Archibald Beattie McCafferty

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Smaller | Larger By Paul B. Kidd

The "Kill Seven" Murders

Archibald Beattie McCaffery

When it was annunced n A!ril "#$ "##%$ that serial &iller Archibald 'Mad (g' Beattie McCafferty

was t be released frm !risn n !arle after ser)ing *+ years in sme f Australia,s tughest -ails$ it

sent a shc& wa)e f utrage thrugh the cmmunity.

McCafferty,s crimes were immeasurable. the friends and families f his )ictims there was n dubtthat he deser)ed t die behind bars which was the recmmendatin by curt/a!!inted !sychiatrists at

his trial.

But then the citi0ens breathed a sigh f relief when a further !ress release annunced that McCafferty

was t be de!rted bac& t the !lace f his birth$ Sctland. Althugh Archie had li)ed in Australia mst

f his life$ it a!!eared as thugh he had ne)er ta&en the time t becme an Australian citi0en.

Much t the disgust f Scttish authrities$ Australia,s !risn system had fund a l!hle t rid itself

f ne f the mst )icius and trublesme &illers in its histry. But e)en bac& in his nati)e Sctland

Archie culdn,t stay ut f truble and it wasn,t lng befre he was bac& in the curts fr brea&ing the

law.

"The toughest Kid I have ever met"

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Ma! f Australia with Sydney Lcatr

When Archibald Beattie McCafferty was ten his !arents Archie and Clementine migrated t Australia

frm Sctland t lea)e behind their blea& wr&ing/class e1istence and start a new life with new h!e.

he McCaffertys m)ed first t Melburne and then t Bass 2ill in Sydney,s blue cllar westernsuburbs.

Archie was in truble with the !lice frm the utset and by the time he was "* was !laced in an

institutin fr stealing$ he already had a lng recrd. By the time he was "3 Archie had been in

institutins fi)e times and had been classed as an incrrigible -u)enile delin4uent.

5ne detecti)e described him as ,the tughest &id 6 ha)e e)er met,. At *7 he had been in and ut f -ail

many times and had a recrd f thirty/fi)e cn)ictins that included brea&$ enter and steal$ stealing

cars$ larceny$ assault$ )agrancy and recei)ing stlen gds.

2we)er$ Archie McCafferty was nt cnsidered a )ilent criminal. 2is assault charges arse frm fistfights with the !lice but nne f his ther crimes in)l)ed )ilence. 8et Archie was bsessed with

fercity. 2e l)ed m)ies that )erdsed n aggressin and brutality. 2is fa)urites were A Clockwork

Orange and The Godfather .

M)ie Pster9 he :dfather

2e saw them many times )er and his fa)urite scene frm The Godfather was the ne in which

Snny Crlene was riddled with bullets at the tllgates. hugh at this stage in his life Archie was nt

)ilent tward ther !e!le he tld a !sychiatrist that he en-yed strangling chic&ens$ dgs and cats t

see what it was li&e.

When Archie fell in l)e with and married ;anice <edingtn in A!ril "#%* his family !rayed that he

wuld at last settle dwn. he cu!le had met at a htel where ;anice wr&ed !art/time as aswitchbard !eratr. he marriage was nly si1 wee&s ld when ;anice caught her husband in bed

with anther wman. She wasn,t im!ressed$ but Archie,s res!nse was s )ilent it !rm!ted his first

)isit t a !sychiatric hs!ital.



After discharging himself$ Archie threw away his sedati)es$ started drin&ing hea)ily and t& ut all f

his aggressin n his wife. Althugh ;anice was !regnant$ Archie wuld re!eatedly bash her when he

was drun&$ which was mst nights. 2e wuld !ress his thumbs against her wind!i!e and nly let g as

she was abut t la!se int uncnsciusness.

5ne night when he nearly &illed ;anice$ Archie b&ed himself bac& int the hs!ital and tld

!sychiatrists that he wanted t &ill his wife and her family. 2e said he wanted t get the e)il thughts

ut f his head but discharged himself a few days later. here was nthing that the dctrs culd d t&ee! him there.

he )isits t !sychiatric hs!itals did nthing t change Archie,s ways. 2e was straight bac& n the

drin& when he discharged himself and his drug inta&e increased. S did his fits f uncntrllable

)ilence. 2e gt a -b n a garbage truc& and this seemed t !acify him fr a shrt time during the

days. But at night he was getting wrse.

Archie,s mther claimed that the birth f his sn$ Craig Archibald n 7 =ebruary "#%+ turned Archie

int a different !ersn. ;anice McCafferty did nt agree. She said that he was still drin&ing hea)ily and

ta&ing all srts f drugs. She was terrified t ta&e the baby in the car fr fear that Archie wuld ha)e an

accident and &ill them all. Little Craig li)ed nly si1 wee&s.

