Scott Johnson: Man charged with murder over alleged gay hate death of man at North Head in 1988
Police have charged a Sydney man, Scott Phillip White, 49, over the alleged gay hate death of Scott Johnson at North Head more than 30 years ago.
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A man has been charged with murder over the alleged gay hate death of a man on Sydney's North Head more than 30 years ago.
The body of United States citizen Scott Johnson, 27, was found at the base of cliffs on December 10, 1988.
Detectives from Strike Force Welsford charged Scott Phillip White, 49, of Lane Cove at Chatswood police station at about 3pm today. He was arrested at 8.30am.
The officers also searched Mr White’s home where they seized a number of items allegedly relevant to the investigation.
Mr White was refused bail and will appear at Parramatta Local Court tomorrow.
Soon after the arrest police organised a three-hour forensic search on the cliff top, about 250m south of the Shelly Beach car park, where Mr Johnson fell to his death.
Public Order and Riot Squad officers along with officers from the Police Rescue were part of the search through undergrowth that began about 9.30am.
Officers using heavy duty rakes pulled apart burnt vegetation near the cliff edge.
Rescue squad personnel abseiled down the cliff face as part of the search for any items that may assist the inquiry.
The area was closed off to bushwalkers and hikers during the search.
A coronial inquest in 1989 found Mr Johnson had committed suicide. A second inquest in June 2012 returned an open finding.
At a third inquest and, in 2017, the then NSW Coroner, Michael Barnes, found that Mr Johnson fell from the cliff top as a result of actual or threatened violence by at least two unidentified people who attacked him because they thought he was gay.
Mr Johnson, a mathematician, was among dozens of gay men who were killed or disappeared around Sydney during the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
During hearings at the third inquest into Mr Johnson’s death, males under 18 who grew up on the northern beaches, and who were suspected of involvement or knew about violent assaults of gay men on the peninsula, and elsewhere, in the late 1980s were called to give evidence.
A gang known as the “Narrabeen Skinheads” were mentioned as being involved in gay bashings in and around the northern beaches in the 1980s.
After the third inquest NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller met with Scott’s brother, Steve Johnson, before setting up — Strike Force Welsford — to reopen the investigation.
In December 2018, the NSW Government increased the $100,000 reward for information that may lead to a conviction, to $1 million. Steve Johnson announced a further $1 million reward earlier this year.
Commissioner Fuller has contacted Steve Johnson, who lives in the United States, about the arrest.
“Making that phone call this morning is a career highlight – Steve has fought so hard for so many years, and it has been an honour be part of his fight for justice,” the Commissioner said.
“While we have a long way to go in the legal process, it must be acknowledged that if it wasn’t for the determination of the Johnson family, which inspired me and the Strike Force Welsford team – led by Detective Chief Inspector Peter Yeomans, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
Steve Johnson in a video statement released by police that it was an emotional day for his family and that his brother had symbolised those who lost their lives due to homophobia- inspired violence.
He thanked NSW Police for their work over the years and said “we seem to be a lot closer to finding out what happened.”
“It’s emotional for me, emotional for my family, my two sisters and brother who loved Scott dearly, my wife and three kids who never got to know their uncle,” he said.
“(They didn’t have the chance to) admire him because of his brilliance but also because he courageously lived his life as he wanted to.
“I hope the friends and families of the other dozens of gay men who lost their lives find solace in what’s happened today and hope it opens the door to resolve some of the other mysterious deaths of men who have not yet received justice.”