Quite simply, he knows more about Roger Rogerson than anyone else alive. 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. They tried to look after him as best they could, but he was, I believe, out of control. But due to legal concerns, only a fraction of that bombshell interview ever went to air although its central allegations went to the highest levels of authority. As soon as legally possible, Hachette Australia will publish a gripping account of former New South Wales police officer, Roger Rogerson, who, along with another former police officer, Glen McNamara, has been found guilty of the cold blooded murder of 20-year-old Jamie Gao, and the supply of 2.78 kg of ice (methamphetamine). Unseen family photos of Charles with Prince George and Princess Charlotte are Six essential household appliances now cost 450 a year to run as prices surge by 58% since the #NoMowMay pits neighbours against each other: Britons are accused of eco-shaming with new green fad that Saboteurs derail Russian freight train with explosives 37 miles from Ukraine and destroy power cables in Pictured: 'Much-loved son', 35, stabbed to death in knife rampage outside Cornwall nightclub which left 'A waste of licence payers' money!' Melocco was sentenced to two years' periodic detention for the same offence. In that way it's pretty close to the real way crooks are. No one was seriously injured, though Flannery was shot through the hand as he pushed his wife's head down and he suffered some other minor abrasions. Some officers so dirty they became leading heroin dealers, members of the elite Armed Hold Up Squad organised armed robberies and were even involved in murders. Credit: Daniel Munoz, Bent: Australia's Crooked Cops Updated and Uncensored. The control has gone. Underbelly stripper Kim Hollingsworth and cop Roger Rogerson at Cross Now he has been convicted with fellow ex-cop Glen McNamara of the 2014 drug rip-off murder of Jamie Gao. Yet to be sentenced, he is likely to die in jail. Duncan is a former police detective, private investigator, investigative journalist and media adviser to government and the private sector. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. "The deal was done in the restaurant," he said. 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. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. I never liked Melbourne or their crooks. Jackson and Rogerson teamed up with criminal Mark 'Chopper' Read for a comedy theatre act entitledWild Colonial Psycho. Queen's Roger Taylor: "I can't take Taylor Hawkins out of my phone" This suggests that the only lawyers killed, both mentioned in the series and not, had criminal ties. [16] During the inquest, the coroner found Rogerson was acting in the line of duty, but a jury declined to find he had acted in self-defence. Sallie-Anne Huckstepp was the first person to lift the lid on corruption and the rogue gallery of criminals and crooked cops running organised crime in Sydney and around Australia. 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. Like Blue Murder it's based on some facts with a fair amount of journalistic license and colour. As they strolled down William St in Darlinghurst, they talked of the good old days and the show. Williams sent the deposit to Flannery and then waited for the death message. "He is nothing but an arsehole [he actually used another quite impossible anatomical descriptive]," Roger informed his somewhat startled female fans. Email [12] On 22 February 2004, Rogerson told the Seven Network Sunday programme, "Flannery was a complete pest. 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. During Rogerson's career, he was one of the most decorated officers in the police force, having received at least thirteen awards for bravery, outstanding policemanship and devotion to duty including the Peter Mitchell Trophy, the highest annual police award. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. The police confirmed Rogerson was the 'mole' during an early 1990s secret investigation called 'Operation Graveyard'. The NSW crown prosecutor, Christopher Maxwell sought for the judge to jail Rogerson and McNamara for life, stating there was no distinction between a contract killing and killing for the purpose of financial gain[30], One detective witness told the Daily Telegraph "it was like tracking the stars of Amateur Hour", regarding the killing of Jamie Gao. By continuing, you accept the privacy policy. [2], On 23 April 1985, Flannery was allegedly sent to murder Tony "Spaghetti" Eustace. McNamara is seen on footage ushering the young man into the unit, then Roger Rogerson walking into the unit shortly afterwards. In an exclusive blog with The Daily Telegraph this afternoon, Rogerson challenged Locke to a debate "any place, any time" about the fact and fiction of the hit channel Nine series. Huckstepp, a heroin addict and prostitute, appeared on numerous current affairs programs, including 60 Minutes and A Current Affair, demanding an investigation into the shooting. Later that year he is sacked from NSW Police for misconduct, 1989: Rogerson is acquitted of bribery and attempted murder of Michael Drury, 1990: Rogerson is jailed for nine months for perverting the course of justice after lying about $110,000 deposited into accounts, 1992: He is jailed again for three years after unsuccessfully appealing the conviction. The heat was on. The Brotherhood: Directed by Grant Brown. Already getting in the party mood! 