Father's Day Massacre; the worst bikie violence in the world | 60 Minutes Australia

bravery courage defiance heartbreak they're not normally words you'd attach to Father's Day but Sunday the second of September 1984 was a Father's Day like no other not before and thankfully not since it was the day two rival biker gangs went to war in the carpark of a Sydney pub leaving dozens of people wounded and seven dead including an innocent fifteen-year-old girl the notorious Mill para Massacre remains the worst single outbreak of bikie violence the world has ever seen this Father's Day marks 30 years since that bloodbath stunned Australia the images are sometimes violent and confronting because you're about to see and hear compelling first-hand accounts of what really happened that day Jah cross is a hard man one of Australia's most feared by key bosses he's been shot beaten within an inch of death and jailed for murder he's now 71 a grandfather defiantly alive and defiantly defensive to this day of his infamous role in the 1984 mill para massacre you'd let this feud this war spill out publicly no I didn't they can't hear us get it right they came to us it's Father's Day September 2nd quiet afternoon in the carpark of a Western Sydney Punk war erupts between two bikie gangs jocks Comancheros and sworn enemies the Bandidos when the last shots fired the guns smoked car park is littered with wounded and bleeding bikers six of their brothers in arms' lie dead as well as an innocent fifteen-year-old girl I can see an hour she probably be smart smiling at me for doing this for her it's now 30 years since that shocking day it was absolutely unbelievable in terms of bikie history there's never been anything like it since and there was never anything like it before tonight inside the massacre as never told before the crucial witness I thought I'm not going to let them get away with this whose to fight decades of death threats breaks this life they're all making gestures like that screaming put your throat slitting the throat for the first time a grieving father reveals 30 years of anguish it's just I can imagine what she looked like on that day the detectives passed with Australia's biggest ever Criminal Investigation unveil evidence never released to the public should be her blood on his hands today pavlova and the notorious [ __ ] boss himself in his first ever in-depth in Division chalk 30 years on what responsibility will blame do you wear for the military massacre [Music] Jacque Ross still lives to ride he's now retired but for three decades he was the formidable leader of the Comancheros the biker gang he founded to this day Jacque where's the club colors with pride when you wear those commentary colors what feeling does that give you well you know one that's the thread that binds everyone together that gives everyone that identity that identity that tribal loyalty he would give rise to a spiral of violence and Linda Martin would get caught in the middle and like so many of the innocent bystanders that day have had their lives shaped by the biker gangs who went to war at Mill para what I saw were deliberate actions they went they're armed they knew what was going to happen they were waiting for it to happen they could hardly be surprised when it did happen and the innocent people like yourself got caught up in their war many many innocent people from a dirt-poor strict childhood in the slums of Glasgow Jacques Ross learned to fight and survive at an early age in 1967 The Scotsman emigrated to Australia having served six years in the British Army clearing landmines in northern Africa and Asia what values did your military career teach you mates machete so one thing you learned as a soldier you met in truth jock never stopped being a soldier he missed the discipline the camaraderie Harley Davidson motorbikes were his other passion so on the New South Wales Central Coast in the late 60s the Comancheros were born as you Sophie founded it and these are the original yeah yeah original first six of the Comancheros loyalty tell me about that how important is loyalty to you extremely loyalty is a whole essence of everything you're not loyal I'm not loyal to you haven't got anything over the years jock recruited a loyal band of men all searching for something in life proud outlaws the one percenters who chose to live on the fringe of mainstream society when did the club start to become armed when did you choose weapons the cop was always you know from the beginning see you're a different era I wasn't 2014 guns were easy to get so guns were always here JA crannies club like a private army he wrote the rules and drooled his comment errors in paramilitary exercises they learned to shoot fight and defend this film from 1977 shows the Comancheros of that time in all their glory an intimidating armed force with JA cross taking the title of Supreme Commander how do you describe well how do you characterize someone like Jah cross I think he's very uncompromising I think he's ruthless Lindsey Simpson is an author and journalist she co-wrote brothers in arms about the bikey war that was about to unfold he's taken over other gangs he managed to get you know dominance and the bikee scene but then the his very own men the Comancheros split away and that was devastating to jock by the early 1980s jocks tough line was causing dissent in the ranks of younger less disciplined recruits jocks loyal wife Vanessa noticed a change in the atmosphere what did you say to jock I told him there's something wrong with them I said they're really acting weird and strange all of a sudden a year before mil para and to save his club from splintering jock gave in to his men and relocated the Comancheros from its Western Sydney