Judy Moran
Encyclopedia
Judy Moran is the matriarch of the infamous Moran criminal family
of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
.
Judy Moran was first married to Leslie John "Johnny" Cole, who was shot dead in Sydney drug-related gangland conflict in 1982. Cole was the father of her son Mark Moran
(born Mark Cole), who was murdered in 2000.
Moran was divorced from Cole at the time of his death and had begun a relationship with Lewis Moran
. Their son Jason Moran
was murdered in 2003. Lewis Moran was shot dead in the Brunswick Club in Melbourne in March 2004, at which time Judy and he were estranged.
In June 2009 Des Moran, Lewis's brother, was murdered. Judy Moran was arrested, charged and subsequently convicted of his murder.
and announced that she was planning to write a book of her experiences, intending to "clear her estranged partner's name." The announcement immediately brought criticism: both police and the leader of the Victorian Opposition, Robert Doyle
, were reported to be "outraged" at the news, and a victims of crimes group called for new legislation
to prevent the book from being published. However, while Victorian law prohibits people convicted of a crime from writing or selling stories about those actions, Judy Moran had never been convicted or charged in relation to her family's activities.
Although the book was delayed in October 2004, it was released in February 2005 as My Story through Random House
, and covered her upbringing in Carlton
, the murders of her husbands and two sons, and her relationship with other underworld figures. Less than a week later, Random House recalled the book from sale and pulped 20,000 copies after it was revealed that the book contained false allegations in regard to a deceased Victorian detective, Fred Silvester. At the time Random House stated that the book would be reprinted without the false allegations, and the book was reprinted and returned to book stores in May of that year. As of August 2005 over 4500 copies of the book had been sold.
In 2007, Moran revealed that she was in the process of writing a second book.
. On 16 June, Judy Moran and three others were arrested in connection with his murder. Those arrested include 45-year-old Suzanne Kane, sister-in-law of Moran's deceased son Jason Moran and daughter of Painter and Docker
Les Kane, an associate of Lewis Moran who was murdered in his family home on 19 October 1978. Moran and Kane were subsequently charged with being an accessory after the fact and Kane's partner, 43-year-old Geoffrey Amour, was arrested in Portland
and charged with murder. The fourth person arrested was later released without charge.
At an out-of-sessions bail hearing in the evening of 16 June, police alleged Moran concealed the getaway car in her garage and later disposed of it in Mincha Street, Brunswick. Police had her under surveillance and she was arrested as she walked back to her home. Police discovered a rifle in the abandoned car and white gloves Moran was allegedly seen wearing while driving the car were found discarded in bushes nearby. On executing a warrant on Moran's home, police allegedly discovered a hidden safe containing three hand guns, two stolen Victorian licence plates, a wig and clothing which police claim matches witness descriptions of clothing worn by the gunmen. Moran was remanded into custody on 16 June and later that night her home in Ascot Vale was set on fire in an apparent arson
attack.
On 17 June, Moran and Kane appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court before Chief Magistrate Jelena Popovic who denied bail on grounds that their access to weapons represented a danger to the community and remanded them into custody to reappear on 9 September. On 18 September, Kane's partner, Geoffrey Amour, faced Melbourne Magistrate's Court charged with murder. He was also remanded to reappear on 9 September and magistrate Dan Muling granted his lawyer's application for an order suppressing publication of Amour's image.
On 9 March 2011, a jury found Moran guilty of murdering Des Moran.
On 10 August 2011 Judy Moran was sentenced to 26 years jail, of which she will serve a minimum of 21.
in the 2008 TV series Underbelly
.
Moran family
The Moran family is an infamous Melbourne-based criminal family, notable for their involvement in the Melbourne gangland killings. Family matriarch Judy Moran lost two sons, Jason and Mark, estranged husband Lewis, and brother-in-law Des to an underworld feud that resulted in the deaths of over 30...
of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Judy Moran was first married to Leslie John "Johnny" Cole, who was shot dead in Sydney drug-related gangland conflict in 1982. Cole was the father of her son Mark Moran
Mark Moran (criminal)
Mark Anthony Moran was a criminal of the infamous Moran family from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, notable for its involvement in the illegal drug trade and the Melbourne gangland killings...
(born Mark Cole), who was murdered in 2000.
Moran was divorced from Cole at the time of his death and had begun a relationship with Lewis Moran
Lewis Moran
Lewis Moran was an Australian organized crime figure and patriarch of the infamous Moran family of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Notable for his involvement in the Melbourne gangland killings, Moran was shot dead in a Melbourne hotel The Brunswick Club in 2004...
. Their son Jason Moran
Jason Moran
Jason Matthew Patrick Moran was an Australian criminal from Melbourne, Victoria, and one of the leaders of the Moran crime family, notable for its involvement in the Melbourne gangland killings. He sported a 12 cm scar on the side of his face.-Early life:Moran was the son of Lewis Moran and...
was murdered in 2003. Lewis Moran was shot dead in the Brunswick Club in Melbourne in March 2004, at which time Judy and he were estranged.
