My Son's Net TV Show

My son Tim is an Ironman triathlete who has been living in Tasmania for the best part of ten years.

Tim has created a net TV mini series called Chasing The Age Grouper that follows his triathlon training and racing for over a year.

Season One is now out at AgeGrouper.TV  and you can gain instant access to watch all six episodes.

Below are the trailers for the show

LEONARD LAWSON

EXTRACT FROM MY BOOK 

CUTTING THE BARS VOLUME 1

Leonard Lawson was born in 1927.   In 1954 he arranged to take a number of female models into the bush in the Sydney suburb of Terry Hills, on the pretext of a top line photo shoot, my cousin Wendy being one of them.   It would be fair to say that Wendy was my cousin only by way of my father being adopted into the extended family. I was never especially close to Wendy as she was a lot older than me although my family would go to her family’s home on special occasions.   I was only six years of age when the following incident occurred.

Lawson at rifle and knife point, tied all the models up and raped two of the girls while forcing the other terrified girls to watch these horrific proceedings unfold.   To this day I’m not exactly sure where my cousin was placed within these gruesome events. I have never asked and it is probably better that I never do.

Justice appeared to be done when Lawson was sentenced to “Be hung by the neck until dead” for his crime.  However an appeal was lodged by the Labor Party on Lawson’s behalf and the sentence was reduced to a paltry 14 years Hard Labour.

In 1960, after he had served a mere six years imprisonment, he was released on parole.  The story is a long way from finished.  In less than a year following his release on parole, Lawson sought after and raped, strangled and stabbed to death a woman in the most humiliating and brutal manner imaginable.   While the Police were in the process of locating Lawson, he attempted to take school girls and their teacher’s hostage, armed once again with a rifle.  The head mistress, in a gallant attempt to protect her students and teachers, struggled with Lawson during which time the rifle discharged killing an innocent fifteen year old school girl, who went to school that day to learn and gain the knowledge to foster a career in order to create a wonderful, fulfilling life for herself, instead her life was cut short by a man who should have met his maker on the gallows some six or seven years earlier.

For this crime, Lawson received a sentence of Penal Servitude for Life.  In 1972 Lawson was housed at Parramatta Gaol.   While being entertained by a musical group, he attempted to take a female member of the group hostage at knife point. Amazingly the young lady was rescued by a number of his fellow prisoners, but not before receiving a number of sutures to the cuts she had received at the hands of the devil’s disciple Leonard Lawson, he received an additional five years Hard Labour for his trouble.

In 1974 I was working in the temporary intractable section in the Metropolitan Remand Centre at Long Bay, set up for the prisoners who had rioted at Bathurst on the 3rd and 4th February of that year.   One day they brought Lawson in and placed him into one of the yards.   I knew who he was without anyone saying.   As I walked past his yard he called out, “Boss what time is it”?   I turned to him and said, “Lawson don’t you ever ask me for a thing, if you want something ask someone else not me”. Lawson had no idea who I was so he continued, “Why are you like that boss”?   I looked at him and replied, “Do you know Wendy” (also giving her last name)? Lawson nonchalantly answered, “Yes I know her”.  With that I simply walked away. George Sylis was the Chief Prison Officer on duty that day and having observed my blunt response asked me what that conversation was about.    When I told him the circumstances surrounding my connection with Lawson, he had him removed from Long Bay immediately.

Lawson was to remain behind bars for another 50 years before suffering a massive heart attack at the age of 76.   I often wonder how many people have given any thought to those unfortunate young women who died at the hands of Lawson or who have had their lives permanently polluted as a result of this man’s depraved actions.  They have no doubt had to travel through their lives carrying the terrible recollection and anguish of the day they were taken hostage, or worse still raped by this man who had cheated the hangman in 1954.

When will the people who release prisoners such as Leonard Lawson to parole be made accountable for their decisions?   Surely in such cases as this, the safety of the public must be paramount and be crucially considered before the rights of the offender are deliberated meticulously prior to releasing such a barbaric individual such as Lawson.

