Whiskey Au Go Go inquest: Clockwork Orange Gang claim questioned

A man jailed for the murder of a so-called gang member has told the Whiskey Au Go Go inquest he was innocent of the crime – but wishes he wasn’t.

A man who wrote stories claiming Brisbane’s “Clockwork Orange Gang” told him they had burnt the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub has been grilled in the inquest about his alleged lack of evidence.

William “Billy” Stokes wrote stories in Port News, which he published in the 1970s, claiming members of the gang, including Thomas Hamilton, were involved in the 1973 fire that killed 15 people.

While being questioned at the reopened inquest Stokes, who spent 16 years behind bars for the murder of Hamilton, denied committing that crime.

“I wish I did kill him. It would be much easier if I did,” Stokes sensationally told the inquest.

Stokes made assertions in his articles that Clockwork Orange Gang members Thomas Hamilton, Garry Dubois, Peter Hall and Keith Meredith were involved in the Whiskey fire that killed 15 people.

Stokes admitted he was one of two people who named the gang after the movie of the same name, because of their bizarre way of dressing.

James Finch and John Andrew Stuart were arrested and charged days after the March 8, 1973 fire and later that year they were convicted of arson and murder.

In an April 1975 edition of Port News, Stokes wrote: “The Clockwork Orange Gang have told me that they burnt the Whisky (sic) and I have the conversation on tape.”

Counsel assisting the coroner Stephen Keim put to Stokes that he had no evidence of that at all and Stokes admitted he did not have the conversation on tape.

Mr Keim questioned Stokes about his suggestion that Hamilton admitted involvement in the fire in a phone conversation they had in 1974.

Billy Stokes leaves Brisbane Magistrates Court. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

“He phoned and said I should write a story about the Whiskey firebombing,” Stokes said.

“When I asked him why, he said, ‘Can’t you just see it, people writhing on the floor, gasping for air as they die….”

Stokes said he could hear someone in the background laughing.

Mr Keim put to Stokes that it was not evidence of Hamilton claiming responsibility for the deaths in the Whiskey fire.

“To my way of thinking, that’s the inference I drew,” Stokes said.

Stokes said he later saw Hamilton do a soft shoe dance, to “the fire song”, singing ‘I am the god of hellfire, you’re going to burn, burn, burn”.

Stokes also referred to the fact members of the gang moved around a lot after the fire.

Stokes told how he went to a Chermside house shared by some members of the Clockwork Orange gang on the day after Stuart and Finch were convicted.

He said he told the men that Stuart and Finch had been verballed, from what he’d seen in the trial.

“Garry Dubois said ‘Better them than us’,” Stokes said.

Barrister Chris Minnery, representing Vincent O’Dempsey, repeatedly questioned Stokes about what evidence he had that the gang members were involved with Stuart and Finch in the fire.

He also asked Stokes to provide evidence for his claim that Detective Pat Glancy was one of the people who organised the fire bombing.

“It’s what I believe,” Stokes said.

Stokes said Det Glancy had a close association with Billy McCulkin, the husband of Barbara McCulkin.

The reopened inquest was sparked by claims at the 2017 murder trial of Vincent O’Dempsey and Garry Dubois, who were jailed for life for the deaths of Brisbane mother Barbara McCulkin and her daughters.

Mr Minnery put to Stokes that he had previously confessed to killing Hamilton and the McCulkins, but he denied it, saying it was ridiculous to even suggest it.

The inquest is continuing.