Carl Williams’ letters from prison reveal new insight in Melbourne’s gangland war

FOR the first time Carl Williams’ views of high-profile incidents in Melbourne’s gangland war have been revealed in a series of letters he wrote from prison.

Carl Williams wrote regular letters to his family detailing his time in prison.

CARL Williams was no fan of Mick Gatto.

Despite claiming not to know him, Williams referred to Mr Gatto as “The Don” and said he had “never been my cup of tea”.

But in 2003, at the height of the gangland war, it was time for the pair to play nice.

Graham “The Munster’’ Kinniburgh had just been murdered. Shot dead outside his Kew home.

The execution of the previously untouchable grandfather figure of the gangland was a line-in-the-sand moment.

CCTV footage from Crown casino captures a tension-filled meeting between Williams and Mr Gatto. An attempt at an uneasy truce.

For the first time, Williams’ views of the meeting have been revealed in a series of letters he wrote from prison.

Former champion boxer Mick Gatto arriving at the funeral service of Jason Moran in 2003. Picture Mark Smith

Graham Kinniburgh.

He claims Mr Gatto made contact with hitman Andrew “Benji’’ Veniamin “to try and play detective” and question him about The Munster’s murder.

Williams wrote: “I was still in bed when he (Benji) arrived — he said, ‘Mate did you hear what happened?’ I said, ‘Yeah’. He said, ‘The big bloke’s wild’. I said, ‘Who cares?’ ’’

Veniamin reminded Williams that Mr Gatto had asked them to keep away from his mate. A nonplussed Williams refused to see Mr Gatto in Carlton when the call came for a meeting.

“Mick thought that the casino would be a safer place to meet us than in some park in Fitzroy,” he writes.

“Before we hopped in the car, I grabbed a firearm and put it down the front of my pants — I thought I better take it just in case. We then went for a walk to discuss what we were going to tell him when/if he tried to question us.’’

The new kids on the block arrived first, had a valet park their car, and went straight to the designated bar to meet.

“We had a few drinks before he arrived, then in he waltzed in a big orange top — with a few cronies. I said, ‘There’s a few of them’.’’

“They came in and made their way over to us. With Mick was Mario Condello — Old Ron — Steve ‘The Turk’ Kaya, Faruk Orman.

“Mick gave Andrew these bulls--- kisses — I shook their hands and then we started talking.’’

Williams wasn’t going to be talked down to, telling Veniamin to give it to Mr Gatto if he was condescending.

“He used to call Andrew Tricky — meaning he was a shifty bloke. Anyway, Mick says, ‘Hello Tricky’, to Andrew.

For the first time Williams’ views of several gangland incidents have been revealed in a series of letters he wrote from prison.

“Andrew replied, ‘Buddy I’m not the tricky one, you are’.’’

The tactic had its desired effect, according to Williams. Mr Gatto looked shocked at Veniamin’s backchat.

“Mick looks at him and says, ‘You’re the one who’s hanging around with that dog Tony Mokbel’.

“Andrew said, ‘He’s no dog, but whilst we are on the subject of dogs, your mate Lewis Moran is one’.

“I jumped in and said, ‘I’ve got paperwork on him if you want to see it, to prove that he’s an informer’.”

Mr Gatto quickly changed the topic to The Munster, and to the rumours on the street.

Carl Williams became involved with a 22-year-old woman while in prison.

Roberta Williams in 2004.

WILLIAMS BARRED FROM A HAPPY ENDING

LOVESTRUCK Carl Williams became engaged to a 22-year-old woman while behind bars, but by the time of his death he only had eyes for his former wife Roberta.

The women in Williams’ life are often referred to in the letters he penned to friends, family and the ladies themselves.

By the time Williams was jailed he had split with his wife and started a brief friendship with blonde stunner, Renata Laureano.

But it was a long-running affair — sparked during a chance encounter at Crown casino with qualified hairdresser Stacey Vella — which kept him occupied after being caged for 35 years.

“I loved her with all my heart, never in my life have I loved anyone like I did her,” he writes.

In a love letter to Ms Vella, he recounts spotting her across a bar. “I guess it’s safe to say from the moment we both talked to one another we hit it off,” he writes.

“We stayed there talking for a while before we both looked into one another’s eyes and had a moment ... and I moved towards you and gave you the most passionate kiss ever.”

Williams signs off: “I love you Stacey so, so, so much — with all my heart.”

But over time, Williams’ tone becomes despondent, noting to others that she is finding it difficult dealing with his long jail term.

“She just wants me to come home with her. She’s only young and let’s face it I’ve got another 33 years. Things are starting to take their toll on her.”

Carl Williams with daughter Dhakota when she was little.

When the pair finally split, it appears to send Williams into a depression. He writes to everyone he knows for months about feeling betrayed, although he understands that a relationship with him is hopelessly impractical.

His lust for female attention was constant, bugging friends to “get girls’’ to write to him.

There was a model from Sydney and a girl from Tasmania who became pen pals, who he reminisces to about old criminal associates and bawdy nights when they were gangland kingpins.

He is flirtatious, tempting them to visit him and detailing what they could do if they could stay a night in his cell.

To friends he opens up about his break-up with Stacey, talks lots about his father, and his love for his mother and Roberta.

