Archibald Beattie McCafferty

The Sentence

Mick Meredith and Dick Whittington were found guilty of the murders of Ronald Cox and Evangelos Kollias and each sentenced to 18 years in prison. Richard Webster was found guilty of the manslaughter of Cox and sentenced to four years in prison.

Julie Todd was found guilty of murdering Cox and Kollias and sent to prison for ten years. On May 20, 1974 she was found hanged in a bathroom at Silverwater Detention Centre. She had just turned 17.

Silverwater Detention Centre

Carol Howes was found not guilty on all counts. Eight months pregnant with McCafferty's child when the verdict was handed down Howes made a passionate promise from the dock to McCafferty. "I'll wait for you Archie," she sobbed. "No matter what, I'll always be waiting for you with our child." She immediately moved into the Blacktown house of Archie McCafferty's parents to have their grandchild.

The jury chose to believe that Archie was not crazy and returned a verdict of guilty on all counts. Nobody shed a tear for the remorseless killer as the judge handed down the three life sentences. As he was led back to prison, McCafferty swore he would kill again. And there was no doubt in anyone's mind that given the chance, he would.

There was no such lenient sentence for Archibald Beattie McCafferty. He was sentenced to three terms of life imprisonment. Even as he was being led from the courtroom he shouted that he would kill four more to avenge the death of his son.

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1. The "Kill Seven" Murders
2. "The toughest Kid I have ever met"
3. The Fatal Accident
4. Lucky Seven
5. Archie Graduates to Murder
6. Kill seven. Kill seven.
7. Voices From the Grave
8. Another Senseless Killing
9. "I'd Like To Cut Your Head Off"
10. The Trial
11. The Sentence
12. Australia's Worst Prisoner
13. Parole and Deportation