Christopher “Badness” Binse foils alleged ­Barwon Prison terror plan

EXCLUSIVE: NOTORIOUS criminal Christopher “Badness” Binse thwarted an alleged terror plan hatched inside the state’s most secure prison.

• Prison guards on alert over terror

NOTORIOUS criminal Christopher “Badness” Binse thwarted an alleged terror plan hatched inside the state’s most secure prison.

The Herald Sun can reveal Binse, who now goes by the surname ­Pecotic, received two notes in early 2015 from a fellow inmate at ­Barwon jail who was allegedly planning to take a hostage and potentially kill a prison officer.

It is believed the inmate was a follower of convicted terror plotter Abdul Nacer Benbrika.

The plot allegedly involved stabbing a warden and taking a prison boss hostage. It is believed the inmate was prepared to be a martyr.

Binse, who has been in isolated confinement since his arrest in 2012 after a 44-hour siege in Keilor East, is understood to have gone along with the plan in order to elicit information before warning authorities.

In a statement, Binse has detailed receiving the notes from the prisoner and passing them on to authorities, who moved the inmate from the high-security Melaleuca Unit. Corrections Victoria reported the incident to Victoria Police, which conducted an investigation.

No charges have been laid.

“Any matters of safety and security in the Victorian prison system are taken very seriously,’’ a spokesman said.

“All criminal matters are referred to Victoria Police.’’

The force would not comment on the case or whether it had investigated a terror plot within Victoria’s highest-security prison.

“Victoria Police never comments on intelligence it may have or hasn’t received.”

Binse has since received threats from other prisoners.

“He’s done this and saved lives and a major embarrassment and they still keep him in solitary confinement,’’ his mum, Annette Binse, said. “There has been no reward.’’

The 47-year-old is in the process of appealing the severity of his 18-year jail sentence, most of which he has been told he will spend in isolation.

Binse, who has spent most of his adult life in jail, is among the highest-profile prisoners in Australia, known as a violent armed robber and escapee.

Investigators who have dealt with Binse accept his conversion to Islam has been integral to him confessing to seven armed robberies between 1988 and 1991, some of which were not on police records.

In a letter obtained by the Herald Sun, Binse stated police had “no evidence on me at all, I had contacted the police, identifying the crimes, to illustrate that I was bad, that it was wrong to do and act as I did ...’’

Binse writes he wanted to recognise his victims “providing them closure and relief’’.

“This act will generate me in the order between some 10-15 years extra jail time.

“So to say I don’t wear my heart on my sleeve would be so offensive. My mother will be dead ... my daughter will be an adult and my dog will also be dead by the time I am due for release from custody.’’

Binse was also quizzed about information he held regarding the murder of associate Adam Khoury. Binse was not a suspect in the killing, was a friend of Khoury’s.

He is also lobbying from prison to have a series of children’s books he has written to be distributed to schools.

BADNESS SWAPS GUNS FOR BOOKS

UNDERWORLD figure Christopher Binse believes he will die in jail after confessing to a series of crimes, including some police admit were not even on record.

Binse, who now goes by the surname Pecotic, also wants to shed his self-declared nickname, ‘Badness’’.

Confessing to seven historic robberies, thefts and gun crimes dating from 1988 to 1991, the infamous career criminal is set to have his 18-year maximum jail term extended for his crimes.

In a statement seen by the Herald Sun, police admit they had to research newspaper clippings to find record of crimes to which Binse made admissions.

Christopher Binse "Badness".

Binse, who has spent 28 of the past 33 years behind bars, was jailed in 2012 over a crime spree including an armed robbery and a 44-hour suburban siege.

But he has made the fresh admissions despite continuing an appeal against the severity of his sentence for his later crimes. He is also suing the state of Victoria over jailhouse stabbing incidents in which he was a victim in 2006 and 2007.

His mother, Annette Binse, said it came as a shock to her that her son would confess to the historic robberies, which netted him more than $390,000.

“Personally, I would not have done it, especially with the appeal going,’’ she said.

“Police said they didn’t even have some of the crimes on their books.

“They were stunned, as we are.’’

But Ms Binse, who has campaigned on behalf of prisoners over conditions, said her son only confessed to his crimes. “It was his confession, not that he was dobbing on criminals,” she said.

Ms Binse said her son’s mea culpa was evidence of a “changed man’’.

“He is far from the Christopher he used to be,’’ she said.

“His escape attempts were 30 years ago. But they keep using this to keep him in isolation.

“He has done his time after those escapes. They keep punishing him for it.’’

Binse, who rings his mother every day, is writing children’s books that illustrate the perils of going to the dark side. The 47-year-old has also told of how he has wasted his life and wants a new start.

“Who would have believed Chris would have confessed,’’ Ms Binse said.

“Most would not think of that. But he did. He rang them (police). He said, ‘I had to do what I had to do’.’’

Ms Binse said her son had not implicated others.

“Not one criminal has gone to jail because of him,’’ she said. “He is not talking about criminals and all their secrets.

“But he does want people to know he is a changed man.

“He wants to get away from this bad image.’’

Christopher ‘Badness’ Binse. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Binse has been lobbying the state government’s education department in an attempt to get his children’s books published and put into schools.

“Chris is looking to the future and wants the children’s books released,’’ Ms Binse said.

That is unlikely.

His rap sheet extends back to his teens. By 17 he was in Pentridge Prison.

The volatile inmate has since been involved in feuds with gunman Gavin Preston, both inside and outside jail.

When released from prison in September 2011, Binse became paranoid that Preston would kill him and his family.

After the shooting of his close associate, ex-bikie Toby Mitchell, Binse stalked Preston, attaching a tracker to his car and following him to his home in Skye in Melbourne’s southeast.

Only a well-timed raid by the police special operations group on Preston, as Binse slumped in his car, saved Preston from a bullet or bomb in 2012. He even had Preston’s girlfriend’s picture in his phone.

Binse mouthed, “I’m coming for you Gav’’, following his ice-fuelled siege arrest.

Binse has been one of Australia’s most slippery jailbirds, escaping prisons on eight occasions in Victoria and New South Wales.

His escape record is among the reasons why he is unable to be moved from solitary confinement.

His mother said the confessions were part of his absolution.

In essence, the “Badness” has turned to “Goodness”, it has been said. Others have quipped he is now “Sadness”.

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