Union boss John Setka’s estranged wife Emma Walters fronts court over alleged kill plot

The estranged wife of union boss John Setka allegedly told a private investigator of her plans to get a gun so she could kill her husband.

The estranged wife of union boss John Setka has been banned from speaking with a private investigator who she allegedly told about a plot to kill her husband.

Emma Walters, 46, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday after she was charged with incitement to commit conspiracy to murder for allegedly trying to obtain a gun to shoot Mr Setka.

In charge sheets released by the court, police allege Ms Walters made threats to kill Mr Setka when speaking to private investigator Adrian Peeters on March 21, intending he “would fear such threat would be carried out”.

Ms Walters was placed under strict bail conditions at Wednesday’s hearing, prohibiting her from contacting Mr Peeters and employees of Group One Investigations, a private investigations company based in Melbourne.

According to the company’s website, Mr Peeters is its managing director and has been a private investigator for 20 years.

The company specialises in extramarital affairs, missing persons and fraud investigations and offers surveillance, activity reports and undercover operations.

Walters says she was in a “traumatised state” when she spoke to a security expert. Picture: Arsineh Houspian

It also sells and rents out surveillance and recording equipment.

It is understood that Ms Walters told friends she called the private investigator because she wanted him to debug her house.

“She told us she believed that John Setka had bugged the house to spy on her,” the source said.

“She believed he was listening in on everything that was going on in the house.”

The source close to Ms Walters said she believed the private investigator recorded their whole conversation from the moment he walked into her house.

The source also claimed she told friends she asked the private investigator where she could purchase a gun to “protect herself” from Mr Setka.

“She asked the private investigator where she could buy a gun from because he worked in the security industry and she wanted to protect herself if John came back,” the source said.

“She had been through a traumatic ordeal, I don’t think she was serious about the gun. She feels like this was a complete invasion of her privacy, she feels extremely betrayed by the actions of this private investigator.”

In Victoria parties to a conversation can legally record it and provide that conversation to police where doing so is in the public interest.

Emma Walters is accused of trying to obtain a gun to kill her former partner. Picture: Mark Stewart

Speaking outside her home last Thursday, Ms Walters said she was in a “traumatised state” when she spoke to Mr Peeters.

She refused to comment on the background of the charges but said she intended to fight them.

“I said some floral things in a traumatised state,” she said.

“I’m a traumatised woman who’s been subjected to years of abuse.”

When asked if she tried to obtain a gun, Ms Walters paused before saying: “I’m not going to ­respond to that.”

She denied she wanted the CFMEU leader dead.

“No, he’s the father of my children,” she said.

No details of Ms Walters’ alleged offending were aired during the brief administrative hearing on Wednesday.

Ms Walters attended the hearing remotely via video link and did not say anything other than to confirm she could see and hear the court and would oblige by her bail conditions.

As part of her bail conditions, she is prohibited from contacting prosecution witnesses and must comply with court orders.

A former lawyer, Ms Walters is also charged with incitement to acquire a firearm and making threats to kill.

The Herald Sun last year exclusively revealed Ms Walters claimed she was the victim of verbal abuse and wanted to end their marriage.

Mr Setka was convicted of harassing his wife in 2019 but has denied allegations of domestic violence.

Ms Walters will return to Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on July 17.