Chopper Unchopped (61 page)

CLASSIFICATION ANNUAL REVIEW

Chief or senior prison officer’s report:

No problem since he arrived at Geelong

Welfare Officers Report:

Mark has been at Geelong for several months and appears to have settled in satisfactorily. He mixes little with other inmates with the exception of a select few. He makes few requests and no demands.

Governor’s report:

Read has not encountered any problems since his arrival at Geelong. He is a deep-thinking type who keeps very much to himself. He needs supervision because of his record and his heavy medication. Recommended that he remain at Geelong. Review in December 1984.

MEMORANDUM

Prisoner Read has been at Geelong since March 1984. His conduct on the surface has been excellent. Lately he has been receiving what he calls ‘gifts from other prisoners’. He has never purchased a canteen, but is never without canteen items.

TRANSFER DETAILS

Prisoner’s name: READ, Mark Brandon.

Transfer details: To H Division.

Reason for transfer: Suspected of standing over other prisoners for personal gain.

Dear Mr Johnson;

How are you sir? Well, it is me again, back in Pentridge H Division.

As we both know sir, I gave you my word that I would not, to put it bluntly, ‘shit in your face’, if given the chance to go away, and it was this in mind that I went out of my way to do the right thing in Geelong. In fact I really went out of my way, becoming an almost changed man, and not allowing pride to get in the way of common sense, or my promise to you.

I have not been told why I’m here in H Division. Geelong wouldn’t or couldn’t tell me. I was unable to see the Governor but the chief told me ‘it was nothing to do’ with Geelong or any suspected wrong doing on my part down there.

I just don’t want you thinking that my coming back to Pen has meant that I’ve broken my word to you as I pride myself on once giving my word, keeping it as I don’t run around making two bob promises all around the jail.

To be honest, I don’t want you getting dirty on me when I know in my own mind, I’m guilty of nothing, apart from possibly being Mark Brandon Read, victim of 1000 whispers. I just want it understood, between us, that my word has not been broken. Not one drop of Geelong blood was ever spilt. I raised my hand to no-one down there, much to my disgust, I might add.

Since I’ve been back I’ve heard whispers that I was moved as a result of the Loughnan escape or poison pen letters under the doors and in the mail box or crying mothers on the phone asking that their sons be protected from the dreaded beast with no ears.

I am no saint, but I’m not a liar either. My downfall is that because I am what I am and who I am, I either am outright guilty or giving the appearance of being guilty.

Not one person has bothered to confront me face to face on any matter of wrongdoing or suspected wrongdoing, so I hope this is not head office paranoia — no offence meant. I’ve come too far now Mr J to go through a replay of the late ’70s. I couldn’t face it all again.

I’m tired, I’ve had enough. I’ve got two, two and a half years to go. I haven’t crossed you, or the Governor of Geelong. I’ve done the right thing. I’ve tried as hard as I can. Please, whatever it is that is going on, can we sort it out? I’ve just had enough, I just want to do my time and get out.

All the best,

Mark Brandon Read.

File Notes.

Mark Read

Read attended this evening at 6 pm as required. He instantly recognized a large potential problem in another pre-releasee. Apparently Read was involved in an incident in prison in 1975 where the other man was hit with a baseball bat, and there has been ill-feeling between the groups ever since.

Both parties reacted significantly this evening, which makes the writer feel there is probably mostly truth in the allegations. It is our intention to have Read report to the centre at 1pm this Thursday, November 27, to ‘do’ his three hours.

At this time a future possible placement will be discussed, as a psychiatric referral (which has been requested by Read).

Read left the centre (with permission) at 7.30pm.

Gerry O’Donnell.

IN November 1986 I was released from Bendigo prison and ordered to report to the pre-release attendance centre in Carlton, it was situated near Lygon Street, in fact, it could be seen clearly from the Bowling Green Hotel, where Dennis Allen sometimes drank while waiting for his mother, who also had to report there. When I went in, she saw me and ran screaming into the office ranting and raving about how I had bashed her young son Dennis over his pinhead with a baseball bat. Actually, I did him a favor, because he had a head which needed regular panel beating.

There was some other non-event, two bob gangster there as well, who joined in on the baseball bat story, and complained that I’d hit him with a baseball bat as well. Who did these characters think I was, Babe Ruth?

I told the people in charge that this was total nonsense.

I had in fact hit Allen over the head nine times with a large rolling pin. I thought he ‘kneaded’ it, ha ha.

As for the other numbskull, I hit him with a mop bucket, there was never a baseball bat in sight. Nevertheless, they refused to accept me at the attendance centre. All in all, they sent me to two more attendance centres, but it was the same old story. Every time I would walk in, some crim would run to the office and sob out a story about how I had allegedly flogged him inside. In the end, they told me not to come in and just to check in via the phone. The Parole Board ended up sending me to Tasmania as it was easier for all concerned.

My popularity or lack of it in criminal circles was always a problem for the Parole Board. I was as popular as a hand grenade in a wedding cake. Bugger it, popularity has never been the aim of the game in my mind.

File note

From Mark Read.

He claims to have spoken to a member of the police force who stated that he should watch his back and there are people who will hunt you down no matter what. Mark is concerned that he will be shot while at the attendance centre. He stated he would prefer to be back in prison.

Mark added that he does have a lot of enemies — people who ‘use speed and get paranoid’ and that he does not think he is paranoid himself. He is worried that if these people find out he is attending the Glenhuntly Community Corrections Centre, they will come to this office and put a ‘bullet in my back’. He does not want to keep moving from one corrections centre to another throughout his pre-release.

