A former girlfriend of a thug who allegedly threatened her with a machete has spoken out about her terrifying ordeal after he avoided deportation and was granted permission to stay in Australia.
Leroy Wilton, 35, faced being sent back to his native New Zealand after admitting a brutal attack on an ex-girlfriend in Orange, NSW, in March 2023.
Since 2009 Wilton, who moved to Australia as a child, has been convicted of a string of assault and domestic violence (DV) charges, as well as driving offences.
Three separate women have taken out restraining orders against him and last year he struck a former partner – identified as Ms D – with a baseball bat after falsely accusing her of cheating on him.
But despite the growing concerns over domestic violence attacks in Australia, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) took mercy on Wilton last week and allowed him to stay in the country.
Now Daily Mail Australia can reveal the frightening ordeal one ex-partner endured at Wilton’s hands during her abusive four-year relationship with him.
At one stage, she claims Wilton held a machete to her throat as he terrorised her.
Leroy Wilton (pictured right) was convicted over an assault on his former partner
Another victim of Kiwi-born Leroy Wilton (pictured) say she was attacked with a machete held to her throat during their relationship
‘I tried to get an AVO against him for years but was always told that without evidence I was unable to,’ said the woman, who did not wish to be named.
‘Leroy had threatened to hurt my entire family if I didn’t stay with him.’
The woman says whenever Wilton had friends over to their house, she was locked in her bedroom for long periods of time.
And his jealous rage would peak if any other men chatted to her.
‘If any of his male friends spoke to me, I would get abused and threatened and accused of cheating on him,’ she said.
‘He also held a machete against my throat and told me he was going to kill me and himself.
‘It wasn’t until he broke my arm that I was able to get an AVO against him because I had a friend who witnessed the incident.’
It is understood that Wilton has fathered five children [including one who died in childbirth] to multiple women.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Monday, another ex-partner who shares a 17-year-old child with Wilton said he was angered by recent media interest in his potential deportation.
Leroy Wilton was convicted of a series of domestic violence offences in Orange Local Court
He is father to four children with multiple women
‘It’s not the truth,’ she snapped. ‘He’s focussing on his mental health and has nothing to say.’
The AAT ruled against deporting Wilton last week despite his inability to follow court orders including promising to work on his mental health.
Police documents presented to the tribunal revealed Wilton assaulted Ms D due to suspicion she had cheated on him.
He falsely accused her of infidelity after she didn’t return home one night, which she later explained was because she was working.
He admitted to grabbing Ms D by the collar, lifting her in the air and throwing her across the room before standing over her and raining down punches on her face.
Wilton then hit Ms D with a baseball bat he kept underneath the bed before she managed to escape and flee to a friend’s house.
He was convicted of assault causing actual bodily harm, stalking/intimidation and destroying property.
Wilton already had convictions on other DV charges involving another woman years earlier.
Wilton’s first DV charge was for common assault in 2015 before a destroy/damage property charge in 2017.
He would go on to contravene an apprehended violence order before being charged with several incidences of stalk/intimidate intending to cause physical harm, and destroy/damage property charges between April 2020 and January 2021.
Wilton’s extensive criminal history and imprisonment of more than 12 months for the 2023 conviction would have ordinarily meant a revocation of a visa to remain in Australia due to failing the character test.
Wilton (pictured right) swung the bat down at Ms D. The bloodied and bruised woman escaped to a friend’s home
The 35-year-old was flagged for deportation after being sentenced to at least a year in prison after the incident in Orange, NSW (pictured), but is being allowed to stay in Australia
‘The Applicant has continued to reoffend, and he has committed acts of family violence against different partners,’ the AAT’s decision reads.
‘Moreover, (Wilton’s) conduct falls within what the Direction views to be serious such as violent crimes, crimes of a violent nature against women, and acts of family violence.’
However the AAT took into account testimony that Wilton had been affected by domestic violence, drinking and using drugs such as ice (methamphetamine) as a child.
Wilton also argued his use of ice escalated in 2012 to ‘numb’ the pain of his daughter’s stillborn death.
He has been off the drug since being in prison and ‘his intention is to remain sober’, the AAT heard.
Wilton’s mother and two of his former partners also testified that he should stay in Australia so he can support their children.
‘Having regard to all relevant material before it, the tribunal is satisfied that the correct and preferable decision is to revoke the mandatory cancellation of the Applicant’s visa,’ the AAT’s ruling said.
