A father’s attempt to protect his family from an intruder on his birthday turned into a nightmare that led to his wrongful prosecution for murder. On March 26, 2016, while celebrating his 33rd birthday in Hamilton, Australia, Benjamin Batterham confronted a convicted rapist, Ricky Slater, who had broken into his home.
At the time, Batterham’s fiancée, Monique Cameron, and their seven-month-old daughter were asleep next door at his parents’ house. As the night unfolded, Slater, who had been released from prison just three months earlier, entered the family home armed with three knives and under the influence of drugs.
Slater targeted the baby’s nursery, where he attempted to steal Cameron’s handbag. When confronted by Batterham, who was wrapping up his birthday celebration with a friend, Slater fled the scene. Batterham described the moment he saw the intruder: “Very big bloke. Standing there. It was more than a shock. I was quite fearful for my daughter, and Monique, and at the time myself.”
Determined to protect his family, Batterham chased Slater through several streets while calling the police. He eventually tackled the intruder to the ground, leading to a violent struggle. Batterham recounted the intense confrontation: “A few headbuts, a few bites, he tried to snap my thumb back towards my wrist. Quite rough.”
When police arrived, they found Slater unresponsive. He had suffered three cardiac arrests and died the following day. Batterham was arrested and charged with murder. Reflecting on the moment he was taken into custody, he said, “I broke down and said, ‘Look, I didn’t do it.’”
The severity of the charges weighed heavily on him. “I would say when I was sitting on the truck, on the way to prison, like, this is really happening. I had lost my freedom, lost my job, lost my house; normality was just blown away that night.”
Cameron supported Batterham throughout his ordeal, visiting him in prison with their daughter, who spoke her first word, “dad,” during one of the visits. Public outrage over the case grew, leading to Batterham’s release on bail after six weeks, although he faced death threats and had to go into hiding.
In November 2019, during the murder trial, experts determined Slater’s death resulted from a combination of high methamphetamine levels and an existing heart condition. Justice Fagan concluded that Batterham acted lawfully, stating, “Having seen and heard the evidence of all the eyewitnesses, it does not appear to me that the restraint applied by Mr. Batterham was excessive.”
Despite being acquitted, Batterham continues to deal with the emotional toll of the incident. He has been diagnosed with PTSD and is pursuing a civil claim against the State of New South Wales for wrongful prosecution, with a settlement recently reached.
Batterham expressed the tragedy of the situation, not only for himself but also for Slater, who lost his life. “You could say my biggest mistake was running out the door. But was that a mistake at the time? Someone breaks into your home, that’s your castle; people should always defend their home, no matter what.”
In concluding his reflections, he stated, “No — I’ve done what any father would have done.”
