HOMICIDE –The Violaters – 1965
This is episode 21 of the top-notch Australian Police series, HOMICIDE. This series ran 510 episodes between 1964 and 1977. It follows the Homicide squad of the Melbourne Police Force.
Three young thugs, Mal Carmont, Bruce Thompson and Gary Wastell are out on an all-night drinking binge. They climb in their car and go looking for a bit of female company. They see a local girl they know walking down a deserted street. The swine speed up and pull the girl, Lynette Curran, into the car.
The three drive the struggling girl out to an outlying area full of brush and trees. There, they viciously beat the girl. They then all take turns raping the girl. Afterwards they dump her at the bottom of a ravine, toss out her clothes etc, then drive off.
Miss Curran manages to gather herself together and stagger out of the bush to a main road. A passing motorist, Frank Taylor, gives her a ride to her home. Several days later, Taylor pays a visit to family friend, Homicide Detective, Lex Mitchell. He tells Mitchell about the girl and was wondering how she was. Mitchell checks the files and there is no report of an attack on a young woman.
The Police decided to have a look into the matter but really cannot do much unless the girl steps up. The battered and bruised Miss Curran has told no one but her father about the attack and rapes. She is afraid of what people might think if they heard about the rape.
Miss Curran is so frightened of going out that she refuses to see the young man, Roger Diss, whom she has been dating. The father, Ben Gabriel, is all for calling in the Police. He also tells his daughter he would like to kill the guilty trio.
Several more days go by and one of the three is found hanging in a shed. The Police are summoned and the Detectives soon rule it a homicide. Carmont and Wastell are given a good dose of third degree about a possible reason for the murder. No joy there as both swear the dead man did not have an enemy in the world.
Miss Curran, reads about the murder in the paper and wonders if maybe her father is seeking vengeance for her. Another few days pass and Wastell is likewise found strung up with a hangman's noose.
Carmont beats the feet to the Police Station and comes clean with the Detectives about the attack on Curran. He leaves his bit in the rape out, and blames the two dead men. Carmont figures the killer is Curran's father, Gabriel.
The Detectives set up a sting operation by having Detectives, Lex Mitchell and Terry McDermott take up residence at Carmont's flat. They sit through the night waiting for Gabriel to show. Early in the morning someone does break in. But, it is not, Gabriel, it is Curran's boyfriend, Roger Diss. He has even brought another bit of rope with a hangman's knot in it. Diss is grabbed up and charged with the two murders.
At the trial, Miss Curran does take the stand and accuse Carmont of taking part in the rapes and beating. Carmont is sent up for a long spell on the Queen's dime. Diss, admits to killing the two men and gets life. It seems that he had been in the pub and had heard the three bragging about doing Miss Curran. He then decided to get even.
This is pretty intense episode depicting a very nasty crime. You would not have seen this on American television of the time. The use of black and white photography gives the series a very gritty look.
This is episode 21 of the top-notch Australian Police series, HOMICIDE. This series ran 510 episodes between 1964 and 1977. It follows the Homicide squad of the Melbourne Police Force.
Three young thugs, Mal Carmont, Bruce Thompson and Gary Wastell are out on an all-night drinking binge. They climb in their car and go looking for a bit of female company. They see a local girl they know walking down a deserted street. The swine speed up and pull the girl, Lynette Curran, into the car.
The three drive the struggling girl out to an outlying area full of brush and trees. There, they viciously beat the girl. They then all take turns raping the girl. Afterwards they dump her at the bottom of a ravine, toss out her clothes etc, then drive off.
Miss Curran manages to gather herself together and stagger out of the bush to a main road. A passing motorist, Frank Taylor, gives her a ride to her home. Several days later, Taylor pays a visit to family friend, Homicide Detective, Lex Mitchell. He tells Mitchell about the girl and was wondering how she was. Mitchell checks the files and there is no report of an attack on a young woman.
The Police decided to have a look into the matter but really cannot do much unless the girl steps up. The battered and bruised Miss Curran has told no one but her father about the attack and rapes. She is afraid of what people might think if they heard about the rape.
Miss Curran is so frightened of going out that she refuses to see the young man, Roger Diss, whom she has been dating. The father, Ben Gabriel, is all for calling in the Police. He also tells his daughter he would like to kill the guilty trio.
Several more days go by and one of the three is found hanging in a shed. The Police are summoned and the Detectives soon rule it a homicide. Carmont and Wastell are given a good dose of third degree about a possible reason for the murder. No joy there as both swear the dead man did not have an enemy in the world.
Miss Curran, reads about the murder in the paper and wonders if maybe her father is seeking vengeance for her. Another few days pass and Wastell is likewise found strung up with a hangman's noose.
Carmont beats the feet to the Police Station and comes clean with the Detectives about the attack on Curran. He leaves his bit in the rape out, and blames the two dead men. Carmont figures the killer is Curran's father, Gabriel.
The Detectives set up a sting operation by having Detectives, Lex Mitchell and Terry McDermott take up residence at Carmont's flat. They sit through the night waiting for Gabriel to show. Early in the morning someone does break in. But, it is not, Gabriel, it is Curran's boyfriend, Roger Diss. He has even brought another bit of rope with a hangman's knot in it. Diss is grabbed up and charged with the two murders.
At the trial, Miss Curran does take the stand and accuse Carmont of taking part in the rapes and beating. Carmont is sent up for a long spell on the Queen's dime. Diss, admits to killing the two men and gets life. It seems that he had been in the pub and had heard the three bragging about doing Miss Curran. He then decided to get even.
This is pretty intense episode depicting a very nasty crime. You would not have seen this on American television of the time. The use of black and white photography gives the series a very gritty look.