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. (Drury wanted to control the situation and signal waiting police when he saw the heroin. Australia's most corrupt cop Roger Rogerson is making a last ditch attempt not to die in jail as he has applied to the High Court of Australia to appeal his life sentence. I put it in gear and just took off.". Underbelly 3 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images I thought Gerald Kennedy played a great "Munster", a bloke who I knew. He dumped the gear and ran through Melbourne University, where he had once worked as a cleaner, and disappeared allegedly wearing a stolen dustcoat to look like a lab technician. [8] Rogerson was seen in the area in the days after the shooting and was interviewed by police. In return for a share of the profits they "green lighted" their favourite crooks, declaring them protected species. ISBN9781925675443. Gao got into a white car around 1.40pm with the unidentified men, from whom he is believed to have collected $3million of methamphetamine. The guy playing Carl Williams has got an amazing similarity to the real Carl Williams. The popular MasterChef co-host is confirmed to have suddenly passed away in Melbourne yesterday, Sunday 30th April. 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. 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. "Underbelly" The Brotherhood (TV Episode 2009) - IMDb The job was so inept it shows even the baddest should know when to hang up their guns. Flannery did so; after exiting The Connaught, where he lived, onto Liverpool Street, he was never seen again. She was planning to testify against Roger Rogerson, in regards to a previous murder the former police officer committed, when she disappeared around the same time that Brian Alexander disappeared. But since his arrest and conviction for the bungled 2014 murder of student Jamie Gao in a botched drug deal with his co-accused, former detective and "corruption crusading" author Glen McNamara, Rogerson has been uncharacteristically silent. . Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. [contact-form-7 id=21657 title=Contact US], First Name She also made statements to the New South Wales Police Internal Affairs Branch. Where People In The Industry Get Their News! [16], Fellow police officer Michael Drury has alleged that Rogerson was involved in his attempted murder. In January 1958, he joined the New South Wales Police Cadet Service. [14][dead link], Rogerson was responsible for the 1981 shooting death of Warren Lanfranchi. Real crooks cock real guns. The control has gone. Underbelly (TV Series 2008-2013) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb Underbelly (TV Series 2008-2013) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. It led to a taskforce, integrity commissions and external reviews. "I knew Brian Hansen he said he had a drug buyer [Drury] down from Sydney. Rogerson, who turned 82 two weeks ago inside Long Bay Jail's aged and frail unit, lodged his application for leave to appeal just before Christmas. We had more control over the crooks up here, and I reckon most of the crooks would agree. He and fellow former detective Glen McNamara were sentenced to life in prison for theMay 2014 murder of 20-year-old student and wannabe drug dealer Jamie Gao, whose body was found wrapped in a tarpaulin floating off Shelly Beach, Cronulla. If I had to make a comparison to Blue Murder I reckon it stacks up pretty well. Christopher Dale Flannery, nicknamed " Mr Rent-a-Kill " (born 1948 - disappeared 9 May 1985 [1]) is alleged to have been an Australian contract killer . Roger Rogerson in Oxford Street, Darlinghurst in 1982. [40], Richard Roxburgh portrayed Rogerson in the 1995 TV mini-series Blue Murder and its 2017 sequel Blue Murder: Killer Cop.[41]. Rogerson threw down his challenge to Locke after she told readers in her exlcusive Daily Telegraph blog that she instigated the whole incident.She wrote: "On the day in question, I had been drinking all night and was on the beach. Sallie-Anne Huckstepp had floated close to the flames of police corruption and organised crime for more than a decade. But as entertainment it was pretty good with more sex than violence. . FIRST LOOK | DISNEY+ drops fresh trailer for season three of THE KARDASHIANS, Actor Heather Mitchell is hitting her stride This week on AUSTRALIAN STORY, ROB BELL continues his journey investigating THE SECRET LIFE OF LIGHTHOUSES. Roger Rogerson was charged with his attempted murder but found not guilty. 