John Torney: Man accused of assault charges over Emma Bates's death was being ... trends now
A man charged with a slew of offences over the death of a vulnerable woman had been released from prison to be supervised in the community after committing similar assault charges two years earlier.
Emma Bates, 49, was found dead inside her Cobram home, close to the NSW border in Victoria's far north, about 2.15pm on Tuesday, having suffered injuries to her upper-body and face.
John Torney, 39, who lived next door, was charged over Ms Bates' death on Wednesday night with intentionally cause injury, recklessly cause injury, common assault, aggravated assault of a female and unlawful assault.
However, it is understood there will be no murder charge because forensics were unable to immediately confirm her cause of death, or whether Torney's alleged assault caused it.
An autopsy could take weeks to establish a cause of death, if at all.
Now it can be revealed that Torney had been serving a Community Supervisions Order over assault offences committed in Robinvale, four hours north-west of Cobram, in 2022.
John Torney (pictured), 39, has been charged with a range of assault offences over the death of 49-year-old Emma Bates
Ms Bates (pictured) was found dead inside her Cobram home, close to the NSW border in Victoria's far north, about 2.15pm on Tuesday, having suffered injuries to her upper-body and face
Corrections Victoria declined to comment.
Torney, who has also spent much of his life in Mildura, had planned to move away from the Sunraysia region in northwestern Victoria for a 'fresh start' and had relocated to Cobram to live with his mother and two brothers in the house next to Ms Bates.
But Ms Bates' family said that with his move 'Mildura's problem became Cobram's problem'.
'Emma detailed so many problems over this time,' Ms Bates' sister, Rachel, told Daily Mail Australia.
'Frequent fights, drug activity, police, the house repeatedly smashed up and the government coming in and patching it up.
'Emma actually received an anonymous letter warning her of John's history when he moved in. She hated the man.'
Torney had been serving a Community Supervisions Order over assault offences committed in Robinvale, four hours north-west of Cobram, in 2022 (he is pictured outside the Mildura Magistrates Court, in Mildura, 2016)
Torney had relocated to Cobram to live with his mother and brother in the house next to Ms Bates (pictured: Ms Bates' house)
Daily Mail Australia approached one of Torney's brothers for comment on Thursday but he hurled a can at the fence.
Ms Bates' family said they could not fathom how police were not bringing any more serious charges.
'We don't understand,' Rachel said.
'It seems the coroner may believe her diabetes played a part in her death.
'Regardless I still don't understand... how it's not manslaughter. Regardless of if a pre-existing condition contributed, his (alleged) actions led to her decline.'
Victoria Police declined to comment.
Rachel said she had been unable to speak to her sister 'for a few weeks'.
'Which this wasn't normal and siblings who had managed to get through were rushed off and an unknown