The Fatal Accident

At +.+>am n the mrning f Saturday$ "% March$ "#%+$ ;anice t& the baby t bed with them t feed

him. She d0ed ff and aw&e at #am$ she tld the in4uest int the baby,s death9 '6 felt smething

underneath me in the bed. 6 -um!ed straight ut f bed and 6 saw the baby,s face and realised

smething was terribly wrng. here was bld n his face and n my nightie. My bra was still

undne. 6 must ha)e rlled )er t my left and rlled nt my baby.'

At the in4uest$ held n *7 August "#%+$ the crner$ Mr ;hn (unn$ said that the child had diedaccidentally when his mther went t slee! n t! f him while breast/feeding. 2e cm!letely

e1nerated ;anice McCafferty and said9 '6 must say in the interests f the welfare f the yung mther$

6 cannt find anything t be critical f her fr what ha!!ened.'

Archie McCafferty did nt agree. 2e had left ;anice a wee& after the tragedy and althugh he did nt

attend the in4uest int his sn,s death he sent a scathing letter t the crner$ accusing ;anice f

murdering their sn.

Was the death f his sn all that Archie McCafferty needed t ti! him )er the edge? 6t was a 4uestin

n which !sychiatrists wuld shar!ly disagree. Certainly$ the hrrr f his sn,s death !layed

cnstantly n Archie,s already trubled mind. But was it the match that had lit the fuse t the &eg fdynamite that was abut t e1!lde?

he first eru!tin ccurred a wee& after Craig,s death. he McCaffertys had a few friends )er fr

drin&s after the funeral and when mst f them had gne Archie started !laying a recrd called

Nobody's Child in remembrance f his dead sn. An argument started and ;anice McCafferty fled.

Archie caught u! with her hurs later in Blac&twn$ where he accused her f &illing his sn.

When Archie t& t her with a fence !ic&et$ ;anice,s brther and anther man ste!!ed in and ga)e him

a hiding. he fllwing day he turned u! at his !arent,s huse at Bass 2ill. Badly bruised and c)ered

in bld he !leaded with his mther fr hel!. She des!aired at her cnfused sn,s !light and begged

him t re/admit himself t the hs!ital.



hat day$ a family friend dr)e Archie t the Parramatta Psychiatric Centre$ where he b&ed in fr

treatment. 6t was his third self/admissin in nine mnths$ the ne that !rm!ted hs!ital staff t ring

the !lice when he chec&ed himself ut a few days later.

Lucy Seven

Archie,s !assin was tatts. @isiting the tattist was li&e seeing his thera!ist. he tattist &new all

f Archie,s innermst secrets. Archie cnfided in him$ sught his ad)ice and admired his !inins. As a

result f the lng hurs Archie had s!ent ha)ing !ictures !ut n his bdy$ there wasn,t much rm left.

2e was c)ered in mre than *>> f them.

When !lice had t !htgra!h all f Archie,s identifying mar&s$ they used many rlls f film. here

were e)en stars tatted n his ear lbes. Li&e many f the thers n his bdy they were dne with

6ndian in& and sewing needles while filling in the lng hurs in !risn. Archie hated these ,nic&,

!risn tatts and whene)er he was ut f !risn$ he gt them c)ered with ,!r!er, nes.

2is bdy is a wal&ing ad)ertisement f his hatred f the !lice. 5ne tatt s!read acrss his shulders

and bac& says ,he man wh !uts anther man under lc& and &ey is nt brn f wman,s wmb,.Anther says ,&ill and hate c!s,.

Archie has drawings f tw bulldgs n his chest and tw shar&s n each shulder. here are eyes

tatted n each f his buttc&s and the bttm half f his bdy is c)ered in drawings de!icting l)e

and se1.

Archie had sa)ed a s!ace n his chest fr a s!ecial tatt and until his sn was &illed$ he didn,t &nw

what that tatt wuld be. he day he discharged himself frm the Parramatta Psychiatric Centre he

went t the tattist and had a memrial t his sn etched n that s!ecial s!t n his chest. 6t is f a

crss/sha!ed tmbstne embedded in a bld/red rse. 6t is inscribed9 ,6n Memry f Craig,.

Se)eral wee&s later Archie !aid anther )isit t his tattist fr anther s!ecial tatt. his time he

wuld ha)e his fa)urite number$ %$ tatted n the web between the thumb and frefinger. 6t was ne

f the few !laces left n Archie,s bdy that was nt already c)ered with in&. 2e had the number

tatted ne1t t the head f a snarling !anther.

Archie chse that number fr tw reasns. 2e had decided that se)en !e!le must die t a)enge his

sn,s death. Plus it was his luc&y number. Archie did e)erything in se)ens. Curiusly$ the number

se)en wuld recur during McCafferty,s ram!age f murder.

