How Carl Williams almost became Australia’s biggest snitch

Carl Williams pledged to give police information on up to 10 gangland hits, with secret files saying he’d start “from the beginning and give up everything”. Then he was killed.

Carl Williams gave police information on up to 10 gangland hits before being swept from prison in a top-secret operation.

Police documents show Williams told a special task force in 2008 that he was prepared to “fully assist investigators” in the organised crime homicide investigations.

Most of the contract killings had been carried out during the brutal era of gangland warfare that gripped Melbourne earlier in that decade.

The documents reveal how Williams outlined the “8-10” killings he would provide information on and the military-style operation needed to extract that information.

Carl Williams promised to give information on up to 10 gangland hits. Picture: Richard Cisar-Wright

Under the headline “Proposed evidentiary debrief of Carl Williams’’, the Petra task force documents state the jailed drug boss would start “from the beginning and give up everything”.

The murders named were those of Terence and Christine Hodson, Michael Marshall, Graham Kinniburgh, Victor Peirce, Joe Quadara, Mark Mallia, Nik Radev and Richard Mladenich.

Williams also offered to throw in details on “an undisclosed number of attempted murders”.

His agreement had the potential to generate concern among leading Melbourne gangland players.

Tony Mokbel had been investigated over the Marshall and Radev killings.

Nikolai Radev was gunned down in Coburg.

Michael Marshall was murdered in South Yarra.

Williams was involved in both of those crimes and would have had deep knowledge of how the hits were put together.

Mokbel fled overseas while on bail after learning he was to be charged with the brutal contract killing of Marshall in South Yarra in October, 2003.

Six months earlier, Radev died in Coburg in a hit believed to have been the handiwork of Andrew Veniamin, one of a stable of triggermen used by Williams during the gangland conflict.

Veniamin is also suspected of shooting Peirce in Bay St, Port Melbourne, in 2002.

Police search Joy St, South Yarra, after the shooting murder of Michael Marshall.

Police at the scene on Bay Street, Port Melbourne, where Victor Peirce was found dead.

It is unclear what Williams would have had to offer in that case as he is believed to have had no involvement.

Veniamin, the suspected shooter, is not known to have been working for Williams at that time.

One notable absence from the list is the June 2000 ambush of Mark Moran outside his home at Aberfeldie.

The Moran killing is the only one of the era where there is a suggestion Williams had direct involvement.

Victor George Peirce.

Richard Mladenich was murdered in 2000.

The Petra documents detailed planning, costs and security surrounding the operation. Williams was to be removed from Barwon Prison by specialist officers in a “blacked out” van and taken to a place which is redacted from the paperwork.

That place was the Swan Island military base at the south end of Port Phillip.

One block of the base was to be set aside for Williams and his father, George, where the “debriefing” process would take place and they could eat and sleep.

Police officers, including two inspectors, were to stay on the base during the operation.

Terrence and Christine Hodson were murdered in 2004.

Graham Kinniburgh was killed in Kew in 2003.

Carl Williams would have an initial conversation with detectives to get an overall view of what information he could give and allow preparation before statements were taken.

“The statements will be individual statements pertaining to each event. The statements will be obtained in a “can say” format and be presented unsigned to the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions),” the Petra documents say.

On April 19, 2010, Williams was murdered inside Barwon Prison’s Acacia unit by jailhouse enforcer Matthew Johnson. He knew Williams was co-operating with police when he bashed him to death with the seat stem from an exercise bike.

Police at the scene of the shooting of Graham Kinniburgh. Picture: Darren Mcnamara

Matthew Johnson was aware Williams was co-operating with police.

At the time, Williams had made statements over the Hodson double execution, claiming he organised the killings on behalf of alleged corrupt cop Paul Dale, although Dale has always denied any involvement in the Hodson murders.

It’s believed inmates were aware of his co-operation with police when he was murdered.

Victoria Police offered negotiated inducements in return for Williams’ co-operation. His lawyers were asking for his 35-year jail sentence to be cut by 10 years and his father’s tax bill be wiped. Homicide detectives were also preparing to visit Williams in order for the 39-year-old to make a statement on the ambush murder of Mladenich in front of three other people at the Esquire Motel in St Kilda in 2000.

Gangland turned mafia figure Rocco Arico remains a key suspect in organising Williams’ murder.

Originally published as How Carl Williams almost became Australia’s biggest snitch