Notorious criminal Peter Walker is back in jail

HE was one of Australia’s most notorious fugitives, and now he’s back in jail after living a life free of crime for 30 years.

1966. Peter John Walker leaving the law courts. He was sentenced to 12 years for the manslaughter of Arthur Henderson. Peter Walker.

A NOTORIOUS killer is back in jail after years of living in freedom.

Crime is the one thing that Peter Walker has always known.

He started off committing petty thefts but as he grew older, his law-breaking became much more wicked.

Innocent people were terrified by his behaviour, others were killed, he was even a fugitive with one of Australia’s most feared criminals, Ronald Ryan.

Walker is now back in the slammer for a crime he committed in 2014 after being a free man for exactly three decades.

Walker was arrested at Perth airport, he was armed with $100,000 and a fake passport and was attempting to flee the country.

Peter Walker served at Melbourne’s Pentridge Prison. Source: Supplied

He was trying to escape Australia because he was the subject of a police investigation after a clandestine drug lab and guns were found in 2013 in Yaapeet.

He was jailed just days ago for seven years and two months.

He will be eligible for parole after four years and four months.

The County Court heard Walker stole the identity of a deceased neighbour.

Walker’s criminal history has been shadowed by his former inmate Ryan, the last person to be hanged at Pentridge Prison and the mastermind behind the 1965 prison break.

Walker was mainly known as Ryan’s accomplice.

Walker grew up in London, handed from foster home to foster home.

His mother gassed herself in her bed when Walker was seven and he became estranged from his father when he was just eight.

As he grew older he began stealing cars and when he reached his 20s, he committed an unsuccessful armed robbery.

For that crime in 1965, he was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Later that year was when he pulled of the daring escape with Ryan.

Ronald Ryan, who escaped jail with Peter Walker, was hanged.

Trapped by cold, stone, prison walls, Ryan and Walker plotted to flee.

On December 19, 1965 when the two scaled the walls, Walker watched Ryan shoot prison officer George Hodson dead as he grabbed Walker to stop him escaping.

Hodson was hitting Walker over the head with a piece of pipe but Walker broke free and ran for Ryan.

Ryan shot Hodson in his chest and he died.

The pair then got away from other officers chasing them after they hijacked a car.

They were on the run for 19 days, during that time they robbed an ANZ bank in Orman and stole £4500.

On Christmas Eve, an award was offered for the capture of Walker and Ryan.

The Victorian Government would give away £5000 ($10,000) for information that resulted in a capture and one prison officer wanted them both hanged when caught.

Ryan and Walker were hiding out in a safe house in Kensington before moving into a flat in Elwood, owned by Christine Aitken.

On Christmas Eve, they carelessly threw a party and Aitken’s boyfriend, Arthur Henderson, was there.

When they ran out of beer, Henderson and Walker went on a quest for grog but an hour later, Walker was alone.

He brutally shot Henderson in the head in a toilet block.

George Hodson was killed by Ronald Ryan during his escape with Peter Walker.

Arthur James Henderson was murdered. Peter John Walker was sentenced to 12 years for his manslaughter.

Fairfax Media reported Walker said he was forced to shoot Henderson because he was being attacked.

On New Year’s Eve, Walker and Ryan moved towards Sydney because Ryan wanted to meet up with a woman.

The woman’s daughter recognised Ryan from reports on the fugitives and told the police.

They were later caught.

For the murder of Henderson, Walker was found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Ryan was sentenced to death for killing the prison officer.

When Walker was released to freedom, he lived a humble life out of the spotlight, until now.

Walker is now 74, and it is likely he will end his life the way he started it.

With a thirst for crime despite him successfully turning around his life for 30 years.