In June 2009 Des Moran, Lewis's brother, was murdered. Judy Moran was arrested, charged and subsequently convicted of his murder.
Autobiography
Just under two weeks after the death of her second husband, Lewis Moran, Judy Moran signed with celebrity agent Harry M. MillerHarry M. Miller
-Early career:Born in New Zealand, Miller grew up in Grey Lynn, Auckland, and moved to Australia in 1963, where he established a company called Pan Pacific Productions with Keith and Dennis Wong, owners of the noted Sydney nightclub "Chequers"...
and announced that she was planning to write a book of her experiences, intending to "clear her estranged partner's name." The announcement immediately brought criticism: both police and the leader of the Victorian Opposition, Robert Doyle
Robert Doyle
Robert Keith Bennett Doyle is an Australian politician and the 103rd Lord Mayor of Melbourne, elected on 30 November 2008...
, were reported to be "outraged" at the news, and a victims of crimes group called for new legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
to prevent the book from being published. However, while Victorian law prohibits people convicted of a crime from writing or selling stories about those actions, Judy Moran had never been convicted or charged in relation to her family's activities.
Although the book was delayed in October 2004, it was released in February 2005 as My Story through Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
, and covered her upbringing in Carlton
Carlton, Victoria
Carlton is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
, the murders of her husbands and two sons, and her relationship with other underworld figures. Less than a week later, Random House recalled the book from sale and pulped 20,000 copies after it was revealed that the book contained false allegations in regard to a deceased Victorian detective, Fred Silvester. At the time Random House stated that the book would be reprinted without the false allegations, and the book was reprinted and returned to book stores in May of that year. As of August 2005 over 4500 copies of the book had been sold.
In 2007, Moran revealed that she was in the process of writing a second book.
Murder of Des Moran
On 15 June 2009 Moran's brother-in-law Des Moran (commonly known as "Tuppence") and brother of Lewis, was shot dead in Ascot ValeAscot Vale, Victoria
Ascot Vale is a suburb 7 km north-west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moonee Valley. At the 2006 Census, Ascot Vale had a population of 12,398....
. On 16 June, Judy Moran and three others were arrested in connection with his murder. Those arrested include 45-year-old Suzanne Kane, sister-in-law of Moran's deceased son Jason Moran and daughter of Painter and Docker
Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union
The Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union was an Australian trade union that covered "mostly work associated with chipping, painting, scrubbing, cleaning, working in every size of tanks, cleaning boilers, docking and undocking vessels, and rigging work"...
Les Kane, an associate of Lewis Moran who was murdered in his family home on 19 October 1978. Moran and Kane were subsequently charged with being an accessory after the fact and Kane's partner, 43-year-old Geoffrey Amour, was arrested in Portland
Portland, Victoria
The city of Portland is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the main urban centre of the Shire of Glenelg. It is located on Portland Bay.-History:...
and charged with murder. The fourth person arrested was later released without charge.
At an out-of-sessions bail hearing in the evening of 16 June, police alleged Moran concealed the getaway car in her garage and later disposed of it in Mincha Street, Brunswick. Police had her under surveillance and she was arrested as she walked back to her home. Police discovered a rifle in the abandoned car and white gloves Moran was allegedly seen wearing while driving the car were found discarded in bushes nearby. On executing a warrant on Moran's home, police allegedly discovered a hidden safe containing three hand guns, two stolen Victorian licence plates, a wig and clothing which police claim matches witness descriptions of clothing worn by the gunmen. Moran was remanded into custody on 16 June and later that night her home in Ascot Vale was set on fire in an apparent arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
attack.
On 17 June, Moran and Kane appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court before Chief Magistrate Jelena Popovic who denied bail on grounds that their access to weapons represented a danger to the community and remanded them into custody to reappear on 9 September. On 18 September, Kane's partner, Geoffrey Amour, faced Melbourne Magistrate's Court charged with murder. He was also remanded to reappear on 9 September and magistrate Dan Muling granted his lawyer's application for an order suppressing publication of Amour's image.
On 9 March 2011, a jury found Moran guilty of murdering Des Moran.
On 10 August 2011 Judy Moran was sentenced to 26 years jail, of which she will serve a minimum of 21.
In popular culture
Moran was portrayed by Caroline GillmerCaroline Gillmer
Caroline Gillmer is an Australian actress, best known for her roles in various television series, such as Prisoner as Helen Smart and Neighbours as Cheryl Stark....
in the 2008 TV series Underbelly
Underbelly (TV series)
Underbelly is a 13-part Australian television mini-series that retells the real events of the 1995–2004 gangland war in Melbourne, and is the first series in the larger Underbelly Franchise. It depicts the key players in Melbourne's criminal underworld, including the Carlton Crew and their rival,...
.
External links
- Melbourne Crime
- My Story memoir
- Mama Crass from The Bulletin