;anice McCafferty had nt seen her husband in the fi)e mnths since she )isited him at the Psychiatric

Centre the day after he had tried t &ill her. But n *+ August "#%+$ the night befre the in4uest intlittle Craig,s death$ tw bric&s with ntes wra!!ed arund them were tssed thrugh the windw f her

hme in Blac&twn.

he first nte read9

,8u and the rest f yur family can g and get fuc&ed because anyne

wh has anything t d with me is ging t die f a bad death. 8u &nw

wh this letter is frm s ta&e warning because Bill is the ne1t cab ff the

ran&. hen yu g ne by ne,. 6t was signed ,yu &nw wh,. ,Bill, was

Bill <iean$ ;anice McCafferty,s mther,s byfriend.

he secnd nte read9 ,he nly thing in my mind is t &ill yu$ yur

mther and Bill <iean. his is nt a bluff because 6,m that dirty n all f

yu fr the death f my sn$ but 6 can,t let it g at that. 6 ha)e a matter f a

few guns s 6,m ging t use them n yu all fr satisfactin. Beware.,



Archie !raduates to Murder

he fllwing night$ *7 August$ the &illing started. McCafferty had chsen the day carefully. 6t was the

first day f the in4uest int the death f his sn.

A wee& earlier$ Archie McCafferty had frmed a gang ut f an dd assrtment f teenagers alng with

Carl Ellen 2wes$ a */year/ld wman he was li)ing with. Archie met 2wes and "/year/ld ;ulie

Ann dd when he was a !atient at the Parramatta Psychiatric Centre. Carl 2wes was the mther f

three children aged frm fur t se)en and was se!arated frm her husband. 6n the !re)ius tw years$

Carl had made three attem!ts n her wn life by ta&ing large dses f slee!ing tablets.

Carl 2wes tld Archie that she intended t try t &ill herself again and McCafferty tal&ed her ut f

it. his frmed a bnd between the !air and befre lng they had m)ed int a flat in the inner western

suburb f Earlwd. he teenager$ ;ulie dd$ had met them bth at the Centre while she was being

treated fr mental disrders. McCafferty t& her in with them when she had nwhere else t g.

McCafferty was li)ing with 2wes and dd at the time f the murders. hey were -ined by Michael

;hn Mic& Meredith and <ichard William (ic& Whittingtn$ tw "% year/lds McCafferty had metin a Ban&stwn tattist,s a few days earlier.

Mic& and (ic& had a cu!le f rifles. he si1th member f the gang was "%/year/ld (nald <ichard

<ic& Webster wh McCafferty had met nly days earlier thrugh his brther.

Led by McCafferty$ the gang chse their first )ictim. At -ust )er fi)e feet tall$ D>/year/ld :erge

Ansn was an easy mar&. he Wrld War "" )eteran was a news!a!er seller utside the Canterbury

2tel and each e)ening after wr& he wuld drin& at the htel.

;ust after clsing time n the e)ening f August *7$ "#%+$ Ansn was s!tted by the gang as he

staggered dwn the street tward his hme. hey had been cruising the area in a stlen @l&swagen$l&ing fr smene t beat u! and rb. Archie was flying high n angel dust.

:erge Ansn,s wunds

Ansn ffered n resistance. 2e was far t drun&. he gang dragged Ansn int a side street. As

McCafferty grabbed the lder man arund the thrat$ Ansn called ut9 ,8u yung cunt,. hey were

the last wrds he wuld e)er say. McCafferty went berser& and &ic&ed Ansn re!eatedly in the head

and ribs.

Kill seven Kill seven



he lcatin f :erge Ansn,s murder

hen Archie heard the )ice fr the first time. ,Kill se)en. Kill se)en. Kill$ &ill$ &ill..., :erge Ansn

was &neeling in the gutter when McCafferty !rduced the &nife and !lunged it int his bac& and nec&

se)en times. McCafferty ga)e the dying man ne final &ic& in the face befre running bac& t the car.

2is yung disci!les were in awe f the bld/sa&ed McCafferty. All e1ce!t <ic& Webster. ,Why the

fuc& did yu d that?, Webster as&ed.

,6 stabbed him because he called me a yung cunt. w dri)e$ yu fuc&ing idit$, McCafferty screamed

at the terrified teenager. =rm that instant n McCafferty did nt trust <ic& Webster. 2e wuld ha)e t

die.

Archie threw the bld/sa&ed &nife t ;ulie wh hid it under the car seat. S strng was Archie,s s!ell

)er his gang that nt anther wrd was s!&en abut the &illing f :erge Ansn until they gt bac&

t the flat.

5n the way the gang went t 2artee,s dri)e/in fast/fd bar where they rdered hamburgers while

McCafferty cleaned u! in the men,s rm. Archie was in the hrrrs. 2is sn was tal&ing t him frmthe tilet mirrr and bec&ning him t g with him. Archie reached ut t tuch him but he was gne.

,Kill se)en. Kill se)en. Kill se)en.......,

Bac& at the flat ;ulie washed the bld frm the murder wea!n and returned it t McCafferty. 5nly

then did he tal& abut the murder. ,6 culdn,t hel! myself$, he tld them. ,6 culdn,t st!. 6 can,t

understand why 6 did it. A )ice... it was Craig,s )ice ... tld me t &ill$ &ill$ &ill.,

#oices From the !rave

hree nights later n *% August$ Archie his gang t the Le!!ingtn cemetery t shw them the gra)e

f his sn. Archie had been there many times with Carl 2wes since the funeral. 2wes said that they

wuld sit at the gra)e and Archie wuld sb and say things li&e9 ,he !r little bl&e. 2e ne)er std

a chance. 6t,s nt fair. 6t,s nt$ bldy fair., 5n ne ccasin he had !rmised his sn that he wuld

a)enge his death.

