Greek Consul in Sydney early 1980s
MARK LANGLEY murdered in Adelaide 28 February 1982 (report in Australian 4 May 1982)
"Mr Langley's mutilated and decomposed body was discovered in the Adelaide Hills eight days after he vanished from near the River Torrens on February 28 (1982). His body had severe anal wounds and a crude incision had been made in his abdomen and covered with adhesive bandage."
The following article appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald in 2005, but one of the murders referred to in it occurred in 1985, so the article should be seen here as it is an axample of yet another hate crime:
If not for the persistent letter-writing of a mother wanting answers about her son's disappearance, and the dedication of one detective reopening a cold case, the truth of Sydney's brutal cliff-top gay murders might never have emerged.
As then Detective Sergeant Stephen Page delved into the disappearance of the WIN Television newsreader Ross Warren in July 1989, he unearthed evidence of police investigative ineptitude.
He forensically dissected the activities of hate-filled gangs of teenagers - boys and girls - who as a pack bashed, robbed, and murdered men at known gay beats in Marks Park, Tamarama, and in Alexandria and Randwick.
Mr Warren's suspected disappearance at Marks Park was the tip of an iceberg. By the time Mr Page finished his investigation, another file had been reopened, that of John Russell, 31, a barman, found dead at the foot of the Marks Park cliff in November 1989.
And following a police re-enactment in which a dummy was thrown over the cliff, another name emerged: Gilles Mattaini, a 27-year-old Frenchman missing since 1985 and last seen on a regular walk which would take him across Marks Park.
Yesterday the senior deputy State Coroner, Jacqueline Milledge, delivered her findings that Ross Warren, 25, and John Russell had been murdered, most probably by being thrown over the cliff, which was a modus operandi of gay-hate thugs.
There was a strong possibility Mr Mattaini died in "similar circumstances to the other two men". Ms Milledge said the investigation of Mr Warren's disappearance, co-ordinated by a then detective sergeant, Kenneth Bowditch, had been "grossly inadequate and shameful".
The later investigation of Mr Russell's death was "inadequate and naive", she said. It was "disgraceful" that vital forensic material - a tuft of hair in Mr Russell's hand - had been lost. At the time, police closed the cases, saying both men died by misadventure.
Ms Milledge said "persons of interest" who appeared before the inquest - some of whom had served sentences for the murders of other gay men at eastern suburbs beats - might have been involved in the Russell and Warren murders. However, there was insufficient evidence to make a finding against any person.
"The wealth of evidence gathered by Detective Page and his team, however, will provide an excellent source of evidence should other matters come to light ... I cannot make recommendations to change community attitudes towards homosexuals or for homosexuals to abandon the use of beats.
"All I can do is urge communities ... to regard any victimisation of a gay man or lesbian as completely abhorrent and not to be tolerated."
Ms Milledge mentioned Ted and Peter Russell, the father and brother of John Russell, who had attended the inquest every day and heard "awful" evidence of violence and hate. "Mrs Warren never lost sight of her son as a valuable and important person who deserved better," she said.
The case had shown police at their worst, but in Sergeant Page they had been shown at their best. "I don't think anyone will ever follow in your footsteps," she said.
Ms Milledge will recommend that the Police Commissioner award a commendation.
Outside the court, Mr Page, who has left the service, said "I think if we'd managed it a lot better back then, we wouldn't have been giving evidence before a coroner.
"It would have been before a jury and we would have had true finalisation for the families."
From 1986 to 1996 the NSW Police G&L Liaison unit has recorded 31 cases of hate killings*
*(Appendix A P113) and year of killing: - these will be placed in their relevant years and although only identified by initials in the unit report, many of the people will be identified and a fuller history of each will be provided where that information is available:
1986: PS
1987: RK
1988: BA
LEO LESLIE PRESS, 63: murdered on 12 February 1988 in Harbord by Barrie Alan Hodge who was 18 when he bashed Press to death. Hodge was only charged and found guilty of the murder on 11 July 2000 and was sentenced on 6 September 2000 to 15 years' prison, with a non-parole period of 7 years.
The SSO reported on 15 December 1989 that "A man found guilty of a 'poofter bashing' murder in a Geelong public lavatory has been sentenced to 16 years gaol. Daryl Ian Pritchard, 23, a labourer of Newtown, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Brent Everett in a toilet at Johnstone Park on 25 November last year (1988), The Age reported."
BILL ALLEN, 50, of Newtown Street, Alexandria, was found slumped dead over his bath on 29 December 1988. He had been bashed the previous night in Alexandria Park.
"An execution-style murder claimed the life of John Gordon Hughes, on Saturday May 4 (1989)
Hughe's body was found gagged and bound with his throat slashed in his Greenknowe Avenue unit in Potts Point.