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. Much like different eras in cricket, it's all changed now. Maybe it was the Melbourne instinct coming out of him. Flannery's life was marked by violence, as he was involved in gang wars, murder attempts, and was ultimately presumed dead after disappearing in 1985. Rogerson and McNamara went to trial in 2016, were found guilty and sentenced to life byJustice Geoffrey Bellew who said each offender was party to a crime 'extensive in its planning, brutal in its execution and callous in its aftermath'. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Underbelly (TV series) - Wikipedia Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. The winner of awards for bravery and devotion to duty he was selected by an influential corrupt cell within the police department as their man to eventually run the crime department. [2], As Flannery and his wife walked towards their house on 27 January 1985, the residence was sprayed with thirty shots from an Armalite rifle. [14][15], The Peter Mitchell Award was presented to Rogerson in 1980 for the arrest of escaped armed robber Gary Purdey. Then they would go out with their good-looking girlfriends and be scum. A successful writer crosses paths with a gang off roving psychopaths while searching for his missing, pregnant wife in a small Texas town. Warren Charles "Frenchie" Lanfranchi (1959-1981) - Find a Grave 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. the proceeds of armed robberies, a relationship central to the 1995 TV series Blue Murder in which Rogerson was played by Richard Roxburgh. ROGER Rogerson is a former NSW detective who was at the heart of Sydney's gangland drug wars in the eighties. Edelsten was convicted on 27 July 1990 for perverting the course of justice and also for soliciting Flannery to assault a former patient. He was released from Kirkconnell Correctional Centre on 17 February 2006. For those who didn't live through those times it must seem inconceivable that a small but untouchable group of corrupt Sydney detectives intimidated honest cops, major crooks and elected politicians (many of whom were bent as a Uri Geller spoon). Lanfranchi was a known associate of Neddy Smith and Abo Henry. This meant that Williams' first attempt to bribe failed. The actor cocks his finger for the camera. This meant a joint NSW/Victoria operation at a time when trust between the forces was short on the ground. Rogerson contradicted this claim in a 2009 live blog for The Daily Telegraph, stating that Ned bragged about murdering Alexander, and stated during the live interview that he had an alibi for the day Brian Alexander disappeared. I didn't want to do the business. Movie Info. Like Blue Murder it's based on some facts with a fair amount of journalistic license and colour. Flannery was also murdered with homicide detectives convinced it was Rogerson who lured him to the ambush. I showed him the gear but there was something wrong. 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? Former NSW detective Roger Rogerson rates Underbelly 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. While Lyn Woodward's story is omitted from the television series, her disappearance is often linked to Brian Alexander's. Only now, with the court's verdict of murder, can many stories of Roger Rogerson be told. We had more control over the crooks up here, and I reckon most of the crooks would agree. While many outside the state, particularly in Victoria, rightly decry NSW policing in the same breath as its politics, as McNab points out, "numerous commissions of inquiry have exposed the dirty dealings and murky history of the Victoria police". RECAP | JOSS and HENRY win express ticket to Australian LEGO MASTERS: GRAND MASTERS FINALE, Family Stallone, The Ex-wife, new FIVE BEDROOMS season and more coming this MAY 2023 on PARAMOUNT+, Xavier Ellis and Michael Barlow to host new West Australian focused footy show MAD MONDAY, https://tvblackbox.com.au/author-kevin-perry/, By continuing, you accept the privacy policy, Popular chef and MasterChef Australia co-host JOCK ZONFRILLIO has died, aged 46, ABC farewells Head of Drama, Entertainment and Indigenous SALLY RILEY, Sunday Ratings | Most eyes on IM A CELEBRITYGET ME OUT OF HERE! UNDERBELLY star Alex Dimitriades was allegedly caught for drink-driving at over double the limit over the weekend. Please Note: TV Blackbox is an independent publication and not affiliated with any TV Network or Content Providers. Motorheads flock to Clarkson's Diddly Squat farm shop on Bank Holiday Monday Jack Dorsey says Elon Musk is NOT the best person to run Twitter and claims it 'all went south' for the 'Woke' Google bosses ban staff from using terms including 'man hours', 'you guys', 'blacklist' and 'chubby' Police fraud investigation into SNP 'probing whereabouts of 400,000 bequeathed in