Clubhouse moving closer to the city they found their new base in a waterfront mansion on Sydney Harbour that then though was the beginning of the downfall that was the beginning of the end beginning of the end yeah it is the most unlikely of places for whitey quarters it sure is I mean it's one of the best pieces of real estate in Sydney really when you look at it [Applause] [Music] the gentrified piece of Louisa Road Burch brothers was shattered with the blast of own shaking Harley's rock bands and wet t-shirt contests the young Comancheros partied hard the old guard hated the truth of it is this house is jocks worst nightmare this is where he lost control of his club I think the other thing to say too is culturally it was so different I mean he lost control because the boys wanted the view and the better lifestyle and wanted to get away for the military drills so I think for them that showed how much they've moved away from job in a matter of weeks jock announced he was splitting the club the wild men could stay and form a city chapter jock and his loyalists would return to the more familiar surroundings of suburban Western Sydney were you comfortable at birch Grove no area on place in hindsight that was a disaster game to me it was and tell like the old people it was we didn't fit but this was much more than just about a clubhouse and jock feeling out of place this was about ego and personalities the Birchgrove chapter would end up under the command of Anthony Spencer who went by the command chair own it name of Snodgrass or snotty tell me about snotty when he came along what did you think of him he was our last bloke who's our soul so we took him in and it grew on you you took him under your wing essentially didn't pretty well that relationship evolved into like a father-son relationship Big Brother little brother father and son where were we when he put it but snotty would do the unthinkable after a trip to the United States to buy bike parts he returned with a bombshell he'd secretly negotiated permission to form an Australian chapter of the Bandidos he and his 30 men were forming a rival gang the man who'd been like a son to jock was now a traitor sorry come down my driveway killer job but quitting the clock we handed Carlson and we're all joining about needles okay man Shuki son so pick the colors up goodbye I can't believe you took it bet how I'll tell you a swear and my soul with these so these were your men they've been disloyal to you now we don't wanna let cut all ties the seeds of Mill Pyrrha had been sown coming up how did you get back move the Sheraton no one could know that in just a few months there was a long barrel firearm Barbara's death would end in bloodshed then it went off and it was on for young and old that's meant on 60 minutes the year is 1984 and Australia's most violent bikie war is brewing leanne walters is 15 years old and about to become the innocent face of the milp era massacre she's bought her dad a Father's Day present and is on her way to see him after she looks around the bike swap meeting in the carpark of the Viking tavern but Leanne never gets to see her dad on Father's Day she's gunned down in the battle between the notorious Comancheros led by jock Ross and the newly formed Bandidos led by snotty Spencer it remains the world's worst single outbreak of bikie violence and as a result some images are disturbing and viewer discretion is advised [Music] Jah cross was a marked man he and snotty once brothers-in-arms were now bitter rivals there were threats bashing and an apparent attempt on Jaques life when a mysterious car knocked him off his bike a spiral of violence that was getting out of control then at night how did you get back brother Sharapova's you ordered that it was a consensus it's got to be done so without being said without being ordered yeah it was knowing that some had to be done what message then were you hoping to see the message was back off you pushed too far but there was no backing off from either side the fuse was lit jocke have you been back to mill para since that day in 1984 now what does this place mean to you it's not happy place is it the final showdown will come at the Viking temple Amil para pub that will forever be etched in by key and criminal folklore what do you think about what happened here that night so many people died here that day then [Music] you know you don't know how much you miss a person when they're gone you don't know passing time has never dulled this journey for Rex Walters he's come to be with his daughter Lianne like he's done on all the special occasions for 30 years morning Lian I brought you some lovely flowers you know April that's a birthday and when that day comes around oi chatter and you know it's a cold feeling goes through me and I go through the cemetery and have a few words through I know it's you it may seem silly but it's what every father would do Lagaan was 15 and a refugee of her parents divorce she lived with a friend's family had a factory job and dreamt of better times ahead coach driver Rex saw LeAnn just a few days before that Father's Day in 1984 LeAnn walked in and hello dad and give me a big kiss and cuddle and she said I'll be around on father's day to see us that was the last time I seen her very they're very last [Music] Rick says Leanne was a bit of a rebel but the two remained close she shared her dad's love of all things mechanical and had a fascination with motorbikes which puts Leanne in the crowds at the Viking tavern like everyone else Leanne's oblivious to what's about to unfold it was meant to be a family day it's like a market for motorcycle parts and car parts Linda Martin was also there that day she remembers naively joking that she'd never ventured