Ron Woodham by the early 2000’s had become the highest ranking Aboriginal in the New South Wales Public Service history being bestowed the rank of the Commissioner of the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services.  The Governor of Grafton Gaol at the time, now retired John W Heffernan, wrote in his book “The Last Governor”, published by Book Pal, quoted Mr Woodham’s reaction when discussing the death of Lawson.   John Heffernan’s quote, taken directly from his book reads, “I said to Woodham, ‘Looks as if Lenny was pretty right when he said that move was going to kill him.’   “Woodham’s face went a bright crimson and took on a thunderous look as he spun around on his chair to face me.   ‘And do you think I lost any fuckin’ sleep over that!’ he spat.

Although I had lost all respect for Mr Woodham in the mid 1980’s, (you can read my reasoning in my first book “ITS ALL IN THE FALL”), I would find it difficult to argue against his remarks, though my considered position was from a personal perspective and not a professional view.

SAVING SUPERINTENDENT EVANS

EXTRACT FROM MY BOOK “CUTTING THE BARS”

(VOLUME I)

In 1973 Frank “Karate Jack” Hutchen was heading to 9 Wing in the Metropolitan Reception Prison (MRP) at the Long Bay Prison Complex to see the Wing Officer in order to give him the results of the Superintendent’s requests for the prisoners in his Wing.  On his way he noticed the Superintendent Mr Evans and Principal Prison Officer Danny Noonan heading to 7 Wing to see a prisoner named Bryant.  A sixth sense caused Mr Hutchen to enquire of Superintendent Evans. “Would you like me to come with you Sir”?  Mr Evans declined the offer.

Mr Hutchen proceeded on his way to 9 Wing when once again his sixth sense tapped him on the shoulder, a skill that comes only with experience and instinctively Mr Hutchen turned and headed for 7 Wing.   Upon his arrival he could see Mr Noonan standing in the doorway of Bryant’s cell on the top landing, 7 Wing being two stories high.  He quickly made his way to the stairs and along the landing until he reached Bryant’s cell.

Bryant had his hands under a blanket.  This would have rung alarm bells of impending danger to even the most inexperienced Officer.  Mr Evans was already in the cell as Bryant pulled his hand from under the blanket clutching a fluorescent light tube.  Smashing the end of the light tube against the wall, he lashed out at Superintendent Evans’s throat.  Mr Evans instinctively brought his hands up to protect his neck and facial area causing the tube to cut his hands.   Mr Noonan did not move or say a word.

Mr Hutchen pushed passed Mr Noonan and hit Bryant with his shoulder pushing him hard up against the cell wall, at the same time snapping the light tube rendering it less dangerous.  Bryant’s chin ended up on Mr Hutchen’s shoulder.  Bryant forced his face onto Mr Hutchen’s chest and bit through his shirt and into his chest with the force of a wild dog.  Mr Hutchen took control as he took hold of this very violent prisoner.   All Superintendent Evens could say was “Don’t hurt him, don’t hurt him”.

At the bottom of the stairs with Bryant in handcuffs Mr Hutchen looked down at his chest where Bryant had bitten him.  The wound was becoming painful and his shirt was saturated with his own blood.  Once the prisoner had been secured and removed from 7 Wing, having been placed in the OBS in the Central Industrial Prison CIP, Mr Hutchen reported to Doctor Murphy to receive appropriate medical care.  Dr Murphy was already attending Superintendent Evans.  The good doctor looked up at Mr Hutchen and said, “What can I do for you Frank?”  Mr Hutchen smiled and replied “I only need a rabies needle doctor”, implying that he had been bitten by a wild dog.  (Rabies does not exist in Australia).

The prisoner was charged by the Police and received a further two years hard labour for his trouble.