He was lying face down on a bed and had been bashed repeatedly with a lamp and pottery bowl. A carving knife was also found nearby.
Hughes had been tied up with electrical wire and a pillowshlip placed over his head.
There were no signs of forced entry and police believe he may have been killed at his own dinner party.
On the night of his death, Hughes had invited several friends over for dinner and the alarm was raised when they could not enter the building and his flatmate forced his way into the apartment.
Hughes, an orphan, came to Australia from England as a young child to a children's home in Western Australia.
Sometime during the next 40 years he found his way to Sydney where he was working as a night porter before his death.
Police suspect the crime may have been drug-related because Hughes was out on bail for drug charges at the time."
1989: RW JR
The SSO reported on 28 July 1989 that "There have been two more serious gay bashing incidents in the Oxford Street (Sydney) area - one inside a gay pub. The pub incident was in the toilet of the Oxford hotel on a recent Friday night."
Under the heading "Murder myth just keeps on rolling", the Sydney Star Observer reported on 8 September 1989: "There has been a major surge in anti-gay assaults in Adelaide, following widespread media claims that a gay murder ring is operating in the city"
On 15 December 1989 the SSO reported that "Two men have appeared in a Brisbane court after being charged with the murder of a Vietnamese born gay man. The men, Bruce Ewen Joseph Doherty, 25, of Dutton Park and Peter Andrew Christopher Murphy, 24, of Sydney, appeared in the Brisbane Magistrate's Court.
They are charged with the murder of So Chieu (Tony) Huynh, 41. Huynh's mutilated body was found in his room in a New Farm apartment house on 11 October (1989)."
In an article in the SSO of 17 November 1989 under the heading "Poofter bashing or first degree murder", Paul Paech wrote - about Queensland - "In Australia, poofter bashing has usually been regarded as an amusing, childish and essentially innocent sport. Rumour has it that our esteemed police force has even indulged in a bit of it from time to time themselves. For most people, the death of South Australia's Dr George Duncan was just 'unfortunate', amounting to little more than a sad accident caused by a few well meaning chaps being a bit careless because thay'd had a few too many drinks.
But now, after AIDS, poofter bashing has turned into something more sinister, something that leaves people with more than a few bruises and a few broken bones and the odd shattered notion about being gay. Today, poofter bashing amounts to first degree wilful murder.
AIDS means that people must now accept that most men really enjoy having sex, and that - one time or another - some of them are likely to do it not just with women but (gasp) with other men. And all the laws in the world won't stop them from doing it."
The article continues to describe a forthcoming election in Queensland and the response from the police minister to the possibility of decriminalising homosexuality in that state and a possible influx of homosexuals to "north of the border"
JOHN ALLEN RUSSELL was found dead at the foot of a cliff near Tamarama in November 1989.
1990: RJ WT KR GW MM
(References Pages 112, 113,114. See also chapter 6 - sexuality and violence: questions of difference - Gail Mason)
MICHAEL JOHN SWACZAK - Islington 1 January 1990. A report in the Sydney Morning Herald of 20 January 1990 stated that a New Year's Eve party organised by Newcastle's gay community and attended by about 500 men had become the focus of a murder investigation into the death of a local teenager, Michael Swaczak, 16. North Region Crime squad detectives have established that Michael, whose naked and badly decomposed body was found on the outskirts of Newcastle on Monday, was at the party at the Islington Bowling Club. Detective Sergeant Lance Chaffey said Michael was seen leaving with some men aged in their thirties about 3.30am on 1 January. His body, naked except for a wristwatch, was found in bushland about 300 metres off the Pacific Highway at Karuah, 50 kilometres from Islington.
RICHARD JOHNSON murdered in toilet block in Alexandria Park on 15 January 1990. A report in the Sydney Morning Herald of 5 February 1990 stated that six juveniles and two adults had been charged with the fatal bashing of a 33-year-old man in Alexandria Park last month. Police alleged that an 18-year-old man, whose name was suppressed from publication, had murdered Richard Norman Johnson, of Coogee, at the park on 24 January 1990. The prosecutor, Sergeant Brad Cropp, said a post-mortem examination and scientific tests had revealed that all regions of Mr Johnson's body had suffered severe assault. His body was found on a footpath near a public toilet block in the park, in the inner-city suburb of Waterloo. Three men were later jailed for his murder.
The SSO reported on 7 September 1990:
GAY SLAYING: YOUTH MAY BE OUT IN 18 MONTHS
A youth found guilty of being involved in the death of a gay man may be able to attend a community youth centre in 18 months time.
On 8 August (1990), the 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Rchard Norman Johnson, 33.
