Bjorn Andrew Wilson: Binnu farmer, 47, fires gun, holds drill to ex-partner’s back in serious DV case

A Mid West farmer fired a blank gun at his former partner; held a drill against her back, turning it on; and choked her unconscious as a shocking catalogue of domestic violence over almost six years was revealed in a Geraldton courtroom. Fourth-generation Binnu farmer Bjorn Andrew Wilson, 47, is behind bars and will learn his fate on Friday, with the judge postponing sentencing after hearing lengthy submissions from the prosecution and defence on Thursday. Wilson pleaded guilty to seven charges including persistently engaging in family violence, two counts of aggravated assault, omission to do an act in which the life or safety of a person is endangered, two counts of endangering life, and going armed to cause terror. The details of Wilson’s reign of terror and physical and verbal abuse between 2015 and 2020 were aired in Geraldton District Court. During one of the earliest assaults, the couple were sitting on a couch when Wilson said she was “nothing but a f...ing c...” and punched her, leaving bruises noticed by friends days later. At an unknown date at the Binnu property in 2016, Wilson was working outside with a drill when he pointed it at his partner’s face and said “you wanna shut your mouth, you mouthy c....” The court was told Wilson held the drill to her back, turned it on, and said “keep going, you smart c..., and you’ll get another one”. In 2017, Wilson gave the woman a black eye when he rolled over and elbowed her during an argument in bed. On another occasion, the court was told Wilson grabbed the victim by the throat and told her to “shut the f... up you stupid c....” When she walked outside of the house, Wilson shook her by her clothing, ripping her shirt and leaving her naked from the waist up. The court also heard Wilson pushed the woman as hard as he could and questioned why she’d gone to town. He grabbed her by the throat, shook her and said “don’t you f****** interrupt me again, you c...” before throwing her belongings throughout the house. “Keep going c..., I will f...ing smash you and more of your s... up,” the court heard Wilson said. “I have all day to do this.” In 2018 at Binnu, Wilson choked his partner until she lost consciousness while her child told him to stop. Wilson and his partner were staying at a different address when, the court was told, he became angry and sat on her, punching her repeatedly in the chest until she was gasping for air. In 2019, Wilson kicked the woman off the bed with his foot and dragged her out of the room. She hit her head on a cupboard and lost a clump of hair. Another time, his partner ran and hid in a paddock because she’d hit a kangaroo after he told her “if you cause any other damage to the car you’re gonna cop a flogging”. The court was told on another occasion the couple were at a property in Mt Tarcoola when they began arguing about sending their child to boarding school. Wilson picked up a spatula and repeatedly smacked the woman while her daughters were crying in another room. When she visited the Binnu property to collect her belongings on another occasion, Wilson shut the door behind them, took hold of a shotgun, cocked it, and dry-fired the gun. Wilson then followed her out of the room, pushed her to the floor, and slammed the back of her head into the ground. Defence lawyer Anthony Eyers said Wilson had been in a nine-year de facto relationship with two children in which there was no domestic violence, and met his new partner after he was jailed for four years following a serious driving matter in 2011. He said the victim “frequently felt isolated and trapped to a degree” after she moved in with Wilson at the Binnu property, and an inability to cope with financial pressures, family obligations and stresses led to family violence. He said the case involved a string of “serious violent assaults” and the defence was not excusing the “pattern of violence” that “plainly emerged”. Mr Eyers said Wilson felt “deep” remorse and regret for the psychological impacts of the abuse. “This has led to the sale of the family farm . . . everything has been lost as a consequence of his actions,” he said. It’s understood the charge of persistent family violence is a new one, and incorporates many elements of Wilson’s offending. State prosecutor Nick Cogin said a term of immediate imprisonment was the only appropriate penalty. Wilson was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Friday, when the judge will also consider whether to declare him a serial family violence offender and issue a lifetime restraining order. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)