Carl Williams’ stepdaughter sues state over his brutal prison death

The stepdaughter of slain gangland boss Carl Williamshas launched legal action against the state government, alleging it failed to protect the crime kingpin after he became a police informant.

The stepdaughter of slain gangland boss Carl Williams has launched legal action against the state government, alleging it failed to protect him after he became a police informant.

Williams, 39, was bludgeoned to death with part of an exercise bike by fellow inmate Matthew Johnson in a high security unit of Barwon Prison in 2010 while he was serving multiple life sentences for murder.

A Supreme Court judge later found Johnson killed his cellmate because he knew the underworld figure was providing information to police about the 2004 murders of police informer Terence Hodson and his wife Christine.

Williams’ stepdaughter, Breanane Stephens, 30, is now suing the Victorian government alleging Corrections Victoria knew Johnson “harboured a special hatred” towards informants and had a reputation for violence but approved his request to be transferred to Williams’ unit.

In documents filed to the Supreme Court, Ms Stephens alleges Johnson was a member of the Prisoners of War gang which despised inmates who co-operated with police.

Carl Williams' daughter Dhakota (right), and stepdaughter Breanane, arrive at the funeral of Carl's father George in 2016.

Carl Williams was bludgeoned to death in 2010. Picture: Julian Smith

He also had a “correctional history of 76 separate incidents including multiple assaults on prisoners and prison staff” and a police informant and had previously bashed another Barwon prisoner with the same implement used on Williams, documents allege.

Email exchanges between Penny Armytage, the then Secretary to Department of Justice, and Rod Wise, the then Acting Commissioner of Corrections Victoria, showed they held concerns about Johnson’s transfer request.

“There is little doubt that Johnson is capable of causing Williams harm if he were to find out the nature of Williams’ co-operation with police,” Mr Wise wrote to Ms Armytage in January 2009.

Mr Wise stated Johnson could attack Williams for “financial incentives, an opportunity to enhance his reputation at the Prison and the fact of any further sentence following a charge running concurrently”.

Despite the concerns, Mr Wise and Ms Armytage supported Johnson’s transfer on the condition his placement with Williams was carefully monitored.

Matthew Charles Johnson stands behind Carl Williams before the fatal attack.

A scathing Victorian Ombudsman report which named the pair later found senior prison administrators failed to recognise numerous warnings that Williams’ life was in danger and disregarded the threat posed by Johnson.

In March 2009 — two months after the transfer — Corrections Victoria allegedly received an information report from a prison officer stating “everyone knows that (Williams) is co-operating with Victoria Police in exchange for a reduction in his sentence and other benefits”.

“These views … may be a cause for concern to the safety of prisoner Williams and may be the cause of some sort of attempt to harm prisoner Williams or those around him,” the report allegedly stated.

In March 2010, Johnson allegedly downloaded an electronic version of Williams’ witness statement for a committal hearing for Paul Dale and Rodney Collins — the latter also held at Barwon — who were charged with murdering Terence and Christine Hodson.

Carl Williams’ gold coffin at his funeral in 2010. Picture: Julian Smith

Prison officials were also allegedly aware of threats made against Williams in phone conversations and written correspondence between Johnson and another inmate Thomas Ivanovic.

In her claim, Ms Stephens alleges Corrections Victoria was negligent and failed to conduct a risk assessment of Johnson or “take reasonable steps for the safe custody and welfare” of her stepfather.

Prison staff also allegedly failed to monitor Williams at all times with CCTV after Johnson’s transfer or to prevent Johnson from obtaining a copy of Williams’ witness statement.

On April 19, 2010, Johnson killed Williams by striking him several times in the back of the head with a metal bar removed from the seat of an exercise bike.

Matthew Charles Johnson arrives at the Victorian Supreme Court for sentencing.

It took officers half an hour to realise Williams had been attacked.

The incident was captured on CCTV but it took guards half an hour to realise Williams had been attacked.

Johnson pleaded not guilty to murder, claiming self-defence, but he was convicted and sentenced to life behind bars.

Charges against Dale and Collins were dropped after Williams’ death.

Williams’ daughter Dhakota received a secret six figure payout over her father’s death, but wife Roberta, and grandfather, George, withdrew their claims.

A spokesperson from the Department of Justice and Community Safety said the circumstances into Williams’ death had been “thoroughly investigated by a range of independent and review bodies, including the Ombudsman and the Office of Correctional Services Review”.

“The recommendations from these reviews were implemented,” the department stated.

“As this matter is currently before the court, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

Arnold Thomas & Becker lawyer Kristen Wright, who is representing Ms Stephens, said she alleged Corrections Victoria had failed to “ensure the proper management, security, and good order of the prison”.

“As a result of these failures our client has experienced the loss of her stepfather and has consequently suffered injury in the form of psychiatric and psychological injury, loss and damage,” she said.