Emma Walters: Police drop John Setka murder conspiracy charge against wife

Police have dropped a murder conspiracy charge against a union heavyweight’s estranged wife but other charges still stand.

Serious criminal charges against the estranged wife of union heavyweight John Setka have been withdrawn in a Melbourne court.

Prosecutors announced plans to drop several charges against Emma Walters, 46, in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Ms Walters was arrested in March and charged with incitement to commit conspiracy to murder, incitement to acquire a firearm and making threats to kill Mr Setka – the secretary of the Victorian and Tasmanian division of the CFMEU.

Multiple charges were withdrawn against Emma Walters on Friday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

Charge documents released by the court at her first appearance in April revealed police alleged that she told private investigator Adrian Peeters on March 21 that she wanted to kill the father of her two children.

She was arrested again in April and accused of allegedly asking an ambulance attendant on April 26 if there were any sedatives that she could use “for him”.

But on Friday, prosecutors withdrew charges stemming from the April 26 allegations, alongside the charges of incitement to commit conspiracy to murder and incitement to acquire a firearm.

Police will allege Ms Walters made a threat to kill her estranged husband John Setka. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

Two charges will still proceed – making a threat to kill and attempting to commit an indictable offence – relating to the March 21 allegations.

Ms Walters has previously revealed she plans to fight the allegations, saying she said some “floral things in a traumatised state”.

The former lawyer separated with Mr Setka in recent years, alleging she had been subjected to verbal abuse from the union figure, who has denied the allegations.

Ms Walters will return to court in November.

Originally published as Emma Walters: Police drop John Setka murder conspiracy charge against wife