that far from home a carefree 22 year old she was enjoying a day out with her biker boyfriend it was just a family day that just happened to turn into hell Linda is sitting in her car soaking up the sunshine when a parade of Comancheros bellow through the carpark bristling with weapons [Music] [Music] the arrival of the Comancheros set the scene there what was that like that was like a cavalcade of them coming down the carpark so they wanted to be noticed they wanted everyone to know that they were there it was a show of force absolutely I saw them with walkie-talkies not thought that was very unusual and there was motorcycles with guns scabbards over the handlebars when you arrived that day when you rumbled into this car park on your bike what did you think was gonna happen nothing at all no why did you come here because a man won't come in here no choice Jacque insists that it was a late decision to turn up at the swap meet and that his men came to be seen but not to finding armed to the hilt for the fence not attacked so you're here if you parked the bikes where did you go well mill their own for a while no no went along the back friends to see if it was another way in or out Jacque is still around the back of the pub when at least 30 Bandidos pulling the Comancheros are outnumbered and caught by surprise weapons are draw any chance that this is just an exercise in chest-thumping evaporates matter of seconds it's on there was a long barrel firearm produced being held straight up in the air and people were saying put the gun down let's fight like men and suddenly there was all these men grabbing for the firearm and it was still barrel up in the air and then it went off and it was like a starting pistol it was on for young and old once that gun is fired it's chaos it is absolute chaos there were shots coming from everywhere there was people ducking for cover people reaching into cars for firearms it wasn't very long before the windscreen of the car I was sitting in got smashed by a bullet and I had bits of lead pellet in my face and glass I was covered in glass from the windscreen like everyone else Linda's curries for cover as gunfire sprays across the car park in the chaos it's unclear who is shooting through the noise was incredible it wasn't just the shots which were coming from everywhere there was people smashing each other with lead pipes with baseball bats with chains people screaming in agony it all happened so quickly that you'd bleak and suddenly there was three bodies on the ground near the back of the car park young Leanne Walters is caught by surprise she struck by a bullet from a Rossi point 357 magnum rifle fired by the bandidas the injuries to the lower face are horrific and instantly failed the dad said I know where you've heard the news or not and I said well the only use it I've heard is seven people including a girl being killed at Mill Pyrrha and he said yes he said that was LeeAnn that was your girl yeah that's my girl there were so many children there there was people throwing their children over the fence there was a pregnant woman lying in the middle of the carpark with her husband who was with me and he was wanting to go and get her there were so many people that were put in danger it just made me very angry dr. story goes that as you've got your machete you've come through the carpark yelling kill them all nah [ __ ] crap never said that now and sell what and say nothing Jacque Ross storms across the car park wielding his trademark machine just kept it the same I just walked down okay I'm across the first I knew I met I'll point you to item this is what I'm talking brought across my shoulder he's just underneath he went he left I gotta do more steps are gonna cut them down this I'm go then I'll get hit and a man we're going down remember getting back up so it was me out coming up courage under fire it's the only weapon I had and I was going to shoot me and police rushing we're dead and dying all around it and a terrifying standoff son Sean was armed with a 12-gauge shotgun that's next on 60 minutes John Garvey saw an awful lot during his 25 years as a cop but nothing compares to the carnage he confronted when arriving at the Viking tavern carpark the scene of the infamous milp era massacre not only were there wounded and dead everywhere the rival biker gangs the Comancheros and the Bandidos were still armed and locked in a standoff what John would do next and the risks he would take would be a beacon of bravery on this dark day [Music] jock Ross has been shot in the head and chest he's lying amid the carnage that is the milp era massacre his men the Comancheros are slugging it out with bitter rivals the Bandidos in the carpark of the Viking tavern in western Syria trapped by the fighting Linda Martin is here in the far corner of the carpark sheltering behind a van initial fear gives way to anger and somehow she finds incredible bravery I took my camera out and I thought I'm not going to let them get away with this and I crawled underneath the van and I started taking photos I was trying to capture people with firearms still in their hands so that I could later say that man shot that man with that weapon [Music] how did you have the presence of mind to do that amidst all that chaos anger does that to you I think it clears your mind [Music] detective Senior Constable John Garvey was one of the first officers to rush to the scene we were continually getting updates at that time from the police radio robbery shots had been fired we got to some stage we got a message that a person who'd gone berserk with a firearm at the premises and it escalated quickly didn't absolutely nothing on the trip either nothing could have prepared you for what we walked