6t was a cld$ blea& night and the rain came dwn in sheets. Small !atches f fg ga)e the cemetery an

eerier atms!here than usual. Archie was ff his face n angel dust again. w the )ice was cming

frm the gra)e.




Archie and his gang stayed at the gra)e fr a while and then went t a nearby htel where they !lanned

the night,s e)ents. All Archie wanted t d was get bac& t the gra)e... and the )ice. 2e instructed his

gang t ta&e him bac& t the cemetery.

Alng the way they dr!!ed ;ulie dd and Mic& Meredith ff t hitchhi&e. he !lan was that as sn

as a car st!!ed they wuld frce the dri)er t the cemetery at gun!int and the gang wuld rb him.

Bac& at the cemetery$ Archie was s!inning ut. 2e culd see a bright light )er his sn,s gra)e. herewas a figure standing -ust ut f the light. Archie a!!rached the !ersn wh said ,(ad. 6s that yu

(ad?, Archie &new that it was his sn. 2e had cme bac& frm the gra)e.

,6s that yu$ Craig?, he as&ed.

,8es (ad$ it,s me$, the )ice re!lied.

,But sn$ it can,t be. 8u,re dead.,

,( yu want me t cme bac& t yu$ (ad?,

,5f curse 6 d. But hw can yu d that$ sn?,

,8u,)e gt t d smething fr me$ (ad. ( this thing and 6 will cme bac& t yu. ( yu want me

t cme bac& t yu?,

,8es. 8es. Mre than anything in the wrld. 6 will d anything t ha)e yu bac&. Anything. Anything

yu as&.,

,8u must &ill se)en !e!le. As sn as yu d$ yu can ha)e me bac&. But yu must &ill se)en

!e!le.

Kill se)en. Kill se)en. Kill se)en.......,

Mments later a car !ulled int the cemetery and st!!ed abut "D> metres frm the gra)eside. 6n the

car were ;ulie dd and Mic& Meredith. hey were hlding 7*/year/ ld <nald eil C1 at gun!int.

A miner wh had -ust finished his shift at the 5a&dale clliery and was n his way hme t @illawd

in Sydney,s western suburbs$ C1 had felt srry fr the tw &ids hitchhi&ing in the rain and had

st!!ed t gi)e them a lift. 6t was a fatal mista&e. Meredith had held a gun t his head and frced him

t dri)e t the cemetery.

McCafferty left the gra)eside and ran )er t them. <nald C1 was frced t lie face dwn in themud while McCafferty and Meredith held rifles at the bac& f his head. C1 begged fr his life as the

)ices urged the murderus McCafferty n.


he number bunced arund in Archie,s twisted brain.

McCafferty turned t his gang and said. ,6,ll ha)e t &nc& him. 2e,s seen all f ur faces. Mic& ... &ill

him.,

,What are yu saying Archie?,

,=uc& yu. Kill him, said the demented Archie.



<nald C1,s bdy

Again <nald C1 begged fr his life telling them that he was the father f se)en children. Althugh

he had n way f &nwing$ it was a mista&e that sealed his fate. At the mentin f the wrd se)en

McCafferty and Meredith then each sht <nald C1 thrugh the bac& f the head.

As they were lea)ing t dri)e t Li)er!l$ Archie l&ed )er t his sn,s gra)e. he light was still

shining )er it and the shadwy figure was laughing ludly. Archie burst ut laughing with his sn. 2elater tld detecti)es that his nly regret abut murdering <nald C1 was that he wasn,t clser t his

sn,s gra)e s that sme f C1,s bld culd ha)e dri!!ed nt the !la4ue.

Another Senseless Killing

E)angels Kllias

After the &illing f C1$ the gang members returned t the McCafferty unit where they dran& beer and

watched @. But Archie culd still hear the )ices telling him t ,Kill se)en, and he instructed tw f

his disci!les t g and find him anther )ictim. 6n the early hurs f the fllwing mrning *7/year/

ld dri)ing instructr E)angels Kllias !ic&ed u! ;ulie dd and (ic& Whittingtn as they hitchhi&edalng Enmre <ad. 5nce in the car$ Whittingtn !rduced a .** rifle frm under his cat. hey frced

Kllias int the bac& seat and tld him t lie n the flr while ;ulie dr)e the car bac& t the flat.

McCafferty then t& )er. With Archie dri)ing$ the gang set ff fr Li)er!l n the !rete1t f

l&ing fr a factry t rb. But they &new different. hey &new that Archie had murder n his mind.

Kllias was tld t lie lw as they did nt want him t see where they were ging. Assured that he

wuld cme t n harm$ Kllias lay n the bac& flr and went t slee!.

