[25], On 27 May 2014, Rogerson was charged with the murder of Sydney student Jamie Gao, allegedly after a drug deal having gone wrong. But the arrest crew got it horribly wrong. He was brave, smart, an elite investigator and when the mood struck him a first-class crook catcher. He is also known for his association with other New South Wales (NSW) detectives who are reputed to have been corrupt, including Ray "Gunner" Kelly and Fred Krahe, and with a number of organised crime figures, including Abe Saffron,[7] Arthur "Neddy" Smith and Christopher Dale Flannery. She previously told of fears Rogerson and his criminal friend Neddy Smith would kill her. He had been, after all, shot twice at point-blank range. To join the conversation, please Rogerson did two stints in jail, in 1990 for perverting the course of justice, and in 2005 for lying under oath to the Police Integrity Commission. Mother of the UK's most premature twins who were given ZERO chance of survival says they are going from Do not sell or share my personal information. It has been alleged that Flannery paid a bribe to Rogerson to escape conviction. Duncan is a former police detective, private investigator, investigative journalist and media adviser to government and the private sector. Smith and Rogerson were alleged business partners in the heroin trade andthe proceeds of armed robberies, a relationship central to the 1995 TV series Blue Murder in which Rogerson was played by Richard Roxburgh. The body was put in McNamara's white station wagon which was driven away, followed by Rogerson in his silver Ford Falcon. This was tainted by Purdey's claims that Rogerson assaulted him, prevented him from calling his solicitor and typed up to five different records of the interview. Flannery was born in Brunswick, Victoria. Both pleaded not guilty in January 2015. It's hard to compare the gangland wars of Melbourne in the 90's to Sydney in the 80's. "I can understand if he [Drury] was bitter to the day he died. The popular MasterChef co-host is confirmed to have suddenly passed away in Melbourne yesterday, Sunday 30th April. Before his murder conviction, the detective once nicknamed 'Rodger the Dodger' who received multiple bravery awards in his early career had been the subject of corruption allegations since the 1980s and criminal convictions since. Were working to restore it. [26] On 21 January 2015, he and his co-accused, Glen McNamara (also a former police detective), were committed to stand trial over the alleged murder. Not long after the attack on his family, Flannery moved into an inner Sydney apartment[11] which was close to CIB headquarters. premieres on SBS, Meet the cast of MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA 2023 on Channel 10, UKTV and BBC News confirm Australian broadcast details for KING CHARLES III CORONATION, First look images as Prince William and Kate Middleton enter season six of THE CROWN, Nuclear Concerns: Australias Risky Submarine Venture Faces Delays and Safety Issues this week on FOUR CORNERS. And his recounting of the trial, in all its typically Sydney colour, is compelling. The gripping and graphic true story of Sydney's underbelly. "[3]:169, On 6 June 1984, Flannery is alleged to have been the gunman in the attempted murder of a Sydney Drug Squad detective, Michael Drury. As finals week begins on Australian Lego Masters: Grand As the weather cools down, the content heats up on Paramount+ this May 2023. As Drury was the key witness Williams decided to try to bribe the interstate detective to throw the case. FORMER NSW police detective Roger Rogerson has challenged claims made by former policewoman and whistleblower Deborah Locke that a nude scene in Underbelly 3 - The Golden Mile occurred in real life. Alan David Williams, the Melbourne crook who regretted ordering a hit on NSW policeman Michael 'Mick' Drury. The crooks and the cops aren't the same anymore. He was brought in to investigate the Ananda Marga conspiracy case, despite having no connections to the Special Branch investigating the case. For entertainment, I'd give it four out of five. [16], Fellow police officer Michael Drury has alleged that Rogerson was involved in his attempted murder. Robert McKnight, Steve Molk and Kevin Perry have combined to bring years of media experience to TV Blackbox that will present all the available information for audiences to be able to make easy decisions about what they watch (& when and where they watch it). [19], In 2008, Rogerson reviewed episodes of the Underbelly series and Melbourne's underworld war in The Daily Telegraph[23] He also wrote about the 2009 series of Underbelly for the same paper. He didn't want to do as he was told, he was out of control, and having overstepped that line, well, I suppose they said he had to go