Army soldier Clent Wilson was raped before he died while driving with an explosive vest in Victoria

A friend of the former soldier who blew himself up in a car has revealed sad details of the man’s struggles, and the eerie prediction he made about his death. WARNING: Distressing

The former soldier who blew himself up on a suburban street told friends he was kicked out of the Australian Army after bashing a superior who had raped him.

News Corp Australia can today reveal the troubled life of Clent Wilson, the 43-year-old man who died after a homemade explosive vest he was wearing exploded.

A father-of-three who had served as a mechanic in the Army, Mr Wilson was born and raised near the Victorian border town of Swan Hill, where he was known for being a handyman who could fix anything mechanical, and a keen waterskier.

But in recent years his life had been chaotic and troubled, marked by mental illness, drug abuse and relationship breakdowns.

A close friend of Mr Wilson said he had boasted long ago that he would “go out in a blaze of glory’.’

Clent Wilson was an Australian Army mechanic who died when an explosive device he was wearing detonated in his car in Melbourne on January 22. Picture: Facebook

On January 22, he died in suburban Hallam when the explosive device he had constructed out of vehicle airbags detonated as he drove over speed humps. He had just left the house he had previously shared with his on-off girlfriend in neighbouring Dandenong.

Family and close friends said he had never been the same since leaving the Army 20 years ago.

Mr Wilson’s friend, who asked not to be identified, said Mr Wilson told only a few close confidantes that he had been raped during his time in the Army.

He said Mr Wilson told him he had reacted by bashing his rapist, and had consequently been dishonourably discharged from the Army.

“Twenty years ago he told me this, crying in my shed,” the friend said.

“So many people said that after the Army he was a different person, but they didn’t know why. Now they’ll know.”

The explosive device Mr Wilson built did not appear to contain any projectiles, was unsophisticated and relatively low velocity, and did not cause major structural damage to his car.

The explosion, at 11.40am on a Saturday morning, blew out the sunroof and windscreen, and saw the vehicle continue straight on for another 400m, down Nettle Drive in Hallam, through a roundabout onto Young Rd and on to Homewood Boulevard.

The moment a homemade explosive device detonated inside his car as he was driving along Young Rd in the southeast Melbourne suburb of Hallam. Picture: Channel 7

It came to a stop when it collided at low speed with a car parked outside a nursing home on Homewood Boulevard. Mr Wilson’s body was found inside the vehicle.

Investigators immediately ruled out any potential terrorism motive.

Friends said Mr Wilson had been in a tumultuous on-off relationship with a woman and had moved out of the house they previously shared and was often sleeping in his car.

Friend and family said Mr Wilson had separated from his wife in 2009 and battled both mental health issues and drug addiction.

A police robot examines the car in which Clent Wilson was found.

The scene where the homemade explosive device detonated inside his car. Picture: Channel 7

He once tried to shoot his estranged father, Tony Wilson, who told News Corp from his workshop at Swan Hill this week that his son was “living in another world down there” in Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs.

Mr Wilson had several brushes with the law in recent years, involving traffic offences and family violence and had an escalating drug addiction.

“Mostly it was ‘ice’, but he’d take anything: this, that and whatever,” his friend said.

“With the right things in place and the right systems in place, he probably would never have ended up the way he was.”

Clent Wilson had a troubled past. Picture: Facebook

It is not known if Mr Wilson ever lodged a complaint with the Army and his claims appear to have never formally been tested.

An Australian Defence Force spokesperson would not comment on Mr Wilson’s rape allegations but confirmed he was a former member.

Mr Wilson served with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, the armoured reconnaissance unit which was based at Darwin’s Robertson barracks during Mr Wilson’s time in the Army. It is now based at Townsville’s Lavarack barracks, where it provides armoured reconnaissance and is equipped with tanks, armoured personnel carriers and light-armoured fighting vehicles.

A source who served with him in “2Cav” said he had a reputation as a “crazy f**ker” while in the Army.

Mr Wilson’s death is being investigated by both the Victorian Coroner and the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans’ Suicide.

Neither would comment on individual cases, but a source familiar with the coronial investigation said the Arson and Explosives Squad was building a copy of Mr Wilson’s explosive vest.

Clent Wilson served in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Picture: Facebook

Clent Wilson in happier times. Picture: Facebook

Veterans Affairs Minister Andrew Gee said he was aware of the incident and the DVA will “provide any assistance it can to the coronial inquiry” if approached.

Despite his troubles, Mr Wilson’s friend said he was “underneath it, one of the best people you’d ever meet”.

“The core person is a fantastic person,” he said.

“I wouldn’t have stayed mates with him for all that time if he wasn’t a good bloke.”

As a civilian, Mr Wilson was adept at making small bombs, and once “nearly killed an apprentice” when a practical joke with one went wrong.

He was known among waterski racers and car enthusiasts in Swan Hill as a “genius” mechanic who could cobble together elaborate contraptions from spare parts he found at wrecking yards.

“If he couldn’t fix it, nobody could,” Mr Wilson’s friend said.

Mr Wilson was farewelled at a private cremation attended only by close family and friends.

If you need help, please contact one of the following services:

Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au

Defence All-Hours Support Line provides support for ADF personnel on 1800 628 036 or defence.gov.au/health/healthportal.

Defence Member and Family Helpline provides support for Defence families on 1800 624 608.