Archie,s !lan was t &ill E)angels Kllias then dri)e his car t Blac&twn and &ill ;anice McCafferty$

her mther and her mther,s byfriend. hat wuld ma&e si1. he se)enth )ictim was t be ne f his

wn gang$ <ic& Webster. Archie felt that Webster was ging t betray him t the !lice.



he bdy f E)angels Kllias

McCafferty tld Whittingtn t &ill Kllias. Whittingtn wasn,t sure that he culd but as Kllias w&e

frm his na! in the bac& f the car Whittingtn held the sawn ff .** rifle t his head and !ulled the

trigger. E)angels Kllias died instantly.

,Sht him again urged McCafferty. Whittingtn !ut anther bullet int the dead man,s head. hey

dum!ed the bdy in a deserted street nearby.

When he realised that Kllias, car didn,t ha)e enugh !etrl t get him t his wife,s huse$ Archie

abandned the !lan t murder ;anice and her family. =r that night at least. 2e still intended t ma&ethem the ne1t three )ictims. And if <ic& Webster hadn,t li)ed u! t Archie,s sus!icins and gne t the

!lice$ there is n dubt that Archie wuld ha)e &illed them. he )ice &e!t telling him t.

When detecti)es arrested him$ Archie tld them9 ,6 was ging t Blac&twn t &ill three !e!le ... 6 was

ging t g int the huse and -ust start blasting away until they were all dead. hey are )ery luc&y

!e!le that the car didn,t ha)e enugh !etrl.,

hen Archie had intended t cut ff his wife,s head and send it in a b1 t the chief f the Criminal

6n)estigatin Bureau.

When ne f the gang members tld <ic& Webster that he was n Archie,s hit list$ Webster decided ttell what he &new t the !lice. McCafferty$ Whittingtn and Meredith fllwed Webster t the Sydney

Morning Herald news!a!er building where he wr&ed as an a!!rentice cm!sitr. hey sat in a

stlen )an ut the frnt f the Herald building with laded rifles$ ready t &ill Webster when he came

ut.

Archibald McCafferty under arrest

Webster saw them waiting and had a re!rter call !lice. (etecti)es arri)ed at the Herald $ where

Webster tld them he was t terrified t lea)e the building. When they heard his stry abut the three

murders they called fr reinfrcements and the area was sealed ff. 2ea)ily armed detecti)essurrunded the )ehicle while (etecti)e Sergeant K. Aldridge a!!rached it and !inted his re)l)er at

Michael Meredith. 5ther detecti)es rushed the )ehicle and a!!rehended McCafferty and Whittingtn.

hey t& !ssessin f tw laded and cc&ed rifles.



5n the way t the !lice statin$ McCafferty tld !lice9 ,All right$ 6 &nc&ed the bl&e at Canterbury.

6 &nc&ed the bl&e at Le!!ingtn. And 6 &nc&ed the bl&e at Merrylands. 6 &nc&ed all three f

them., 2e made n less a secret f the fact that he wuld &ill again.

"I$d Lie To Cut %our &ead 'ff"

At his sensatinal cmmittal hearing leading u! t his trial in =ebruary "#%7$ McCafferty !leaded nt

guilty t three cunts f murder n the grunds f insanity. 2is fi)e c/accused / dd$ 2we$

Meredith$ Whittingtn and Webster / all !leaded nt guilty t the same charges.

he !ress had labelled the murders as ,thrill &illings, and e)eryne wanted t &nw abut the Charles

Mansn/li&e cult figure wh had led his fllwers int an rgy f senseless &illings. Archie didn,t let

the !ac&ed curthuse dwn.

5n the furth mrning f the cmmittal hearing Archie as&ed the -udge if he culd ma&e a statement.

Althugh it was an unusual re4uest$ the -udge allwed it.

McCafferty said9 ,E1cuse me yur wrshi!$ befre the curt starts$ fr the last fur days 6,)e sat hereand listened t Mr Bannn criticising me n things that 6,)e dne. w 6,)e been wanting t say this

fr a lng time$ and 6,m ging t say it this mrning. Mr Bannn$ if yu,re listening$ 6d li&e t cut yur

head ff.,

6t was nt s much what McCafferty said that !ut a chill thrugh the curtrm. 6t was the cld$

methdical way in which he said it. McCafferty had already murdered three inncent !e!le. he

)ice frm the gra)e f his dead infant sn had tld him t &ill se)en. hen his by wuld cme bac&

t him. Archie McCafferty had fur t g$ and the deca!itatin f Mr Bannn wuld !ut him ne

clser t his target.

he Mr Bannn in 4uestin was a barrister acting fr ne f McCafferty,s fi)e c/accused. he sha&enMr Bannn !rceeded with his case$ safe in the &nwledge that McCafferty was handcuffed and

hea)ily guarded as he glared dwn frm the dc&. Archie McCafferty was als hea)ily drugged.