A man walking his dog found Johnson’s bloodied body in Alexandria Park on the morning of 25 January (1990).
On 5 February (1990), police alleged in Bidura Children’s Court that at about 10pm on 24 January, Johnson had been kicked and punched, causing severe lacerations, rupturing his liver and his ribs being broken.
The youth told Justice Sharpe of the Supreme Court that he accepted that he and others had been guilty for Johnson’s death. “It makes me very upset that I could do something like that,” he said.
Crown Prosecutor Alan Saunders QC said it would have to be one of the worst cases of manslaughter and bordered on murder.
Justice Sharpe said that the youth had played basketball during the evening and later he and seven others went to a nearby toilet in Alexandria Park where Johnson’s phone number was written on a wall. They went to a telephone box and one of the others called Johnson, who then drove to the toilet. Johnson was then assaulted.
Justice Sharpe sentenced the youth to nine years detention, fixing the minimum period to be served as seven years. Provided the youth is of good behaviour, he may serve his entire sentence in the custody of the Department of Family and Community Services (FACS), rather than in a Corrective Services institution.
The Star Observer also understands that he may be eligible to attend a community youth centre for counselling from 1 February 1992, provided his behaviour is satisfactory. It has been suggested that he may also be released to the custody of his parents at that time.
However, an informed source said that the government’s “truth in sentencing” policy may prevent this happening. The Star Observer contacted FACS in an attempt to have the matter clarified, but had not received a reply when it went to press.
The Star Observer also understands that two more youths involved in the slaying are expected to plead guilty of manslaughter in the Supreme Court in October (1990). The remaining five alleged to be involved are likely to stand trial in January 1991
The Northern Territory News reported from Sydney on 31 August 1991 that a teenager convicted of bashing a homosexual man to death in a public toilet was sentenced to 13 years in jail yesterday (30 August 1991). Dean Barry Howard, 19, was the eighth person jailed over the inner-city killing on January 24 last year (1990). A gang of eight youths were playing basketball at Cleveland Street High School and passed the Alexandria Park toilet block on their way home, deciding to bait a poofter. On the wall they saw a telephone number for 33-year-old Mr. Richard Norman Johnson and rang to invite him to the park. When he arrived at 10.00pm he was set upon by the gang.
. WAYNE TONKS, 35, a school teacher at Cleveland Street High School, was bashed and suffocated in his Artarmon home on 19 May 1990. A plastic bag had been tied over his head.
SSO 220597 - WAYNE TONKS - 19 May 1990 in Artarmon.
On 18 November 2000 the Newcastle Herald carried the following report under the heading EX-PUPIL JAILED FOR TEACHER’S MURDER:
A man was jailed for at least 7 1/2 years yesterday for the suffocation murder of a Sydney teacher 10 years ago. Justice Graham Barr accepted that then schoolboy Peter Clive Kane had believed the teacher had raped his best friend.
But the NSW Supreme Court judge said there was no evidence as to whether such an assault had happened.
Kane, now 26, was found guilty of murdering Wayne George Tonks at his home, at Artarmon, northern Sydney, on 19 May 1990.
Kane’s friend was tried separately and was acquitted of the murder and manslaughter of Mr Tonks.
Justice Barr said the friends attacked the teacher with a wooden bat, tied his hands, ankles and knees together and gagged and blindfolded him. He died from suffocation after a plastic shopping bag was put over his head and taped tightly around his neck.
Kane was arrested in May 1997, after his estranged wife and mother-in-law told police he had confessed the killing to each of them. Last year, another jury had found him guilty of murder. But on appeal, he was granted a retrial, which resulted in the same verdict this year. Justice Barr set a maximum of 10 1/2 years, saying Kane was entitled to leniency, because he was only 16 when the crime was committed.
KRICHAKORN RATTANAJATURATHAPORN, 34, was found bashed to death at the foot of a cliff near Tamarama on 22 July 1990. Three teenagers charged with his murder were committed for trial. The SSO reported as follows:
The first report was on 7 September 1990:
THAI MURDER: TWO CHARGED.
Police have charged two juveniles in relation to the murder of a Thai national in the early hours of 21 July (1990). The body of Con Rattanporn, a student who had been living in Australia for about six months, was found wedged underwater between rocks at Mackenzie’s Bay near Tamarama Beach. Police said he suffered a broken nose, fractured skull, broken back, broken right shoulder and a dislocated neck and vertebrae. He also had bruising in his mouth, cheek, ear and sternum. The injuries were consistent with heavy blows and a fall, police said. One youth has been charged with murder and is to appear in Glebe Coroner’s Court on 21 September (1990). The other youth has been charged with assault with grievous bodily harm.
