Lloyd Rex Bilton faces Ballina court after threatening to come to ex-partner’s home with gun, axe

A North Coast woman arrived home to find the power had been cut – then came the barrage of voicemails. Here’s what led to the terrifying encounter.

Lloyd Rex Bilton outside the court.

A possessive Ballina man threatened to burst into his ex-girlfriend’s house with an axe if he spotted her with another man.

Lloyd Rex Bilton, 61, of Pimlico in Queensland, pleaded guilty at Ballina Local Court on Thursday to stalking or intimidating his former partner to cause fear of physical or mental harm.

Rex also pleaded guilty to using his phone to menace, harass or offend his ex-girlfriend.

The woman noticed all the lights were out at her house when returning from a social event on October 29, the court heard.

She found the power and water to her East Wardell home had been shut off externally.

Lloyd Rex Bilton exiting court after being convicted for stalking/intimidation on December 8 2022.

After restoring the electricity, the woman opened 16 threatening voicemails from Bilton, which she received while she was out.

“I think it‘s time to pull my gun out. You think I haven’t got one?” Bilton said in a voicemail.

“If I see any C--t in that house with you, I‘ll be coming over with an axe.

“B--ch I‘m waiting in the dark.”

Outside court, the woman said her “house was like a fishbowl, anyone can see in” and she was scared by the threats.

The court heard the woman and Bilton had been in an off and on again relationship for 13 years and lived separately.

The woman contacted police and was “upset” and “emotional” when officers arrived at her home, police documents state.

In the voice messages, Bilton said he was waiting for her to get home so he could “f--k up whoever walked into her home”.

“The messages berated the (woman) calling her a c--t and a liar,” court documents state.

The woman made a statement to police and Bilton was arrested at Ballina Police Station on November 14.

Ballina Police Station. Picture: Google Maps.

Bilton, who represented himself, told the court he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after he lost his house in the floods and had to put his dog down.

“I lost the plot that night and I don‘t even remember the calls,” Bilton said.

“I‘m not a threat whatsoever.”

Magistrate Karen Stafford said the offending was serious and the voicemails contained “filthy language”.

“Turning someone’s power off turns people mental – it is a very threatening and intimidatory act,” she said.

“Your voice messages were disturbing.”

Bilton was placed on a two-year community corrections order with supervision.

He was also ordered to undergo psychological treatment.