to an elderly neighbor. Carrying people who needed it. The list goes on.’
Bates’ family had been in Melbourne supporting his father, who was receiving medical treatment.
‘When he returned to Cobram he went to the crime scene at his daughter’s house. “We initially thought she had had a medical problem,” Rachel said.
‘When the police informed us that she was (allegedly) assaulted and left to die, our world was shattered. The life of a beautiful and loving woman has just disappeared. Nothing makes sense.’
Rachel, who did not want to give her last name to protect her parents’ privacy, described her sister in loving terms as the “crazy cat aunt.”
‘She had her rescues that she treated like her babies. “The decor in her home was completely cat-inspired,” she said.
‘Emma was not lucky enough to have children, but she was a proud aunt to her 17 nieces and nephews.
‘They were his pride and joy and he spent hours talking about them to everyone. He had many of their faces tattooed on his leg so he could always carry them with him.
Locals laid floral tributes outside Mrs Bates’ home on Anzac Day
‘It is tragic that her big heart led her to befriend a man who (supposedly) wanted to harm her. Nobody deserves that.’
This year, twenty-five women have been murdered in Australia as the nation battles an epidemic of violence against women and girls.
Torney faced an out-of-session court hearing Thursday night.
He will appear at Shepparton Magistrates Court on Friday.
A team of detectives and forensic officers were seen searching Ms Bates’ home for evidence and speaking to neighbors on Wednesday as part of the investigation.
As police entered and exited the front door, a wheelchair, a cat scratching tower and an exercise bike could be seen abandoned in Ms. Bates’ covered parking lot.
Her friend Kylie Mizzi, whose parents lived next door to Bates for many years, told WhatsNew2Day Australia she was a “beautiful soul”.
“She always helped my elderly parents and had a big heart, was warm and loving,” he said.
“I’m in total shock that something like this could happen to such a beautiful soul.”