Befre the start f the cmmittal hearings each mrning and thrughut his fllwing trial at the

Central Criminal Curt he was gi)en a hea)y dse f tran4uillisers t subdue his uncntrllable

utbrea&s f )ilence. he dsage was enugh t bring a race/hrse t its &nees$ yet in Archie,s drug/

sa&ed system it barely !acified him.

But the drugs did ha)e sme f the desired effects. (uring the twel)e/day trial Archie McCafferty had

been alert and attenti)e. 2e listened clsely t the e)idence and made ntes. 2e certainly didn,t l&

li&e the deranged murderer wh had been labeled 'Australia,s Charles Mansn'.

6n fact McCafferty ften win&ed at the curt re!rters and -&ed with his c/accused. 2e fingered the

bench in the dc& as thugh it were a &eybard and !layed tunes fr the gallery. When the !rceedings

became tiresme$ he dee!/etched his name in the bench with a !en. Archie was ha)ing a ball. But

withut his medicinal strait-ac&et$ the *D/year/ld Sctsman was a )ilent man wh culd &ill withut

4uestin.

The Trial

While awaiting trial in Lng Bay,s remand sectin Archie had nearly &illed anther !risner with his

sl!s buc&et. he nly way t calm Archie dwn was with sedati)es. At first$ nrmal dses had neffect. S !risn dctrs &e!t increasing the dsage until they t& effect. 2is daily dsage f "D>>

milligrams f the !tent tran4uilliser Largactil was almst fur times the nrmal dse f 7>>



milligrams. Prisn !sychiatrists agreed that McCafferty,s incredible tlerance t massi)e dses f

tran4uillisers was in itself e)idence that he was insane.

Largactil lg

At the trial$ three !sychiatrists ga)e their !inins f Archie,s mental state. (r William Metcalf$ a

Mac4uarie Street s!ecialist$ was called t gi)e e)idence n behalf f the defence. 2e said that in his

!inin McCafferty was insane at the time f the &illings because he did nt &nw what he was ding

was wrng. (r Metcalf !inted ut that Archie was mentally ill and his mind was nt in tune with

reality. 2e was a !aranid schi0!hrenic at the time f the &illings.

A cm!letely different !inin was gi)en by the !rsecutin,s !sychiatric ad)iser$ (r 5scar

Schmal0bach$ als a Mac4uarie Street s!ecialist and cnsultant !sychiatrist t the state g)ernment. (r

Schmal0bach saidF '6n my )iew McCafferty &new at the time that what he was ding was wrng. 2e

may ha)e had an islated schi0!hrenic reactin at the time f the secnd &illing but this did nt ma&ehim a !aranid schi0!hrenic. Such an illness des nt e1ist ne day and disa!!ear anther day and

cme bac& the third day.'

A third !sychiatrist wh e1amined McCafferty after the &illings did nt gi)e e)idence. 2e t& the

middle )iew that McCafferty was insane but he &new what he was ding at the time f the &illings.

Althugh they culd nt agree n Archie,s sanity$ the three !sychiatrists were united in the !inin

that$ n matter what$ Archie McCafferty culd ne)er again be set free. hey all agreed that he was an

e1treme danger t the cmmunity.

hen it was Archie,s turn and the hushed curtrm was ca!ti)ated as he tld f the )ice frm thegra)e and hw he had been tld that se)en must die if he wanted t see his sn again. 2e maintained

that he was cm!letely insane at the time f the murders. he !ress la!!ed it u! and Archie didn,t

disa!!int them. At last he was getting the recgnitin that he s des!erately cra)ed. E)en if he had t

&ill three !e!le t get it. And in true tru!er fashin$ Archie sa)ed the best bit until last$ his statement$

which he read frm the dc&9

'8ur 2nur and gentlemen f the -ury. =irstly$ 6 wuld li&e t say

that at the time f these crimes 6 was cm!letely insane. he reasn

why 6 dne this is fr the re)enge f my sn,s death. hat is what made

me d it.

'Befre this 6 had stated t a dctr that 6 felt li&e &illing !e!le$ but

u! until my sn,s death 6 had nt &illed anyne.

'My sn,s death was the biggest thing that e)er ha!!ened t me$

because 6 l)ed him s much / and he meant the wrld t me and after

his death 6 -ust seemed t g t the !ac&.

'6 feel n wrng fr what 6 ha)e dne because at the time that 6 did it 6

didn,t thin& it was wrng. But after my sn was &illed 6 tried t &ill my

wife and 6 was admitted int Parramatta Psychiatric 2me because 6&new 6 needed treatment. S 6 signed myself in and 6 was there fr a

number f wee&s.



'6 thin&$ if gi)en the chance$ 6 will &ill again$ fr the sim!le reasn that

6 ha)e t &ill se)en !e!le$ and 6 ha)e nly &illed three$ which means 6

ha)e fur t g$ and this is hw 6 feel in my mind$ and 6 -ust can,t say

that 6 am nt ging t &ill anyne else$ because in my mind 6 am.

