Hugo Rich threatened to kill County Court Judge Carolyn Douglas during a courtroom outburst
HE’S a cold-blooded killer and notorious prison troublemaker. And Hugo Rich’s chilling threats from a courtroom dock left a Melbourne judge in fear. WATCH THE VIDEO
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VICTORIAN County Court judge Carolyn Douglas has broken a 22-year silence to talk about death threats against her by notorious criminal Hugo Rich.
Rich threatened to kill her during an unprecedented outburst from the dock of the County Court in 1995.
MURDERER HUGO RICH’S APPEAL PLANS FOILED
Judge Douglas was then a crown prosecutor and Rich was facing armed robbery charges.
As she sat at the bar table he shouted at her that he had money in an overseas account and could “get you any time slut”.
“Watch your back every time you turn that car on of yours where you’re living at the moment,” Rich warned her.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
“I don’t care how long it takes, 25 years, bitch, I’ll have a go at you.”
Judge Douglas, who will next week hand over her wig and gown after 20 years on the County Court bench, yesterday said she had been very intimidated and shaken by Rich’s repeated outbursts.
“Looking back on it now I have no doubt it was a tactic by Rich to try to delay his trial,” she told the Herald Sun.
“It wasn’t just me; he also had a go at the judge in the trial.
“I remember Rich shouting at the judge ‘this is a kangaroo court with Skippy presiding’, which didn’t go down well.
“When he threatened me by saying ‘I’ve got a contract on you bitch, $30,000’, my first thought was $30,000, is that all I’m worth?
“The level of his voice I found quite intimidating. I was shaking, couldn’t stop shaking the first time he verbally attacked me.
“But I got used to it, it was more his ranting disrupting my chain of thought during the trial that disturbed me.”
Rich’s disruptive tactics didn’t work as he was convicted on the armed robbery charges and jailed.
He received an extra 12 months for his death threats against the then Ms Douglas and a further six months for his verbal attack on trial judge Geoff Byrne, who he called a “rat” and a “silly old dog”.
Rich is now serving a life sentence for the 2005 murder of security guard Erwin Kastenberger.
Judge Douglas yesterday said the attack on her by Rich disturbed her far less than having to preside over County Court trials involving paedophiles and incest victims.
“The hardest thing in the past ten years in particular has been the increase in child pornography cases,” she said.
“I don’t have to see the images and some judges prefer not to.
“But for me, I don’t believe I can understand the seriousness or not of the images unless I see them.
“Looking at them and watching the videos is just awful.
“It’s the look on those little children’s faces that get to you. They are often drugged, always frightened.
“That’s one part of the job I will not miss at all.”
What Judge Douglas will miss when she hangs up her robes for the last time next Friday are the child adoption cases.
Adoptions are not legal until a judge gives the final stamp of approval.
“It is such a joyful occasion,” Judge Douglas said.
“They are given a teddy bear and I have sweeties on the bar table.
“The court is often full of friends and relatives and I like to get the children up on the bench with me.
“They have my wig on their head and we have photos taken. It is fantastic and is part of the job and I will miss as it is such a happy event.
“It is obvious the children are so loved and wanted — unlike many others I have had to deal with as victims over the years.”