people's wills'. But from the moment he was linked to the treacherous shooting his reputation changed from colourful rogue to rat in the rank. I asked him if he could do anything in regard to getting him to change his evidence or slow it down. On June 6, 1984, as Drury was washing dishes at his Chatswood home Flannery shot him through the kitchen window. It wouldn't have happened up here in Sydney like down there. As McNamara appeared in Kogarah Local Court charged with murder and supplying 3kg of methamphetamine and was refused bail, a manhunt was on for Rogerson. On 6 June 1984, Drury was shot twice through his kitchen window as he fed his three-year-old daughter. For entertainment, I'd give it four out of five. [21], On 17 February 2005, Rogerson and his wife, Anne Melocco, were convicted of lying to the 1999 Police Integrity Commission. +(91)-9821210096 | where is bobby dassey now 2020. was margaret lockwood's beauty spot real. [12] He has two daughters by his first wife Joy Archer. He reached out through notorious hitman Christopher Dale Flannery to Rogerson to broker the deal. Followed categories will be added to My News. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 27 June 1981 - 22-year-old drug dealer and standover man, Warren "Frenchie" Lanfranchi was shot dead by NSW Detective Roger Rogerson on Dangar Place in Chippendale. Huckstepp was later murdered, her body found in a pond in Centennial Park, New South Wales. [34], During legal proceedings surrounding the trial against suspects involved in the 2009 contract murder of Michael McGurk, the Supreme Court heard evidence that, while in the Cooma Correctional Centre in 2014, Rogerson, McNamara, and Fortunato "Lucky" Gattellari attempted to extort Ron Medich, a businessman and suspect for masterminding the murder of McGurk. 8 reviews The book behind the hard-hitting TV drama Art imitates life. At the time of his death, Lanfranchi was under investigation for pulling a gun on a police officer. Both have been found guilty of murder and possession of 2.78 kilograms of methamphetamine, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. [11] Rogerson attended Bankstown Central School and later Homebush Boys High School. He was released without charge. Taking out the rubbish. Then Flannery the hitman suggested Plan B: "Well, if it was me, I'd put him off [kill him].". [8][9], A new trial started on 1 February 2016. Years later Williams told me what really happened. 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. Smith then stated, "But I had no part in it. But make no mistake; Rogerson was brought down because he thought his Sydney influence would stretch down the Hume Highway into the heart of Melbourne and into a major drug investigation. John Ibrahim meets Roger Rogerson in prison visit - Daily Mail The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre: Murder, Arson and the Crime of the Century. When Drury rejected repeated attempts at bribery, Williams claims, he agreed to pay Flannery and Rogerson $50,000 each to murder Drury. "I can understand if he [Drury] was bitter to the day he died. Inside the unit, Mr Gao was shot twice in the chest and minutes later, McNamara emerges dragging a silver surfboard cover containing Mr Gao's body. The trouble was when he wasn't in the mood he was a first-class crook. The officers had allegedly offered to take Flannery to meet with Freeman. Roger Rogerson is escorted out King Street courts in Sydney on June 3, 2016 during his trial for murder . The body, wrapped in a blue tarpaulin with ropes and chains was yet to be identified as that of Jamie Gao. There have been six full series, with season 7 being a miniseries. I'll be watching again next week and at least it's home grown. Rogerson, who has problems walking from a back injury, will die in prison if the High Court decides not to grant him leave. "When he realised he was going to live, Chris said not to worry about sending the other $50,000. Much like different eras in cricket, it's all changed now. 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. He was cleared of wrongdoing, but later publicly accused by Lanfranchi's girlfriend, sex worker Sallie-Anne Huckstepp, of a corrupt cover-up. David and Emily were in for a shock after their breathtaking 24-hour date when they couldn't find Leah at the farm. She had spent years paying off crooked cops and rubbed shoulders with some of the most notorious criminals of the time. "I offered $30,000 at one stage, $50,000 at another stage, $100,000 and an open ticket in the end.". [2]:66, In 1974, Flannery and two other men were alleged to have committed an armed robbery on a David Jones store in Perth. Rogerson's application for leave to appeal in Australia's highest court will wait for a response from the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, then proceed from around March. There is a conversation between Brian Alexander and one of the corrupt cops. He was