Victim of Errol George Radan, key suspect in 1973 Adelaide Oval abduction of Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon, speaks out

A victim of the prime suspect in the 1973 Adelaide Oval abduction has told her story about the “animal” who ruined her life, saying she needed the state to know what he was like.

A victim believes her perpetrator, Errol George Radan, is responsible for the abduction of two girls from Adelaide Oval 50 years ago.

For five decades, Michelle has been keeping her secret – about the man she described as a “ghost” – out of fear she would be publicly shamed and vilified.

Now, after revelations that Radan was being investigated by SAPOL’s Major Crime Investigation Branch for the 1973 abduction of Joanne Ratcliffe, 11, and Kirste Gordon, 4 -became public this week, Michelle said she was ready to share her story.

“After the Major Crime detectives visited Radan in prison in Queensland I asked if they thought he did it,” she said.

“They nodded back at me. But they were never able to get a confession before he died.”

Michelle said she was a victim of Errol Radan in the years after the Adelaide Oval abduction from 1973 to 1978 at a home in Broadview.

“He ruined my life,” she said. “I need Adelaide to know what an animal he was.”

Michelle said Radan lived across the road from her in Broadview and “conned” her parents.

“He said his wife left him and can’t see his kids, so he spoilt me with gifts. Mum and Dad loved him.” she said.

Michelle has spoken out against her perpetrator who she believes is responsible for the Adelaide Oval abduction. Picture: Supplied

A police sketch of the suspect believed to have taken Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon in 1973.

“He kept going missing … it wasn’t until years later they (my parents) found out the truth and he was in jail (in Melbourne).”

Years later, when a new family moved into the Broadview address, a plumber was called to fix the blocked drains.

“The plumber found kids’ clothes, books on child psychology and a scrap book of the missing girls, newspaper clippings,” she said.

Michelle’s involvement in the Adelaide Oval case began when she was contacted by police in 2015.

“They wanted to extradite Radan back to SA, I have no idea how that could have happened,” she said.

“I said I wanted no involvement and to let him die in the Queensland jail.”

Michelle said she eventually signed a form for police not to contact her again “unless required”.

“December 4, 2018, knock knock at the door, I looked and I just knew these two cold-case detectives and I said ‘Radan’, they said ‘sorry Michelle we have to speak to you,’” she said

Michelle told The Advertiser the property that was dug up at Alberton was sold by Radan in the months after Joanne and Kirste were abducted.

“Radan’s adopted brother Geoffrey Radan was the man who reported him to police so many times, as he saw Errol with a shovel, shaking, straight after the girls went missing,” she said.

Old newspaper clippings from The Advertiser in 1949, show Geoffrey Radan ran away from home at age 14.

Joanne Ratcliffe, 11, and Kirste Gordon, 4.

Michelle said he became estranged from his parents George and Ethel Radan and siblings but reconnected many years later.

She said she eventually became connected with Geoffrey’s family and was told more about the Radan family history.

“When Errol was born she (Ethel) became horrible to Geoffrey,” she said.

“Geoffrey fled across the Nullarbor and never went back home for 14 years. He did go back and see his parents later on when (he) had a family.”

Michelle said Errol married twice and had children, who had all since changed their names.

“When Major Crime flew up in 2019, they got one of his sons to Skype him. This son has not heard from his dad in probably decades,” she said.

“Radan closed his eyes all the way through it.

“I know so much in what (Major Crime Detective Superintendent) Des Bray’s team tried to do.”

Radan ended up in a Queensland prison in 1984 after he was extradited from South Australia.

He pleaded guilty to eight sex offences committed against two children between February 1982 and October 1983.

Then-CIB Chief Superintendent Noel Lenton, right, with Detective Sergeant Norm Davey, left, in 11973, and a composite photo of the suspect seen with the missing children.

He was sentenced to an indefinite term of imprisonment. A High Court bid for release in the past decade would fail and he would ultimately die in prison last year.

SA Police confirmed Major Crime detectives travelled to a Queensland prison – where Radan was incarcerated for other matters – in 2019 to conduct inquiries.

Radan declined to be interviewed but police said he could not be eliminated from the investigation, nor could he be incriminated.

Joanne and Kirste disappeared from a SANFL match between North Adelaide and Norwood at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, August 25, 1973.

They were last seen leaving the John Cresswell Stand to go to the toilet at the rear of the stand during the late stages of the third quarter of the game.

Major Crime’s Detective Inspector Mark McEachern said the investigation into the abductions and suspected murders of the girls were ongoing.

The suspicion remains that the male seen leaving with the two girls is the offender in this matter.

“In the 50 years that has passed, police have conducted thousands of lines of inquiry into the disappearance of the girls,” Det Insp McEachern said.

SAPOL has been contacted for further comment.