'Whether yu thin& 6 am sane r insane is u! t yuse GsicH but 6

wuld say that 6 was definitely insane at the night f these murders.he day f my sn,s in4uest at the Crner,s Curt ha!!ened t be the

day that 6 stabbed Mr Ansn. he reasn why 6 &illed this man was

because 6 heard my sn,s )ice tell me t d s. he same with the

secnd and third !ersn.

'Each time 6 went t the gra)eyard t )isit my sn,s gra)e a )ilent

strea& wuld cme )er me and 6 wanted t be s )ilent 6 wanted t

&ill !e!le. 6 &e!t hearing )ices$ nt nly my sn,s )ice$ but ther

)ices as well$ which 6 dn,t &nw whse they are.

'5n the hursday that 6 was a!!rehended 6 had e)ery intentin f&illing <ic& Webster as 6 heard the )ices t tell me t d s and

anyne else that the )ices tell me t &ill 6 wuld &ill until 6 reached

the figure se)en.

'6 still say 6 felt n wrng in what 6 ha)e dne and 6 am still willing t

&ill anyne else that 6 am tld t &ill. At the time f my sn,s death 6

t& it !retty hard and since then 6 ha)e nt been the same because 6

l)ed him s much and 6 belie)e in my wn mind that my wife

murdered him n !ur!se and that is why 6 &illed these men$ fr the

re)enge f my sn,s death.

'And this is the hnest truth. S 6 h!e that the -ury and 8ur 2nur

will belie)e what 6 said. hat,s it.'

The Sentence

Mic& Meredith and (ic& Whittingtn were fund guilty f the murders f <nald C1 and E)angels

Kllias and each sentenced t "3 years in !risn. <ichard Webster was fund guilty f the

manslaughter f C1 and sentenced t fur years in !risn.

;ulie dd was fund guilty f murdering C1 and Kllias and sent t !risn fr ten years. 5n May *>$"#%7 she was fund hanged in a bathrm at Sil)erwater (etentin Centre. She had -ust turned "%.



Sil)erwater (etentin Centre

Carl 2wes was fund nt guilty n all cunts. Eight mnths !regnant with McCafferty,s child when

the )erdict was handed dwn 2wes made a !assinate !rmise frm the dc& t McCafferty. '6,ll

wait fr yu Archie$' she sbbed. ' matter what$ 6,ll always be waiting fr yu with ur child.' She

immediately m)ed int the Blac&twn huse f Archie McCafferty,s !arents t ha)e their grandchild.

he -ury chse t belie)e that Archie was nt cra0y and returned a )erdict f guilty n all cunts.

bdy shed a tear fr the remrseless &iller as the -udge handed dwn the three life sentences. As he

was led bac& t !risn$ McCafferty swre he wuld &ill again. And there was n dubt in anyne,s

mind that gi)en the chance$ he wuld.

here was n such lenient sentence fr Archibald Beattie McCafferty. 2e was sentenced t three terms

f life im!risnment. E)en as he was being led frm the curtrm he shuted that he wuld &ill fur

mre t a)enge the death f his sn.

Australia$s (orst )risoner

Archie !r)ed t be a handful fr the authrities and he was shuffled arund t the tughest gals in

the state. Prisn fficers and !sychiatrists regarded him as e1tremely dangerus. 2is ne cnsistent

and !redminant thught was the &illing f fur mre !e!le.

A tele)isin crew allwed int the ntrius Katingal sectin at Lng Bay ;ail inter)iewed Archie wh

tld a stunned audience that there was nthing that anyne culd d t st! him frm murdering

anther fur !e!le shuld he be let ut.

Placed n massi)e dses f tran4uillisers t &ee! him under cntrl$ by "#%3 Archie had dne time in

almst e)ery ma1imum security !risn in the state and was cnsidered t be a gal ,hea)y, and an

assciate f the hardest criminals in the !enal system. 6n A!ril "#3> warders filed an esca!e attem!t

by Archie at :raftn gal. 2e had lsened bric&s in his cell befre !risn fficers were ti!!ed ff and

his esca!e rute was disc)ered. At the time !risn fficers said McCafferty was !rbably the wrst

criminal in the state,s gals.

Plice belie)e that Archie McCafferty was a member f the secret ,murder s4uad, that was -udge$ -ury

and e1ecutiner behind the walls f Parramatta ;ail in "#3". hey belie)e that the gru! was

res!nsible fr fur murders within the !risn. 6n Se!tember "#3" Archie was charged with the murder

f Edward ;ames Llyd$ wh was stabbed t death in his cell. Archie,s c/accused$ Ke)in Michael:allagher$ was e)entually fund guilty f the murder.

6t was !r)ed that McCafferty was !resent while the murder t& !lace and$ thugh he strenuusly

denied the charges$ McCafferty was fund guilty f manslaughter and gi)en a further furteen years.



Archie !rtested )ehemently against the sentence$ claiming that he had been framed. !r)e it he

named thse wh were res!nsible t the authrities. Archie McCafferty autmatically became an

utcast within the system that had been his hme fr the best !art f his life.