File note

Jocelyn Pitt, assistant regional manager, Inner Urban, phoned regarding a phone call they had received from the police which indicated Read may be in danger.

Apparently he is involved with some feuding families in the inner urban region and there could be people who are interested in doing harm to him. The police indicated there was nothing they could do, but Jocelyn suggests that it may be appropriate to allow some flexibility for Read’s reporting, so that he cannot be readily tracked down by other people, and we should afford him whatever protection we can.

Community based corrections

November 26, 1986

ADULT PROBATION. 4. Breached. 4.

ADULT PAROLE. 4. Breached. 4.

December 16, 1986

Probation and Parole Office,

111-113 Cameron Street,

Launceston. Tas. 7250.

Attention: Mr. Beckett.

RE: Mark Brandon READ.

Born: 17-11-54.

Pre-release then parole.

On the 15-12-86 Read was given permission to leave Victoria to reside in Tasmania by the Adult Parole Board of Victoria.

He is leaving Victoria on the 15-12-86 and will live with his father in Ravenswood, Launceston.

I am making a request of your office to supervise Read during his pre-release then his parole period.

Read was released from Bendigo prison on 24-11-86, his permit will then run until the 28-10-87, he will then be released on a parole order. This office will send you a parole order for him to sign towards the end of his pre-release permit.

Although Read has an extensive criminal history I do not believe he will cause you any concern. Read left Victoria because an element of the Melbourne Criminal Society is looking for him and he would rather not be found.

I have told Read not to contact your office until he received a letter from you. He has also been asked to keep in contact with the writer. Please find enclosed a copy of his pre-release permit. Could you please send me quarterly reports on Read’s progress.

If I can be of any further assistance please contact me at the above address,

Yours faithfully.

Jim Jeffery,

Acting assistant regional manager,

Northcote Community Corrections.

Mark Brandon Read

Unit 11/No 1, Blyth St

Ravenswood, Launceston

Tasmania 7250.

Hello Mr Jeffery,

It is I, Chopper, alive and well in the rural splendor of Tasmania. I’m on the dole, I’ve got a bank account with the Launceston Bank of Savings.

Dad introduced me to the police within half an hour of me getting off the plane. My sins in the mainland mean nothing in their eyes down here.

If anyone farts in my general direction, from a distance of 300 yards, they are in bother. Ha ha.

Thank you for your help and understanding in this matter. Maybe one day, I may be able to do you a kindness. What more can I say apart from take care and thank you once again.

Regards,

Mark Brandon Read.

After Read was released from jail on November 24, 1986, he claimed to be finished with crime and living quietly in Tasmania. But retirement was not for him; he secretly returned to Melbourne for hit run raids on drug dealers. In the early hours of June 12, 1987, Read went to the Bojangles Nightclub and shot dead ‘Sammy the Turk’, Siam Ozerkam. Read was charged with murder. But while he never denied shooting Ozerkam in the left eye with a shotgun at point blank range, he claimed it was self defence. In the end, to his surprise, the jury believed him and he was acquitted of murder.

Mark Brandon Read

H Div

PO Box 114

Coburg, Vic, 3058.

Dear Mr Jeffery,

I received a couple of notices from the parole people – orders for the cancellation of my pre-release permit. Is this a normal state of affairs? And how does this leave me?

Should I be granted bail or found not guilty at court, what the hell did you tell them in your report?

If I am granted bail can anything be done? A bribe is not totally out of the question. If I am found not guilty, where do I stand? I hope this does not mean my parole is cancelled.

My God, all this fuss over a wog. Murder should be a five bob fine. Murder is too strong a word in this instance. I guess one could explain it away as Anglo-Turkish relations gone wrong.

I’d rather be tried by 12 than carried by six. Surely the Parole Board can wait to flex their biceps ’till after I’m found guilty, and that hasn’t happened yet. God is a Mason and a white man and he will protect me.

Let me know what’s going on.

Thank you,

Mark Brandon Read Esq.

July 29, 1987

To Mr Mark Read,

H Division, Pentridge

Dear Mark,

In answer to your question regarding pre-release.

It is the practice of the Parole Board to cancel a pre-release permit when the conditions of the permit cannot be complied with. In your case you are in custody and cannot comply with the conditions. Should you be given bail the board does have the power to then release you on pre-release, but looking at the charge you are now facing I do not believe the board would release you.

Should you be found not guilty or the matter is withdrawn by the Crown, the board would look at your case. The board has the power to keep you inside or release you, that is up to the board. I would think that the chances of being released are good, but that is only my opinion.

Mark, a bribe is totally out of the question. I am not prepared to comment on your comments about Anglo-Turkish relations, or if God is a Mason.

Yours Sincerely,

Jim Jeffery,

Acting Assistant Regional Manager,

Northcote Community Corrections Centre.

Mark Brandon Read

H Div

PO Box 114

Coburg Vic, 3058

Dear Mr Jeffery,

Dear Sir, It is I, Mark Brandon Read Esq, my case is under investigation by the Victorian police Internal Security Unit, and the National Crime Authority.

By the way, please excuse my poor spelling and bad grammar, I’m in on a murder charge and not company fraud. I’ve asked the ISU if I could be placed or released into their custody. They said they could not, but they told me to apply for bail. I’ve asked the NCA if I could be released into their custody until my court case. I have not heard an answer from them on this yet.

I have no fear on my so-called murder charge. I have given the ISU enough evidence in relation to police corruption to sink a battleship, and I haven’t begun to give the NCA a real ‘earful’ yet. In the beginning my bail was refused. All this and more is in 43 Stat. Decks. (sic) being looked into by the ISU and NCA.