unshakeable. Flannery is said to have missed and Wilson, bleeding profusely from a head wound, tried to escape. #amreading Getting Away with Murder, Duncan McNab, Currently Reading - Waterfront, Duncan McNab. Roger Rogerson: From Decorated Policeman to Convicted Criminal The Inside Story by Duncan McNab. Big Sky Publishing. According to police, one of his first jobs was the murder of barrister Roger Anthony Wilson. It has been alleged that Flannery paid a bribe to Rogerson to escape conviction. "I ran into him in Melbourne and mentioned to him that I had been pinched by an undercover copper from Sydney. It has to be remembered it's a dramatisation and as a drama goes, it was good. Don't miss out on the headlines from News. [20], After leaving the force, Rogerson worked in the building and construction industry as a supplier of scaffolding. [citation needed], On his release from prison, Flannery became a bouncer at Mickey's Disco, a night club in St Kilda, but was quickly bored by the work and moved into contract killing, hence the moniker "Mr Rent-A-Kill". Roger Rogerson outside Sydney's Supreme Court. Those who have seen recent images of Roger "The Dodger" hobbling along as a 75-year-old with a dodgy hip may find it hard to imagine him as a ruthless, charismatic and dangerous detective destined for higher office. ROGER Rogerson is a former NSW detective who was at the heart of Sydney's gangland drug wars in the eighties. The upcoming season will focus on Prince William's time as a university student at St Andrews, where he meets Kate Middleton, also starting her university journey. Credit: . It took me back a little, it's been 24 years since I left the police force. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. He was surprisingly friendly recalling that at one show women at the front table with an Underbelly book asked what he thought of me. As Drury was the key witness Williams decided to try to bribe the interstate detective to throw the case. Do you work in the media? He was released from Kirkconnell Correctional Centre on 17 February 2006. He had been shot six times in the back outside the Airport Hilton in North Arncliffe and was lying beside his gold Mercedes, bleeding profusely. He was brought in to investigate the Ananda Marga conspiracy case, despite having no connections to the Special Branch investigating the case. He is pretty much the only one. 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. In 1981, he shot dead heroin dealer Warren Lanfranchi in inner-city Sydney's Dangar Place. [25], On 27 May 2014, Rogerson was charged with the murder of Sydney student Jamie Gao, allegedly after a drug deal having gone wrong. Got a news tip or some info you think we should know about? I never liked Melbourne or their crooks. He had an inside man in Victoria a well-respected long-term investigator and through him he tried to buy back the key evidence: the heroin found dumped at Melbourne University. Much of that has been his own doing, in his fervent courting of the media, with Alan Jones launching his 2009 memoir, The Darkside; blogging about the Nine Network's lurid Underbelly series for News Ltd tabloids; and his national speaking tours with fellow reprobate Mark "Chopper" Read, celebrating his notorious career, which included associations with some of Australia's worst criminals; extrajudicial killings; being implicated in various murders and disappearances; countless allegations of threatening behaviour, bribery and drug dealing; and convictions for perverting the course of justice and perjury. When her lover Warren Lanfranchi was gunned down in an inner-city lane in 1981, Sallie-Anne Huckstepp took the bold and ultimately fatal decision to break ranks and blow the whistle on police corruption in an explosive tell-all interview on 60 Minutes. Roger Rogerson rates Underbelly. They drove in too fast, and the car that was supposed to block the suspect overshot the spot by thirty metres. Don't have an account? Drury had been the undercover agent involved in a police drug operation which resulted in charges being laid against Flannery's friend, Alan Williams. 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. Please try again later. [19], Rogerson was dismissed from the NSW Police Force on 11 April 1986 (had not seen active service since his suspension on 30 November 1984 as a result of the Drury investigation). 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. The guys up here in Sydney tried to settle him down. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christopher_Dale_Flannery&oldid=1149176502, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2020, Articles needing additional references from January 2018, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Flannery's early experience in prison was the inspiration for the, In the first episode and world premiere on 24 June 2010 Australian true-crime series, This page was last edited on 10 April 2023, at 16:19.