Carl Williams’ killer’s shock legal move

The man who killed gangland figure Carl Williams inside Barwon Prison has launched an appeal against his murder conviction.

Carl Williams’ killer, Matthew Johnson, has launched a shock appeal against his murder conviction.

Johnson, who was captured on CCTV bashing Williams to death inside Barwon Prison with the stem of an exercise bike seat, is serving a life sentence over the April, 2010, murder.

A directions hearing for the appeal will come before Victoria’s Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The Herald Sun has confirmed the appeal is in relation to Johnson’s murder conviction of Williams.

But the grounds of his appeal are unclear.

Carl Williams was killed by Matthew Johnson in 2010.

During his 2011 trial Johnson claimed he killed Williams in self defence, which was dismissed by the court.

The Supreme Court heard Johnson had become aware of Williams’ co-operation with police over gangland hits.

The Herald Sun has previously revealed Johnson had dealings with lawyer turned informer, Nicola Gobbo, known as Lawyer X, prior to killing Williams but also had dealings with another lawyer, Joseph Acquaro.

It is understood Acquaro did some legal work for Johnson before he was shot in 2016.

It is not known if Johnson’s appeal has been included in the Lawyer X stream, which includes Tony Mokbel and other notorious figures.

Other jailed drug lords, such as Pasquale Barbaro, Frank Madafferi and Saverio Zirilli, have launched appeals in relation to the activities of both Gobbo and Acquaro.

Victoria Police assessed Acquaro in 2008 and 2014 in relation to his suitability on becoming a registered informer.

Matthew Johnson is serving a life sentence for the murder of Williams.

Acquaro has been referred to as Lawyer A and in 2014 was allocated a police handler.

During his first contacts with police in 2008, Acquaro was given a “human source’’ number RFA06/08.

Later, in 2014, after falling out with jailed mobster Francesco Madafferi and subsequently his brother, Tony, Acquaro had contact with police.

During this informer assessment phase he was given a human source number F710FDB.

Victoria Police has stated Acquaro remained in the assessment phase and did not proceed to formal registration.

Victoria Police say Acquaro was never “formally approved’’ or registered as a “human source’’ because he was considered to be unreliable and prone to leaking to the press.

But the Supreme Court ruled Acquaro did give information to police which made him an informer regardless of whether he was officially registered or not.