At one point, in 2009, somewhat fatefully, he talks about wanting to survive after he was banned from phone call privileges for a fortnight by prison officials.

“What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, and I for one am too young to die. After all, only the good die young. (But) I’m still human, despite what some people like to think of me.’’

In several letters, Williams admits: “I wasn’t the most faithful husband.”

But his feelings for his former wife remain.

“I consider myself extremely fortunate to have spent the time I did with you and to have the memories that I do and will always cherish,” he writes to her.

“I’m the first to admit that when I was outside there were times when I took you for granted, and hurt you.

“I can also assure you now that I also loved you and a lot more than you’d ever imagine to be possible.”

To his stepdaughter, Brea, he writes of a contact visit with Roberta on Valentine’s Day 2009 in which they shared a kiss and he tells her his thoughts on renewing the relationship.

“I know her (Roberta’s) heart is with me. Would you like her and I to get back together?’’ he writes.

Matthew Johnson wants to appeal his 32-year sentence for the murder of Carl Williams.

CARL’S KILLER SEEKS APPEAL

CARL Williams’ killer Matthew Johnson wants to appeal the brutal prison murder.

The Sunday Herald Sun understands Johnson wants to rely on the testimony of another person at the prison Williams was killed.

The man did not give evidence at Johnson’s trial.

But its understood Johnson now believes the man’s evidence could help prove his case that he acted in self defence.

Johnson is said to have murdered Williams because he was co-operating with police.

In a series of letters seen by the Sunday Herald Sun, Williams reveals his private thoughts on some of the underworld’s biggest names, recounts how the war that shook Melbourne began and the women in his life.

In one document he details the day Jason Moran shot him in the stomach, ultimately sparking a hatred that would see the crime family wiped out by Williams.

“I remember thinking to myself — OK boy enjoy yourself, make the most of it — because this is the biggest mistake the both of you have ever made in your lives,” Williams writes.

The letters show Williams struggled with boredom in jail and fatefully repeatedly requested he be moved into a unit with Johnson.

Roberta Williams leaves the court after a ruling on an inquest into Carl’s death. Picture: Ellen Smith

Although police are not actively investigating Williams’ murder, it remains an open file.

It comes as the Williams family has renewed a call for a coronial inquest into his death.

Ms Williams and her legal team argued unsuccessfully in February 2014 that “there has arguably never been a death more deserving of a public Coronial Inquest than the death in custody of Mr Carl Williams.’’

The family believe issues that need further investigation include:

*THE circumstances that led to the murder while under constant video monitoring by prison officers;

*WHY it took 27 minutes for prison officers to become aware of the bashing;

*PRECAUTIONS taken to protect Williams when he began co-operating with police.

*HOW a copy of a statement Williams’ gave police implicating former police officer Paul Dale in the murder of Terrence Hodson, a police informer at the time, was on his computer two days prior to Williams’ murder,

*WHETHER Johnson acted alone or at the behest of others.

*A PHONE call made from the unit by the other prisoner present in the minutes after the murder.

In an unusual alliance the renewed call for an inquest is backed by the daughter of slain gangland figures Terrence and Christine Hodson — a hit Williams helped arranged.

Nikki Komiasyk, whose father was a police informer, says she was devastated when Williams was killed.

She said any public probe into what happened to Williams could help expose the whole truth about her parents murder in May 2004.

Carl Williams getting a visit from his daughter in jail.

“I told Roberta at the inquest I was sorry for what happened to Carl. He was pivotal in mum and dad’s investigation.

“Dad wanted to come clean and Carl was doing the same thing.

“I want the truth to come out. I want someone to be found accountable for mum and dad and for Carl.

“There’s still more to it. It’s not that clean cut.’’

Ms Komiasyk and Ms Williams both want questions answered about the lack of supervision by prison guards who were absent or failed to notice the murder occurring.

Williams had allegedly implicated former detective Paul Dale, himself and hitman Rod Collins in the Hodson murders.

He claimed Dale had paid him to organise the hit on Hodson which he then contracted Collins to carry out for $150,000.

The Hodsons are suspected of being killed in their Kew home because Terrence was preparing to give evidence against allegedly corrupt police, including Paul Dale.

A coronial inquest into the Hodsons murder found there was insufficient evidence to safety conclude that Dale and Collins were responsible.

At the time of his death, Williams’ was appealing his 35 year minimum sentence for the murders of four gangland figures and a conspiracy to murder Mario Condello.

In the prison letters Williams, who refers to himself as a “busy boy” reveals the seven reasons he pleaded guilty to the murders of Jason Moran at a football ground in June 2003, Lewis Moran who was gunned down in a Brunswick pokies venue in March 2004 and Mark Mallia whose burnt remains were found in a drain in Sunshine in August 2003.

Before his plead a jury had found Williams guilty of ordering a hit on drug dealer Michael Marshall outside his South Yarra home in October 2003.

Williams wanted to walk out of prison by the time he was 61.

But other factors were also in play.

Williams claims that his father, George, and ex wife, Roberta, were set to be hit with “trumped up charges’’ based on informer statements, which would have left his daughter, Dhakota, “outside with no parents’’.

The man who called himself the “Premier’’ wanted his parents to “live their last years in peace’’ and for their assets to be left alone.