into dead and dying all around us we had a police helicopter above us there was a great deal of confusion hundreds of people milling around [Music] the two gangs still haven't surrendered when John Garvey enters the biking tavern to start moving people out he's flying blind and in plain clothes armed with a shotgun unfortunately not knowing the layout of the hotel I walked through the back door into the the back of the car park and at that stage I confronted fellow rhyming couplet some Chinese who is known kommentera Raymond Kirkland was armed with a 12-gauge shotgun he'd seen his friends killed weeds and his friends wounded that was fairly tense I'm a cop put it down what do you mean you're a cop what do you study well bicycle said you're not coming into here that's thing you don't come in here with a gun you put your own weapon down I did I agree with him that if I put my weapon down what he he surrender his he agreed to do that that's an act of faith on your behalf good fighter at that stage or just simply wanted to take the tension out of it but once once I put my weapon down he did relax he did give me his weapon and then I think the common sense kicked in and that the only way we were going to get people in there to treat the wounded was to get the rest of the weapons in an act that would earn him a commendation for bravery John Garvey convinces sunshine to lead him into the car park with no gun hand stretched out to disarm the by keys and collect their weapons taking in the carnage he counts seven dead four Comancheros two Bandidos end innocent bystander leanne walters what are your thoughts of the young girl who was killed here caught in the crossfire Lee Anne so tragedy for her so young do know the tragedy but I get the sense you don't have any remorse about actually fighting the Bandidos you you're not sorry about actually using weapons fighting attacking them on that day fact us we defended but you had the choice not they had the choice we were there they commenced there had the choice but you also had the choice now no charge no we don't have a choice do you mean how can you not fight them now coming at you we're gonna do throw your arms up and get cut to bits you got a number I was marked to die it was a closest thing I've ever seen to a battlefield I know that's used a lot but really there was dead bodies it was walking wounded there was ambos there was cartridge cases baseball bats guns Mick McGann is still haunted by father's day 1984 no level of training could prepare the detective Senior Constable for what he found in the carpark of the Viking tenem the magnitude of the thing got to me I've never been to a massacre is it remarkable then that more people didn't die oh yeah oh it was I've always said that it was said that a Clairborne Society and they came there another side of a war and stuff everybody else in addition to the deaths 21 by keys were injured many seriously as Joc underwent surgery to remove shotgun pellets from his brain police wasted no time operation hard walk was given full authority to raid homes and start making arrests I mean this is an incredible array of information this is the history of the world Peru massacres now this table holds just a fraction of the evidence gathered by police this is the flyer for the actual day on Father's Day on Sunday 2nd of September 1984 much of this has remained confidential for 30 years some of the photos case notes and witness statements collected by John Garvey and Mick McGann a short time later the Bandidos have arrived and shown by the motor bikes here and there who barely slept from the moment the last shots were fired to rounding up the suspects so it was just a massive brief and and and really resulted in just a massive logistics exercising when you look at all of this I mean what stands out to both of you about exactly what happened on that day the thing that stands out to me was that there are some photographs here that were taken by a young girl these are the photos absolutely and what Linda Moulton captured tells the story oh my word I just find those photographs remarkable Linda's courage held long enough to take seven photos the only frames that exist of the actual shooter her photos and witness evidence were crucial for the police of trial they placed guns in the hands of by keys and revealed who was where in the car [ __ ] I think it's still remarkable that you have the presence of mind to grab your camera whilst all those weapons are being fired hide under this van and and capture this Massacre which is seared into Australian history it's the only weapon I had and I was going to shoot back and you did I did the Flinders bravery would come at a price coming up making gestures like that decades of death rates I was receiving phone calls saying that I would be dead a father clings to precious memories but that's all I've got left under here and finally a hint of remorse went cold that's next on 60 minutes Linda Martin is in the wrong place at the wrong time one of the many innocent bystanders caught in the middle of the horrific Mill para massacre on Father's Day 1984 but in that moment of madness Linda finds extraordinary courage to take seven detailed and damning photos those photos would be crucial in helping detectives round up and convict the culprits Linda would have to testify in court and because of that she's been forced to maintain her courage for a very long time how hard was it to go to court and identify these biking's to stand up in front of them it was very difficult they were behind a perspex screen but there were so many of them and they're all making gestures like that they were slit your throat slitting the throat we I was receiving phone calls threatening phone call saying