Frank (Karate Jack) Hutchen showing the bite mark on chest, just below left shoulder, inflicted by prisoner Bryant.

Photo provided courtesy of Frank Hutchen

To read this book - Click Here

KENNETH BRAZIER GOVERNOR’S PLEASURE – OBS

EXTRACT FROM MY BOOK “CUTTING THE BARS”

VOLUME I

A Probationary Prison Officer was commonly referred to, or known as a “baggy arse”.  The term came about because the initial uniform issue was straight off the shelf and rarely fitted.  The second and all subsequent uniform issues were tailor made at the New South Wales Government Stores, thus it was only Probationary Prison Officers that were branded “baggy arses”.

The Observation Section (OBS) in the Central Industrial Prison at Long Bay was a very dangerous place in which to work.  Baggy arse Prison Officers were never rostered in the OBS on day work when the prisoners were out of their cells.  They were only rostered in there on “C” watches, (16.00 hours until 23.59 hours), and “B” watches, (23.59 hours until 08.00 hours), at which time the prisoners were locked in their cells, being rotated every two or three hours with other posts within the Gaol.   Whilst in the OBS on “C” or “B” watches, the Officers would patrol all cells every 15 to 20 minutes and were required to keep very accurate notes of their patrols and all occurrences were to be noted in the log book.   They did not have or carry any cell keys.

The 25 cells were all one out, (one prisoner to a cell).   The lights were left on permanently 24/7, a steel bed was bolted to the floor with just a mattress, a pillow and two blankets on the bed, there were no sheets or other furniture permitted in the cell, with a rubber “shit tub” and a plastic water jug being the only other items in the cells.

One night a young baggy arse was patrolling the cells when he came to Kenneth Brazier’s cell.  Brazier was sentenced to Governor’s Pleasure (GP).  Governor’s Pleasure was an insidious sentence, in general terms it was normally reserved for prisoners with severe psychiatric conditions, who had committed murder.  Governor’s Pleasure was an indeterminate sentence. Brazier was considered suicidal when he was placed in the OBS.   He was unshaven and unkempt and was somewhat irrational in his speech.

The young baggy arse looked at Brazier in horror as Brazier started to cut his eye lids with a razor blade.  The Officer with only six weeks service behind him remained calm and in control when he said to Brazier, “What are you doing Brazier”?   Brazier replied, “I’m cutting my eyes out boss”.  Without hesitation and clearly thinking on his feet, this very inexperienced Officer said, “That razor blade is no good, it’s all rusty, slide it under the door and I’ll give you a new one”.   With that said, Brazier promptly slid the razor blade under the door.   As he stood waiting for his new razor blade, the Night Senior was called and Brazier was given appropriate medical assistance.

When facing any critical situation it was always crucial to have something rational to say and do to allay the gravity of whatever the circumstances may be, and generally speaking, if this is carried out with a cool conviction, the outcome will be lessened to a greater degree, or better still resolved.

To purchase this book, Click Here

EXTRACT FROM MY BOOK IT’S ALL IN THE FALL

PETER SCHNEIDAS – A PATHETIC COWARDLY WOULD BE. 

If you were to take a baking dish and generously grease it with animal fat, take two slices of shit house rat, add a cup of dim wit, a sprinkle of fox cunning, a pinch of treachery, the heart of a baby pea and add a large cup of cowardice, ensure you leave out common sense, ethics, decency, law abiding principals and honour, bake for nine months at 36 degrees Celsius you will end up with a Peter Schneidas.

I have heard many “outsiders” refer to Schneidas as the most hated crim by Prison Officers. This is not true.  Professional Prison Officers do not hate any prisoner.  They do the job because they have too much respect and love for those people who are law abiding and never see the inside of the walls.  Prison Officers want to protect these people from those who cannot, and will not conform to society’s laws.

Peter Schneidas was born in August 1957 making him nine years younger than me. I was told that as a young boy he had committed a number of minor offences and ended up continually going through the revolving door of the prison system. Firstly at Tamworth Institution for Boys and progressed to adult institutions.

