John Killick’s new book The Last Escape is a ‘story of redemption’
He made world headlines when his girlfriend hijacked a chopper to break him out of prison. Now John Killick lifts the lid on a life of crime in his book The Last Escape. Read an exclusive extract.
National
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He was once a feared bank robber who was busted out of jail in a helicopter hijacked by his lover.
Now John Killick spends his days much quieter by lecturing university law students on what life on the other side of the criminal justice system is really like.
The 81-year-old said he wanted the next generation of lawyers, police and parole and prison workers to hear something they wouldn’t get from their legal textbooks.
“What they’re getting is valuable, but they’re only getting one side … because the judges and the cops they don’t know really what it’s like to be on the other side,” Killick said.
“I always tell it the way it was – they are the future of our justice system.”
Following each lecture at the University of New South Wales, Killick takes questions about his colourful past as one of Australia’s most notorious criminals.
In 1999 he escaped from Silverwater Prison in a helicopter hijacked by his then girlfriend Lucy Dudko.
The couple spent 45 days on the run before being captured.
“You can’t take back what you have done – you can only look forwards and do something from here,” he said.
Killick said the jail system was tough and hard to break away from a life of crime.
“Once you get on that treadmill you get caught up in it … I ended up a bank robber, that’s what I was for many years – a bank robber and an escapee.”
Killick is also an accomplished author, with his sixth book The Last Escape – which he described as his life story “warts and all” – about to hit the stands.
“I think it’s a story of redemption in the end,” Killick said.
“A lot of money I make from the books I donate to under privileged kids. I feel that way I’m giving a bit back [to society] and it makes me feel good to see those kids come good, it’s a great feeling”.
Killick – who spent 15 years behind bars during his last stint in jail before being paroled in 2015 – said it is his way of making up for the damage his actions had on people.
He said he realises as a bank robber he was “terrorising people” by “pointing a gun at them with a mask on” and that could leave them scarred for life.
“I accept the gravity of it and understand the high sentences I received,” he said.
“I’m trying to make up for it now – you can’t take back what you’ve done. You have to look forward and do something from here.”
Despite his long history with banks, it was a moment during the pandemic after an ATM malfunction when he realised he’d come full circle.
“It [the ATM] robbed me of $200 and they took me in and made me coffee and I’m sitting there in the bank manager’s office with a (face) mask on and thought ‘the irony of this’.”
EXTRACT FROM THE LAST ESCAPE
The fight with Jack made me reluctant to give $8000 to Keenan even if I managed to get it. I had no doubts that some of it would go to Jack. I hated the guy and I would never agree to giving him a cent. But if I didn’t pay the money I would be going to jail. Best to get the money first. Then worry about how to stop Jack receiving any of it.
I planned to do the robbery on Tuesday November 4 – Melbourne Cup day. It was the perfect time to rob a bank. During the running of the Melbourne Cup the nation stopped. Even the police listened to the race. I figured that as soon as the race started, I could slip a mask on and enter the bank without anyone taking notice. Probably there wouldn’t be any customers there. I would get the money and be out of there before the race was over. Jump on the pushbike and be gone and home before the cops could do anything. My only concern would be if the tellers came after me with their guns.
Oh well, I’d been there and done that before. This time I would have a bicycle to help me get away.
On Saturday I went to Randwick races with nearly $1000. Always the optimist, I figured if I hit a lucky run I could win the $8000 and maybe a bit more. But when you have to win you never do. I knew it but it didn’t stop me. After a few races I was thinking about going home. I had less than $300 remaining. Couldn’t win $8000 with that.
A few of the bookies were already betting on the Melbourne Cup. I looked at the betting boards: Think Big 33 to 1!
I couldn’t believe the odds. Then I saw another one: Think Big 40 to 1. Think Big had won the Melbourne Cup the previous year. Gloria had looked after the shop and I drove to Randwick races. Before leaving I wrote in big letters on the blackboard: ‘Think Big!’ He had won the Hotham Handicap On the Saturday and was trained by the master, Bart Cummings.
That had given Cummings his fourth Cup winner in the past ten years and he had quinellaed three of them.
Could he make it five out of eleven? Obviously the bookies didn’t think so.
When they offered 40 to 1 about a horse winning, they considered it no chance. I looked at Think Big’s current form. Since winning the Melbourne Cup he hadn’t won a race. But at least I knew he could run the distance.
