Introduction

When I compiled the first Australian Crime File way back in 2005, I thought that perhaps there would be a Crime File 2, but at the time I never dreamed we would do a third. However, the first two have been so successful that another book is not really so surprising. Let’s face it, crime stops for no man! And given that the books are based on the Crime File segments that I write and present with George Moore on our radio program each weekend on radio 2UE in Sydney, you could say that I am compiling a new chapter every week as I go.

When I’m compiling these stories for the radio, I include the maximum amount of information in the minimum amount of space. Each crime file on the radio takes about 12 minutes to read out to the listeners and in that short time I must tell them every bit of information about the case. I pack details into the stories – times, days, dates, years, motives, modus operandi, capture/non-capture, and sentences of the offenders. You are getting the best of everything in these informative chapters.

I have also endeavoured not to be opinionated and tried to be as non-judgemental as possible and just report the facts. But in some cases I simply can’t help myself. My intense dislike for the serial and child killers, the pack rapists and heartless conmen is always simmering beneath the surface and on occasion it shows in the writing. You must remember also that I have written this for a huge radio audience which comprises people of all ages. There really are stories for everyone in this collection.

After spending a lifetime writing and broadcasting so many stories about every major crime, as well as most of the not-so-major crimes, in Australia’s history, I am proud so say that now I have now achieved the status of Crime Historian and that now appears as my by-line on my regular appearances on Today, Sunrise and 60 Minutes shown across Australia and in print media articles.

And I am very pleased to bring you the latest collection of Crime Files from our radio program. There is crime for everyone. Not just murder and rape but also lots of crimes about the ordinary and very respected members of our community, the least likely people that you would imagine would fall foul of the law and then have to face the judgement of their peers.

On behalf of George and myself I’d like to thank all the listeners for making our show the number one weekend show in Sydney.

 

Paul B. Kidd, Sydney, 2012