that if I testified that I would be dead did you ever think about keeping him mouth shut not giving evidence no no I was in that court for a reason because I was not going to let them get away with what they did by the time the defendants arrived in to prison vans about 80 police had completely surrounded the courthouse each of the bye keys was charged with seven counts of murder a staggering three hundred and one charges in all the scale of the trial was extraordinary and remains Australia's longest at 13 months inside the courtroom had been specially refurbished to accommodate 21 defense lawyers and six prosecutors in the end 30 of the bye keys were jailed but Bandidos boss Anthony Snoddy Spencer didn't wait for a verdict he took his life in prison all murder convictions would later be reduced to manslaughter Jacques would serve five years and three months why did the mill parent massacre happen what do you put it down I think the significant feature in all of this is William Ross Jacque Ross I believe he's a very intelligent very calculating very dominant figure and is responsible for all of those things that occurred that day is he responsible for the seven people who died out there I believe so should he have blood on his hands today I believe sat in jail Jacques Ross remained president of the Comancheros and kept fellow jailed Club members in line he was a model prisoner whose good behavior saw the reduced sentence his daughter Holly was just a toddler when dad went away I remember that we would be there a lot you know I know that we went there every other day that we weren't in court we were there on weekends I mean I don't remember it being a jail and that's not what I knew it is what did you think of course this is castle dad's castle castle yeah your dad carries a fierce reputation how do you defend him I see him as a person of strength very loyal he will never leave your side [Music] [Music] Jacque why is this place so special for you over there that's what all the men are bidding this year I was going to the club if there's a place for JA cross to reflect 30 years on it's here at the Palmdale Cemetery and the Comancheros Morial foghorn yeah Leroy yeah sparrow and dog yeah they were all there that was mill para that was my para there was a little old heart to the club you know when you stand here now and you you look down at their names what do you think how do you reflect on it sad you know you you really will give in to be with them [Music] the legacy for Linda Martin has been a lifetime of threats forcing her to move and change jobs a number of times only now after 30 years does she feel able to break her silence do you feel as if over the years you've lived and looking over your shoulder I did for a long while how long did it take before you you stopped doing that before you got rid of that fear I'd say 25 years 25 years you have received death threats for such a long time now you'd be forgiven completely for not talking at all why are you talking on this anniversary I think it's important to remember the innocent people that were out there it was a family day and I think the victims have been lost in it now right this is your gift that was me gift yes if the Rideau that goes by when you don't think of Leanne now it's every day I do me mind it's locked in now and that's it the Jane's Rex Walters clings to cherished memories the Father's Day gift that LeeAnn never had the chance to give him and the clothes she was wearing on the day she died you know people might think more why do you keep them but it's just I can imagine what she looked like on that day yeah but that's all I've got left over you know I can see an hour she probably be smart smiling at me for doing this for her she would be might because you were honoring her memory yes [Music] four members of the biker gang were waiting for the chief common chair oh when he walked free at nine o'clock this morning on his release Jah cross remained a formidable figure leading the Comancheros until his retirement in 2003 it's hard to imagine given his notoriety but jock is not unlike any other retired 71 year old grandfather how do you describe yourself today oh man these days his life is dominated by a different Club with different colors for the past 20 years he served as a decorated Rural Fire Service captain but mil terra remains the defining event of his life to this day what happened in that car park remains the worst single outbreak of bikie violence the world has ever seen a war between men who wouldn't back down Jacque 30 years on what responsibilities will blame do you wear for the mill para massacre if it could be change I change it but what was it all over nothing really at the end of the day prayed ego possibly how did you feel about revisiting that car park in mill para strange I was all right actually when I was air talking to you it's probably a copper night my daughter for Mia says whenever went cold for no reason I just went cold I think that's the first I've heard you express that sort of emotion about what happened that day my aim is that regret possible sadness I don't know happened

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Views: 2,156,759

Rating: 4.5238175 out of 5

Keywords: Milperra Massacre, Father's Day Massacre, bikie, Sydney, Crime, shooting, violence, investigation, 60 Minutes, 60 Minutes Australia, Liz Hayes, Charles Wooley, Tara Brown, Liam Bartlett, Allison Langdon, Tom Steinfort, Ellen Fanning, Peter Overton, Karl Stefanovic, Ray Martin, Peter Stefanovic, Jana Wendt, Jeff McMullen, Sarah Abo, carpark, murder, bikies, gangs, hell's angels, harley davidson, turf war

Id: h6G38Lbrn9Q

Length: 42min 58sec (2578 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 16 2018