A lot of horses struggled to run the 3200 metres in the Cup. And he was trained by the master
who had the knack of getting horses to their peak on the day of a big race.
I thought about putting $100 each way on him. But if he ran a place I would only get $1100 back. Useless to me. It had to be win or nothing.
Without hesitation I went over to the bookmaker who was offering 40 to 1 and said: “Two hundred on Think Big.”
He grinned. “You’re a year too late.”
“Tell that to Bart,” I said.
I went home with about $70 in my pocket.
We had no money in the bank, the cops had our car and I was a wanted man.
But on Tuesday I had Think Big in the Cup or the bank at Neutral Bay.
So everything was under control.
Except there was a major flaw in my plan. It would be madness to run into
the bank and rob it during the running of the Cup, risking being arrested or even
killed, only to find out that I had won $8000 on Think Big.
But my entire plan for the robbery was contingent on people, including the
police, being distracted by the Melbourne Cup, giving me the element of
surprise. It gave me a huge advantage.
Over the next few days I gave it a lot of thought. The racing experts in the
Sunday newspapers didn’t rate Think Big much of a chance in the Cup.
I convinced myself that I had to focus on the robbery, not the Cup.
On Monday I went to a novelty shop and bought an old man mask. I figured it
would attract less attention than a monkey or monster mask.
Melbourne Cup day! It truly does stop the nation. In Victoria it is a public
holiday. And at around 3.00pm on the first Tuesday in November most of the
people in New South Wales stop what they are doing to see how the horse they
backed or drew in the sweep goes. You even got a prize for running last in a lot of
the sweeps.
I had ridden my bike to the street behind where the bank was situated. Hoping that it didn’t get stolen I left it against a telegraph pole without chaining it to the pole. Bank robbers don’t have time to unchain bicycles during their getaway – especially if they are being chased by tellers with guns.
Five minutes to go before the big race. It had been nine years since I had held
up a bank.
Already on the run for other bank robberies, I had been calm that day. Nothing to lose. This time I was nervous. I had a wife and a child to support. I reminded myself that Think Big was about to try to win the Melbourne Cup for the second year in succession. This is what happens when you don’t really want to do something. My mind was looking for excuses not to walk into the bank and try to rob it with a replica pistol. Think Big? No. Can’t win. The experts have spoken.
Rob the bank! Stuff it – I’m a pro, I can do this.
I had a small transistor radio. The horses were ready to jump. I was five metres from the bank. I was reaching inside the bag I carried to pull out the old man mask and the
replica when someone said: “Good day, John. “
It was a guy I hadn’t seen for a couple of years. A bloody chess player.
“Hi, mate,” I said. In Australia if you can’t remember their names you call
them mate. We’re all mates.
“I thought you would be listening to the Cup,” he said.
Damn, damn, damn! “I brought my trannie with me ,” I said.
He nodded. “Still playing chess?”
“Nah. Married with a kid. No time.”
Damn, damn, damn …
He walked away. He wasn’t really interested. Just being polite. But he had
saved the bank. Or maybe he had saved me. At least for the moment.
Tomorrow I would have to find a suitable bank on the other side of the city.
I began walking back to where I had left my bike. I turned the sound up on
the radio. The race was still going.
Medici was in front. The announcer mentioned Think Big, he was well back
and caught on the inside.
Halfway down the straight, the race changed dramatically. Medici was still
in front and Sulieman was challenging … then Think Big came off the rails and
was finishing fast!
Think Big hit the front! Holiday Wagon was flying down the outside. Oh no, not Holiday Wagon. Bart Cummings trained that as well!
Bart got the quinella again. Think Big first, Holiday Wagon second.
Thank God the chess player came past when he did.
It had to be fate. All my troubles had begun with gambling. This time gambling
had saved me.
Think Big would always have a place in my heart. When I arrived home, Gloria picked up on my mood.
“You did okay on the Cup,” she said. “Of course. You know I’m good at Melbourne Cups. Remember Think Big last year?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Well he won again. I had a bit on it. We are going to dinner tonight.”
“How much did you win?”
“Enough for dinner at a restaurant, not McDonalds.”
We ate at a fancy Italian restaurant that night. Not far from the Neutral Bay
bank.
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