but I can assure you I had nothing to do with it. Roger Rogerson, who featured heavily in the show, has repeatedly denied any involvement in Alexander's death. Roger Rogerson: From Decorated Policeman to Convicted Criminal The Inside Story. I thought Gerald Kennedy played a great "Munster", a bloke who I knew. Roger made an appearance on BBC Radio 2's Zoe Ball Breakfast Show (opens in new tab) earlier this week in order to promote the upcoming 12-week run of Queen and Ben Elton's We Will Rock You musical. - Advertisement - Jamie Gao (left) exchanged hundreds of texts with ex-cop Glen McNamara before making a doomed drug deal which culminated in the 20-year-old's body being dumped (right) off Cronulla, Rogerson, handcuffed and limping, is taken from his Padstow Heights home seven days after Gao's murder and a day after the wannabe drug dealer's body was found dumped at sea. Yet his name makes him the most well-known 'detective-sergeant' in Australia. The Daily Telegraph. Several received jail (or gaol, in Australia) sentences, some disappeared (either by their own hand or by someone else's), or, in some tragic cases, suicided. [4][5] During his time in office he was implicated inbut never convicted oftwo killings, bribery, assault and drug dealing.[6]. It is something I will regret for the rest of my life.". Call Us Today! However, he was provided with a medical certificate by Geoffrey Edelsten certifying that he was unfit for trial in order to avoid Flannery being tried by a particular judge. I never liked Melbourne or their crooks. With Roy Billing, Anna Hutchison, Matthew Newton, Asher Keddie. Flannery's trial had been scheduled for 31 January 1984. Last Name [28] On the second day, the trial was aborted because of the potential prejudice caused after McNamara's then-barrister Charles Waterstreet made a reference to Rogerson "killing two or three people when he was in the police force. Flannery contacted Freeman who told him to catch a taxi. Specialising in Australia & New Zealand Crime Fiction Reviews since 2006. THEY both worked the streets of Kings Cross - Roger Rogerson as a cop and Kim Hollingsworth as a stripper and prostitute. Great Expectations viewers slam BBC for CHANGING ending of the Dickens 'I've been stuck in A&E since 10.30pm last night please just pay NHS staff fairly': Tearful A&E patient Martin Lewis reveals how to get a cheaper supermarket shop and FREE food. However, it was alleged by Lanfranchi's partner, Sallie-Anne Huckstepp, and later by Neddy Smith, that Rogerson had murdered Lanfranchi as retribution for robbing another heroin dealer who was under police protection and for firing a gun at a police officer. He was released from Kirkconnell Correctional Centre on 17 February 2006. Father dies eight days after getting stuck in indoor cave at tourist attraction: Tragedy at climbing wall as Celebrity chef Jock Zonfrillo was found dead at hotel aged 46 'after flying back to Australia on his own Cookery's ultimate hellraiser dead at 46: British Masterchef host Jock Zonfrillo lost his virginity at 12, King Charles' Coronation LIVE: Late monarch's confidante leaves grace-and-favour cottage, Princess Charlotte Death of Botox and fillers as Brits seek a 'natural' look: Love Island star Molly-Mae Hague inspires huge Did the King gift the late Queen's dresser Angela Kelly a house in bid to stop another royal memoir? He played a fat, little jerk really well, which is exactly what I reckon Carl Williams would have been like. He spent a further three years in jail. On 15 June 2016, Rogerson and McNamara were found guilty of Gao's murder. I didn't want to do the business. It has been claimed by Smith that police may have been responsible for Flannery's disappearance, as Smith noticed him enter a police car with officers he knew on 9 May. In 1984, Rogerson was accused of conspiring to murder his colleague, drug detective Michael Drury, who was shot through his kitchen window but survived. Roger Rogerson is escorted from court during his trial for the murder of Jamie Gao. ", And that is when Rogerson became involved. The Melbourne drug sting was to be carried out in March 1982 in an Old Melbourne Hotel suite with police moving in when Drury gave the signal well, that was the plan. The violence didn't stop there. The same cop would later go on to suicide when it came to his turn to testify, so that he would not go to jail, nor dob on his mates (or be killed). Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. The job was so inept it shows even the baddest should know when to hang up their guns. Roger Rogerson in Oxford Street, Darlinghurst in 1982. Credit: Peter Morris. Co-Creator and Editor of the TV Blackbox website, Kevin Perry is an experienced media commentator focused on TV Production, Consumer Tech, SVOD & Sports Broadcasting. He left school at the age of fourteen and received his first criminal conviction later that year. In return for a share of the profits they "green lighted" their favourite crooks, declaring them protected species. Crooks take life. Adam Hollingworth The gun found on Lanfranchi was an 80-year-old revolver that didn't work properly. It cleaned the streets up a bit and saved the taxpayer money, instead of sending them to jail. Roger Rogerson (above) has made a last ditch bid not to die in prison, launching a High Court appeal against his conviction from his Long Bay jail cell, Straight A business student Jamie Gao (left) was out of his depth organising a $3m ice deal with ex-cops, lured to his death atstorage unit 803 at Rent a Space , Padstow (right) around 1.50pm on May 20, 2014, Fishermen made the grisly discovery of Jamie Gao's body in the sea near Shelly Beach, wrapped in a surfboard cover and blue tarp and tied with ropes and chains and dumped off Cronulla. with Underbelly. And like crooks they had nice wives, kids at home and a nice family background. Flannery is then alleged to have gone "mad" and emptied his gun into Wilson's head and back. It cleaned the streets up a bit and saved the taxpayer money, instead of sending them to jail. Morton and Lobez not only provide many appalling examples of police corruption across the country, from hapless Victorian Chief Commissioner (later Field Marshal) Thomas Blamey, being forced to resign after a string of scandals in 1936, including being caught, literally with his pants down, in an infamous Melbourne brothel; the long-standing "joke" involving Queensland's top cops and politicians at the heart of the 1987 Fitzgerald Royal Commission, and countless other nefarious bent police around the country who neglected to protect the public as they served their own interests. In that way it's pretty close to the real way crooks are. This page was last edited on 23 April 2023, at 05:47. Tell us below. Roger Rogerson is escorted from court during his trial for the murder of Jamie Gao. "I knew Brian Hansen he said he had a drug buyer [Drury] down from Sydney. He looked real and I think the Munster was that type of guy, pretty humorous with a tough streak. Author Duncan said of the trial and the writing of the book: 'I've been following Roger Rogerson's career - on both sides of the law - for over 30 years. That deal, done in cold blood over cool beers, was to kill Drury for $100,000. Riley's work in developing content for the national broadcaster has seen the commissioning of iconic work, 10's celeb reality show does the deal and takes the primetime win over its commercial opponents, The chance of a new life meant thousands of Brits travelled to Australia in the 50's, however the grass wasn't always greener. ), "I smelled a rat. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. The actor is playing 'Teflon John' Ibrahim. But I just hope he is remembered as a bloke who stuck to his guns and was vindicated in what he did," Williams, who died in 2001, told me. [39] The journalist has refused to discuss the matter. On 20 May 2014, former New South Wales police officers Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara murdered student Jamie Gao in cold blood. Roger Rogerson outside Sydney's Supreme Court. He is pretty much the only one. Tim Anderson, one of the three released in 1985, claimed the confession Rogerson extracted was fabricated, and that he and two other members of the Ananda Marga group were convicted in part because of Rogerson's fabrications. NSW police believe there is a connection, as she vanished the same day that she gave preliminary evidence to the courts. ROGER Rogerson is a former NSW detective who was at the heart of Sydney's gangland drug wars in the eighties. The Brotherhood: Directed by Grant Brown. As finals week begins on Australian Lego Masters: Grand Masters the teams are each given unique challenges. He doesn't like me because for more than 30 years I have called him a crook and I don't like him because for more than 30 years he has been one. By continuing, you accept the privacy policy. Drury was also interviewed, but was not considered a serious suspect. Williams met Flannery and Rogerson at a Sydney restaurant to be told it was no deal. The verdict is guilty. In addition to furnishing more than 60 pages of notes and references, they also speculate on the cause of corruption and how to deal with it when, as criminologist David Dixon points out, it will be more politically sophisticated and difficult to define, especially when politicians campaign on "Laura Norder" but turn a blind eye to police misbehaviour something of concern as the NSW government spends more on sniffer dogs to harass commuters, but seeks to reduce the ICAC's funding