Sex maniac Tony Rawlins would tell a detective those chilling words before he was locked away for 54 years, becoming Queensland’s longest serving prisoner.

It took him just a few hours to admit killing 12-year-old Iruca Fiona Denise Verdova in a disused military tunnel in Townsville.

WARNING: Graphic content

Two days earlier the girl, known by most as Fiona Pronger, left her home to go for a swim on a sweltering day where the temperature would reach 34c.

Wearing a red-spotted dress with a large white collar and small white cuffs, the schoolgirl walked from Barbouttis St carrying a string bag and bathing costume.

It was December 28, 1955. She was on holidays and planned a day trip to the Tobruk Baths, just a short distance away.

The pool was managed by the parents of 14-year-old Laurie Lawrence, who was to become a legendary Australian swimming coach.

Standing less than 1.5m tall the young girl with fair hair and brown eyes jumped on to the bus.

Fiona spoke to another girl of around the same age about her hobby – collecting bus tickets.

After getting off the bus she walked to the Tobruk Baths.

There she would go for a swim before she met a man who would ask her if she wanted to have lunch with him.

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Her body was found lying face down at the end of a dark tunnel, 18 feet long and three feet wide.

She was partially undressed, hidden away about 800m from the baths in a disused gun emplacement tunnel once used to store ammunition at Kissing Point military reserve.

Her arms were bound tightly behind her back with brown twine; a cloth belt from her dress was around her neck and tied in a bow at the back of her head. It was used to strangle her and to muffle her screams.

Marks in the thick dust where her body was found showed a possible struggle.

There were two large bruises on the right side of her head and abrasions to her face and body.

Four school boys playing found Fiona.

It was the day after her worried mum contacted police.

When the girl didn’t arrive home for dinner by 6.30pm the night before, her mother searched for her in a taxi. She then went to police to report her missing.

Police would discover her black shoes, pink socks, bag and towel at the baths.

Her handbag was found nearby, with bus tickets and a halfpenny inside.

Every available policeman in Townsville was sent out to search the streets for the killer.

Detectives interviewed sex predators in the area.

Investigators believed she was either lured from the baths or had gone for a walk along the beach before she met her attacker.

A doctor would confirm she was killed around midday after a struggle.

Stockman Tony Rawlins was standing at the Flinders St bus stand at 11am on December 30 when police found him.

Four hours later – a day after the small girl was found – he was charged with murder.

Rawlins had been working in Mount Isa and had only arrived in Townsville only days earlier.

He was taken to a police station and told detectives his name was Ivan Bradfield. He later admitted he lied because there was a maintenance order out against him in Sydney, for spousal payments.

Detective Ernest James Devries was with an Inspector when Rawlins was interviewed back at the Criminal Investigation Branch.

When the Inspector left the room he told Devries: “They have gone to get a priest for me, but I might as well tell you now that I killed her.”

Rawlins told police he met Fiona in the morning and had lunch with her, where he claims she suggested they explore the caves together.

He told police he began to molest the girl and he claimed she asked for money, or she would tell her parents.

When he refused he said he took her belt and strangled her until she was unconscious.

He claimed to have had a blackout and did not recall tying her hands.

When Rawlins was taken to the morgue he said: “Yes that’s the girl I strangled in the underground magazine of Kissing Point.”

When detective Devries charged him with the girl’s murder Rawlins responded: “Yes. That’s right”.

It was the biggest court crowd in Townsville’s history

“You ought to burn, you dirty animal,” one man reportedly yelled.

Packed into a tiny and hot courtroom in Townsville, 200 people booed and yelled at Tony Rawlins, 27, as he entered.

Police had to push a path from watch house to the courthouse and people had climbed veranda posts for a view.

The stockman wore grey denim riding trousers, black shoes and a blue shirt.

The day he was led past screaming people into court in Townsville, 12-year-old Fiona Pronger was buried after a ceremony lasting only 10 minutes at St James’ Anglican Cathedral in front of 19 people.

Her body was in a white coffin, with a wreath of white frangipani on top.

During a court hearing later that month Fiona’s mother Eileen Verdova gripped the witness box tightly and sobbed as she gave evidence. Wearing black, she clutched a white handkerchief during the hearing.

“I have never seen him in my life,” she said when asked if she knew Rawlins.

Witness Beryl Lawrence, whose husband managed the baths, told the court she saw Rawlins and Fiona separately at the baths in the morning on December 28.

“About three in the afternoon I saw him in a pair of togs. He came to the counter and had three glasses of pineapple juice one after another.”

“He could not speak, just point. He drank the juice straight down.”

Her son Laurie Lawrence, 14, who would later become a Wallaby and Australian swim coach, said Rawlins went in and out of the baths four or five times on the day of the girl’s death.

Rawlins pleaded guilty to murdering the 12-year-old but a judge said his plea was unusual and committed him for trial.

“This is a most serious offence with which you have been charged. Under the circumstances, I think I should commit you for trial,” the judge said.

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During his trial, held a month later, a plea of insanity was rejected.

Rawlins’ defence told the jury that he told police he could not remember “certain aspects of the tragedy”.

He told police he had a blackout and also did not remember tying the girl’s hands behind her back.

As the jury went out to deliberate, a crowd of 130 people waited in the courtroom for their decision, while Rawlins sat with his head down, running his fingers through rosary beads he wore around his neck.

He smoked a cigarette.

Fifty-two minutes later the jury returned with a guilty verdict.

When asked if he had anything to say, he responded: “Nothing whatsoever”.

On February 15, 1956, Rawlins was sentenced to life in jail with hard labour.

The state’s Attorney-General said he recommended Rawlins never be released from jail.

Rawlins was transferred from Townsville’s Stuart jail to Brisbane in the 1980s.

After spending more than 30 years in jail Rawlins said he lived “one day at a time”.

“I have never stopped thinking about what I did – I will for the rest of my life,” he said in an interview with The Courier-Mail during his role as greenkeeper at Wacol prison.

“I accepted many years ago that I will always think about it. Remorse is timeless.

“A life sentence is a life sentence. You have to live with that,” he said.

“But parole – after so long – would certainly be fruit on a sideboard.”

During his sentence he was taken to Indooroopilly shops and said he was shocked by the prices of items, such as suits which were three pounds when he was first jailed.

He also attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Ipswich.

“That was my downfall – I’m an alcoholic,” Rawlins said.

“That’s my problem. It always will be. It always will be. One drink would be fatal.

“AA is something you can never leave.”

Rawlins spoke of his daily schedule.

“I’m up at 5am for breakfast and out the front gate - unescorted – by 6am for 12 hours’ work on the officers’ bowling greens,” he said.

“How are the greens?

“Well, in the past three months I have had nine greenkeepers drop in to find out how I manage to keep my greens in such top condition. That’s a real compliment.

“And then there is my poetry. I have a book full of it covering the last 30 years.”

Words to one poem said: “If only I could be free again and keep alight the peace and serenity found in the darkness of this night …”

During one of his last interviews Rawlins said that he had applied for parole about five times and had started preparing another application.

“But you mustn’t raise your hopes. Take one day at a time,” he said.

“It would be good, however, to get a reason as to why parole is knocked back.

“At least I could then plan ahead to meet that objection.

“In the meantime, as it has been for 32 years, it’s one day at a time.”

Rawlins never received parole.

He refused to complete sexual offender programs, and a psychological assessment in 2005 said he was a high risk of recidivism if released from custody.

On April 17, 2010, he was found dead in his cell.

He was 81 and spent 54 years in jail.