'I didn't know Greg was capable of killing': Rosie Batty breaks down at inquest into son's death

And then the dam burst.

After months of keeping her emotions in check - at least publicly - this morning Rosie Batty let her suffering, desperation, fear and sorrow pour out.

The prompt was questioning about an intervention order against her former partner Greg Anderson, in the year before he killed their son Luke. The magistrate at the time warned that Luke was at risk of being collateral damage in Anderson's at-times violent battle with his ex-partner.

What did Rosie take “collateral damage” to mean?

Rosie told of the anguish of knowing Anderson had killed their son but never really believing up to that point that he could do it. She had no reference point.

“I knew about Darcy Freeman, I knew about the Farquarson boys, but I did not know their fathers. I didn't know Greg was capable of killing,” she said.

Things were clearly escalating without her knowledge, but “no one ever said we think Greg will kill Luke”.

Then the woman who’s public fortitude seems at times superhuman gave an insight into her shattered heart. She burst into tears, almost shouting: “It shouldn't happen in a public bloody Tyabb oval. It shouldn't happen. And it did!”

The words tumbled out: she thought if she could keep away from Anderson things wouldn't escalate; she kept a baseball bat for protection; locks were on all the doors and windows where they lived; her psychologist had warned that this man was capable of anything; police said they couldn't guarantee the intervention order would be enough protection against Anderson and maybe she should move back to England.

She was paralysed by fear.

“I just wanted someone to step in and standup to him and not just me all the time,” she said.

“I'm always on my own fighting this man”.

She wept as she said these things. But the sounds of sobbing in the Coroners Court weren't just from her.

READ MORE: Grieving mother's heart laid bare at inquest