and powers. He was cleared of wrongdoing, but later publicly accused by Lanfranchi's girlfriend, sex worker Sallie-Anne Huckstepp, of a corrupt cover-up. There's plenty of new shows including the Family Stallone as well as new seasons of Five Bedrooms. On May 25, police arrested McNamara and charged him with Jamie Gao's murder around the same time as fishermen made a grisly discovery in the sea at Shelly beach off Cronulla, the same suburb where McNamara lived with his wife and family. According to an online law paper, "Generally, on the basis that the killing of a judge or prosecutor only means that person will be replaced and that inquiries will intensify, lawyers are safe unless they cross over the line and become players in organised crime". However, his compilation of the evidence against "Dumb and Dumber" as the bungling duo were dubbed by investigators into Gao's murder, which takes up half the book is meticulous, reflecting how these "old school" coppers' scheming hadn't taken into account that their crime, recorded on ubiquitous CCTV, would be "probably the most electronically recorded crime in Australian history". Credit: Daniel Munoz, Bent: Australia's Crooked Cops Updated and Uncensored. I told the troops (five new police on a 3 months rotation to the Gotcha Taskforce - being taught surveillance) to meet me on the beach and then directed them to strip off and swim with me. Website design and maintenance by Kevin Perry. Carnage outside the nightclubs of Britain with Bank holiday treat! Finally it was decided Victoria would provide $110,000 to buy the drugs and NSW the undercover operative, the smart and ambitious Mick Drury who, along with Rogerson had won the prestigious police Peter Mitchell Trophy. Since their sentencing to life in prison, several new books detailing his and McNamara's lives and crimes have been rushed to publication (and Richard Roxburgh will reprise his role as Rogerson in a Seven Network miniseries out next year). As Sydney crime novelist and former cop Pam Newton pointed out in the aftermath of Gao's disappearance: "Sydney's underworld isn't glamorous; it's deadly, ugly and cruel." This extraordinary corruption went unchecked for years until a single mother, a heroin-addicted sex worker from Kings Cross, literally blew the lid - exposing the rotten underbelly of Australia's largest city. [14][dead link], Rogerson was responsible for the 1981 shooting death of Warren Lanfranchi. The ugly truth about Roger Rogerson and other bad cops. Two detectives from the Serious Crime and Robbery Squad flew to Brisbane to find Rogerson, while officers searched his Padstow Heights home and took away a silver Ford Falcon station wagon. Roger Rogerson is escorted out King Street courts in Sydney on June 3, 2016 during his trial for murder . He was rushed to hospital. To be fair, for a crooked cop, Roger had some positives. On June 6, 1984, as Drury was washing dishes at his Chatswood home Flannery shot him through the kitchen window. And he was right. Roger Rogerson - the truth behind the rise and fall of a crooked cop. Already getting in the party mood! When Williams stoned, distracted and suspicious fronted in his car outside the hotel with the heroin Drury gave the go signal by pressing a squeal button hidden under his armpit. [10] Rogerson's father Owen Rogerson emigrated from Kingston upon Hull, England during his career as a boilermaker; his mother Mabel Boxley emigrated from Cardiff, Wales with her parents as a youth (her English born father Caleb Boxley was the reason for Roger's middle name). Jailed for life in September 2016, Rogerson lost an application to the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal over his conviction in 2021. SMH Picture by WADE LAUBE Roger Rogerson outside the Downing Centre where he is facing a minor charge relating to his directorship of a company, 22 October 2001. He wrote, "Sylvester [sic] in particular fancies himself as an expert in crime He wants to get up close to you, get right in your face and eyeball you to make sure you're not telling lies. [19] He was subsequently convicted of perverting the course of justice in relation to A$110,000 deposited by him in bank accounts under a false name. Melocco was sentenced to two years' periodic detention for the same offence. #amreading Getting Away with Murder, Duncan McNab, Currently Reading - Waterfront, Duncan McNab. Credit: . . [21], On 17 February 2005, Rogerson and his wife, Anne Melocco, were convicted of lying to the 1999 Police Integrity Commission. He also found that the key to solving the murder lay with Rogerson. I showed him the gear but there was something wrong. Controlling the Interception of Communications: Law or Technology? I'll be watching again next week and at least it's home grown. Then they