Somewhere along the line he ended up at Katingal however I have no idea why. From Katingal he was housed in 13 wing where I was on “D” watch. When I arrived for duty Schneidas was already housed on the middle landing.

At 16.00 hours the prisoners had been mustered and locked in the wing however they were able to roam around on their own landing until 20.30 hours.  At about 16.30 hours Schneidas had a confrontation with a young baggy arse Prison Officer on the middle landing. The Officer phoned me and asked me to come up and lock the prisoner up.

When I arrived on the middle landing Schneidas was surrounded by a dozen or so other crims. I said to Schneidas, “Go to your cell Schneidas, you’re locked up.”   Schneidas bluntly replied, “Get fucked Egge I’m not going”. I could tell by his extreme body language he was ready to fight and so were most of his disciples.  I simply said to the officer on the landing, “Go and sit in your office and don’t come out of it”.

I walked back downstairs knowing there were only three officers in the wing, one on each landing and150 maximum security prisoners running around loose, discretion being the better part of valour. I returned to my office, closed the door and phoned the superintendent George Brown. I said “Mr Brown I’ve just had a confrontation with prisoner Peter Schneidas who refused to be locked up by the young Officer on the landing and when I went up to lock him up he told me to ‘get fucked’ and had surrounded himself with a dozen other crims who were ready to fight”. Mr Brown said “what do you want me to do Mr Egge?”  I said, “Remove him back to Katingal, if he’s not moved you won’t have any Officers working in your gaol”.

Five minutes later Mr Brown phoned me back and said “It will take 20 minutes Mr Egge will that be alright” I said “Thank you sir that will be fine”. I was very concerned that I may have over stepped my mark.  I had great respect for Mr Brown and I had never spoken to him that way before.

Schneidas and his boys were looking very pleased with themselves and were running around the landing as if they owned it.  I’m sure the Officer on the landing thought I had lost my heart too.  20 minutes on the dot, the wing door opened and in came three of the biggest SOD Squad Officers that I had ever seen, led by the ex Grafton Officer, commonly referred to as the white Alsatian, along with some MEU Officers, the Night Senior and Mr Brown.

Without saying a word we all walked straight up the stairs to Schneidas, surprise is invaluable.  All his so called army deserted him without hesitation. Schneidas was instructed by the SOD Officers to collect his gear he was moving, to which Schneidas enquired “where to?” The officer said “Katingal”.  I laughed when Schneidas said “Could I have a shit first please?” The Officers stripped searched him and removed Schneidas out of my life for a while.

Following the closure of Katingal which was a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Prisons, a few years after the above incident had taken place, an unarmed First Class Prison Officer John Mewburn, a mild mannered man, quietly spoken and a very decent all round human being, was the victim of a cold, calculated, callous and cowardly attack from behind by Schneidas with a claw hammer, inflicting such severe injuries as to cost him his life.  May our Lord bless his soul and surviving family.

Cutting The Bars

My new book, Cutting The Bars is now out on Amazon and through my website.

To find out more - Click Here

FASCINATING EMAILS

I love to receive emails from the people who read my book and I have received such a lot of positive feedback and encouragement.   One such email was from a lovely lady called Alison who told me her father was a Fireman and she compared my work ethic and sense of humour to that of her fathers, and made it clear it was not due to the positions of a Fireman or a Prison Officer, it was the similarities in our dispositions.   To me, I could not receive a higher accolade to be compared to this lovely lady’s greatly respected and much loved father who is now deceased.

My new book will be coming out in three separate volumes.   It is titled “Cutting the Bars” and the first volume will be due out this coming Tuesday 10th September 2015.

I hope you all enjoy it and please do not hesitate to provide me with feedback.   I love to receive emails: petertegge@gmail.com

Peter Egge

** Please subscribe to my email list and be notified every time I post a new blog**