2e was nw the biggest headache within the ew Suth Wales !enal system. =r his wn !rtectin

he was transferred frm ne -ail t the ne1t in search f a !ermanent hme. 6n )ember "#3" Archie

was caught/red/handed in his cell with "> fil/wra!!ed !ac&ages cntaining herin. he -udge

sentenced him t anther three years im!risnment.

Par&lea Prisn

(uring "#3+ and "#37 Archie was m)ed re!eatedly between Maitland$ Lng Bay and Par&lea !risns

under the unfficial$ but re!rehensible !ractice called ,Shanghaiing, whereby senir !risn staff were

able t !ass the res!nsibility fr dealing with difficult !risners n t thers.

6t was nted in fficial recrds that Archie suffered fits f mental disturbance during this !erid and he

was said t be ,ff his rc&er,. After gi)ing further infrmatin t authrities abut serius criminal

cnduct by )arius !risn fficers within the !risn system$ Archie was e)entually m)ed t the Lng

Bay Witness Prtectin Init in "#3%.

By nw a !rice had been !laced n his head and he was classified as a ,su!ergrass,. 6t was in the

Witness Prtectin Init that Archie was re)isited by delusins cncerning his dead sn. Prisn

!sychiatrists !ut it dwn t the fact that he had been sniffing sl)ents and !etrleum and was

e1tremely de!ressed by the lac& f !rs!ects fr his future release.

As n !arle !erid had been gi)en it was clear t Archie that he wuld s!end the rest f his life

behind bars. But he &e!t a!!lying fr !arle. 6n 5ctber "##" Archie McCafferty,s a!!licatin fr

!arle was heard befre Mr ;ustice Wd. he -udge granted him a *>/year !arle !erid dating frm

+> August "#%+. Archie became eligible fr release n !arle n *# August "##+.

5)er the years Archie,s anger subsided until he was cnsidered safe enugh t be !laced at the Berrimaminimum/security !risn suth f Sydney. But each year when he a!!lied t be released n !arle it

was re-ected.

Berrima minimum/security !risn



)arole and *e+ortation

And s$ Archie McCafferty$ serial &iller and arguably the mst )ilent !risner the Australian !enal

system had e)er seen$ became a mdel !risner and fr the last fur years f his incarceratin was

allwed t )isit and stay with the family f his brther and his wife and children frm =riday nights t

Sunday nights withut su!er)isin.

his !sitin f trust de)el!ed t the stage where Archie was allwed t lea)e the !risn each day fr

si1 days a wee& n wr& release until the !arle bard agreed that he was indeed a changed man wh

was n lnger a danger t sciety and decided that he wuld be released n !arle. he nly cnditin

f the !arle was that Archie wuld be de!rted.

When Archie heard that he was t be de!rted t a Sctland that he hadn,t seen in almst fur decades

and$ e)en wrse$ t a hstile cmmunity that wanted nthing t d with a )icius serial &iller$ he did

e)erything within his limited !wers t sta)e ff the ine)itable but his !leas fell n deaf ears and amid

!rtests frm the Scttish authrities he was !ut n a !lane n May "$ "##% and sent bac& t his

birth!lace.

5ff the !lane bac& in Sctland Archie was reunited with Mandy Jueen$ a wman he had married and

then di)rced while in -ail in SW.

6nter)iewed by Australia,s current affairs !rgram Witness shrtly after his arri)al bac& in Sctland$

Archie tld !resenter Paul BarryF '6,)e cme ut f the system a gd !ersn. A changed !ersn. 6

belie)e that !e!le change.'

2e then tasted his freedm with a glass f cham!agne with Mandy Jueen and saidF 'his is my first

drin& since "#%+. But nw there is n need fr alchl in my life. 6t is a thing f the !ast. 6 dn,t need

it.'

6n 5ctber$ "##3$ Archie McCafferty was !ut n tw years !rbatin after threatening t &ill !lice

fficers. McCafferty threatened the !lice after a car chase near Edinburgh fllwing a drin&ing

sessin and argument with his de/fact wife$ Mandy$ wh cm!lained he had left hme with their fur/

mnth/ld baby.

Edinburgh Sheriff Curt

6n the Edinburgh Sheriff Curt McCafferty als !leaded guilty t careless dri)ing$ dri)ing with n

license r insurance$ failing t !r)ide a breath s!ecimen and breach f the !eace. he curt did ntta&e int cnsideratin Archie,s !re)ius cn)ictins because they were cnsidered freign ffences

which did nt ccur in Britain.



Archie and Mandy Jueen were remarried in a secret ceremny in Sctland in 5ctber "##3.

5n *" ;uly$ *>>*$ Archibald Beattie McCafferty was arrested in ew ealand fr failing t declare his

criminal cn)ictins when he arri)ed in the cuntry. McCafferty was belie)ed t be n the first leg f a

secret -urney bac& t Australia. (etecti)e Sergeant Stuart Mills f 6nter!l said they were alerted t

McCafferty,s !resence in ew ealand when his wife fllwed him there. McCafferty was )luntarily

de!rted bac& t Sctland immediately.

Archibald Beattie McCafferty

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