would go out with their good-looking girlfriends and be scum. He has been the subject of articles, appearances, profiles and books; portrayed in TV dramas; and recorded by . Rogerson enjoyed a media career at News Corp in the late 2000s, reviewing episodes of the Underbelly TV series for The Daily Telegraph and acting as a commentator on crime. Shes landing some of thebiggest roles of her career, on stage andscreen, and finding the voice to speak out about the industry shes worked in for 40 years. [11] Rogerson attended Bankstown Central School and later Homebush Boys High School. In the third episode, titled "Boston Light," Bell ventures across the Atlantic, following the path of the Pilgrims and arriving in Boston Harbour to uncover the hidden stories of America's first lighthouse the cursed beacon, Boston Light. Then Flannery the hitman suggested Plan B: "Well, if it was me, I'd put him off [kill him].". Rogerson said he was "100 per cent positive" the controversial nude scene where Locke is portrayed by actress Cheree Cassidy as skinny dipping with police officers with Kim Hollingsworth (Emma Booth) did not happen.in the scene, Booth and Cassidy are seen talking, laughing and drinking before two police officers arrive and are invited to get in to the water with them.He wrote: "I challenge Deborah Locke to a debate any place, any time." He was acquitted of multiple murder charges and worked as a bodyguard for Sydney crime figure George Freeman. Security footage then shows Glen McNamara and Jamie Gao entering storage unit 803 at Rent a Space, Padstow about 1.45pm. They were arrested in Sydney by Detective Sergeant Roger Rogerson. All communications via this link are strictly confidential, and we will endeavour to reply to you as soon as possible. Rogerson served twelve months of a maximum two-and-a-half-year sentence. Viewers can once again join Kris, Kourtney, Kim, Khlo, Kendall, and Kylie as they navigate the challenges of motherhood, co-parenting, and building their own empires. The police confirmed Rogerson was the 'mole' during an early 1990s secret investigation called 'Operation Graveyard'. The first is Duncan McNab's Roger Rogerson. Underbelly is an Australian television true crime-drama series which first aired on the Nine Network between 13 February 2008 and 1 September 2013, before being revived on 3 April 2022. In January 1958, he joined the New South Wales Police Cadet Service. Rogerson's lawyer Paul Kenny later said police had 'smashed on the door' treating his client 'like a dog', despite an arrangement for Rogerson to hand himself in at midday at the Surry Hills police centre. Police attempted to speak to him, but Eustace told them to "fuck off" and died a short time later. He played a fat, little jerk really well, which is exactly what I reckon Carl Williams would have been like. [12] He has two daughters by his first wife Joy Archer. All times AEST (GMT +10). A little like this column, really. "I ran into him in Melbourne and mentioned to him that I had been pinched by an undercover copper from Sydney. Roger Rogerson in Oxford Street, Darlinghurst in 1982. We had nine killed in a year which was pretty good. Original Language: English . Smith was a convicted heroin dealer, rapist and armed robber who claimed Rogerson gave him the "green light" to commit crimes in NSW, while Flannery specialised in contract killing. .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}Plunkett, Geoff (2018). The shooting of Warren Lanfranchi by convicted murderer Roger Rogerson should not have made waves. The crooks and the cops aren't the same anymore. The gripping and graphic true story of Sydney's underbelly. Authorities were once so concerned about it that although bushranger films dominated the early local film industry, they were banned for more than 30 years for fear they would encourage criminality. At the time of his death, Lanfranchi was under investigation for pulling a gun on a police officer. He was acquitted of multiple murder charges and worked as a bodyguard for Sydney crime figure George Freeman. On May 19, 2014, straight-A business student Jamie Gao left his family's $1.5m Hurstville home to attend classes at Sydney's University of Technology, and lunched with a friend at a nearby cafe. He claimed he was just curious to see what kind of damage such a gun could do. Lanfranchi was a known associate of Neddy Smith and Abo Henry. Much like Roger Rogerson. Credit: Peter Rae. And like crooks they had nice wives, kids at home and a nice family background. According to police, one of his first jobs was the murder of barrister Roger Anthony Wilson. The two controlling police were Johnny Weel from Victoria laconic, tough, brave and straight as a gun barrel and Drury.
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