The mother of murdered Canberra boy Bradyn Dillon says she and her son "fell through the cracks", as ACT Government lawyers issue her a personal apology for the system that failed to protect the child.

Former wife details abuse
Graeme Dillon's former wife, who married him when Bradyn was a young child and after Dillon has split with the boy's mother, today told the court she witnessed Dillon's violence against his son.

She said he was chastised for minor or manufactured accusations.

"The abuse he was subjected to is not discipline," she said.

"He was not allowed to cry. He got told to suck it up."

She also detailed terrifying violence by Dillon against herself, including when he threw a knife at her which lodged in her leg, before telling her to put a bandaid on it.

She said he also repeatedly strangled her until she was unconscious.

Dillon's former wife also told the court about how Dillon would tell Bradyn that his mother was on drugs.

She said he told Bradyn, "she's not the same mummy as before".

The court heard Dillon had taken out a domestic violence order in Canberra to keep his son from his mother, but that when she tried to counter that she was stumped by the system.

She allowed herself to be blackmailed into removing a VRO against a man she knew to be violent.

She allowed herself to be blackmailed into removing a VRO against a man she knew to be violent.

cods wrote on Sep 6^th, 2019 at 9:09am:


I wouldn't have removed the VRO. That was her only chance. The courts frown on people who run off with children.

My bad. He could have also gotten struck by lightning. But it was her best chance, and removing it neutered any other complaint she might have made.

My bad. He could have also gotten struck by lightning. But it was her best chance, and removing it neutered any other complaint she might have made.

freediver wrote on Sep 6^th, 2019 at 9:33am:


She was being ignored and her son died because of it....How do you get off blaming the mother for being screwed by the system???