Police said that another person who was assaulted at Mckenzie’s Point at about the same time on 21 July (1990) had been interviewed, and had assisted police with their inquiries.
Police also believe that assaults and robberies of gay men have been occurring in that area for at least three years, and are seeking any information relating to such incidents during that period.
People who have any information may contact the Star Observer on (02) 357 5577. if they do not wish to contact the police. Alternatively they may phone Waverley Detectives on (02)369 9833 or Homicide Detectives on (02) 369 9879. All information will be received in confidence.
The second report was on 21 September 1990 and was as follows:
THAI MURDER: MORE CHARGES LAID
Two more youths have been charged with the murder of a Thai national in the early hours of 21 July (1990). A total of three juveniles have now been charged with the murder of Con Rattanaporn, a student who had been living in Australia for about six months. Rattanaporn’s body was found wedged underwater between rocks at Mackenzie’s Bay near Tamarama Beach. Police are continuing investigations into other violent assaults and robberies that have occurred in the same area over the last three years. Many of these attacks have been against gay men. Any information relating to such incidents may help these investigations.
People not wishing to speak to the police may contact the Star Observer on (02)3577 5577. Alternatively they may phone Waverley Detectives on (02)369 9833 or Homicide Detectives on (02)369 9879. All information will be received in confidence.
"Tony is angry, very angry. He was found unconscious after being attacked in Burton Street, Darlinghurst (Sydney) recently.
He did not see who did it, but was left with a black eye, cuts, and a fractured cheek bone.
Tony, 30, is one of a growing number of gay men and women who are being bashed by gangs, some with children as young as 10.
'This has been going on for too long and nothing seems to be being done about it,' said Tony. 'Twenty of my friends have been bashed in the past year. One had to have his teeth sewn back into his mouth.'
The increase in viloence has provoked a strong reaction among gay men and women, with more than 600 marching in protest last weekend.
Now four inner-city police stations have assigned officers to co-ordinate reports of gay bashings. Gay and lesbian police liaison officer Ms Sue Thompson said plain-clothes officers were trying to trace attackers.
Executive Chief Superintendent Alf Peate, of the Sydney Police District, said there had been at least 30 bashings in the past two months, including one murder.
'This situation is very serious and police will not tolerate sections of the community being targeted for street violence in this way,' he said.
He urged victims to report assaults immediately so that offenders could be identified and arrested.
'We don't really know how big the problem is,' he said. ' It could be that the problem is significantly greater than is being reported. If it is, we need to know.'
He said to ensure police attitudes were fair and understanding, an educational program on dealing with the gay community had been set up at Surry Hills.
The Minister for Police, Mr. Pickering, has agreed to launch a report on gay violence called Dtreetwatch, by the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, within a fortnight.
The report, compiled after 67 people responded to gay newspaper and radio appeals, shows 90 per cent of attacks are by men under 25 in gangs up to 15-strong.
The majority occurr around Oxford Street in Darlinghurst, and King Street in Newtown, where there are prominent gay bars. Eighty per cent of victims, whose average age is 32, suffer head injuries, while more than 50 per cent have limbs broken or other serious injuries.
The report contains a number of recommendations to the police, health and education ministers.
Mr Bruce Grant, co-convenor of the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby said: "Violence is more than just a police issue. It is an education and health issue. Everyone has the right to live in an environment which does not promote bigotry.""
Another appalling issue, reported in the media, finished off homophobia reporting in Sydney in 1990.
The Sydney Morning Herald published the following letter on 28 December 1990:SIR: It is gratifying that after so much effort, the suffering associated with Chelmsford has come into the public arena. For many people, however, Chelmsford is only the tip of the iceberg of a long history of psychiatric abuses in Sydney. "Deep sleep" is not the half of it.
Let us not forget that Dr Bailey was the focus of street protests in 1973 due to his leading role in using psychosurgery to "cure" homosexuality. Scores of lesbians and gay men were forced into lobotomy-like operations, which in many cases ruined their abilities to work, to concentrate, to remember, to be creative and outgoing people. Those years, not so long ago, were the dark times, when terrible drug therapies were prescribed, and hundreds were tortured in "aversion therapy." For all the pain and destruction that were wrought, no-one became heterosexual.
Of course homosexuals were not the only victimes. After Dr Bailey and his colleagues, under pressure, abandoned homosexuals as candidates for neurosurgery, Aborigines and "depressed housewives" increasingly came under the scalpels.
All the victims of these brutalities that were perpetrated in the name of psychiatry deserve compensation. All the doctors who ordered these "treatments" should be publicly investigated.
Ken Davis, Gay Solidarity Group, Broadway.
HOMOPHOBIA PART 1aGAY AND LESBIAN HATE CRIMES - BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RECOMMENDED READING LIST