Kevin Crump
Encyclopedia
Allan Baker and Kevin Crump are notorious Australian rapists and murderers who are currently serving life sentences
in jail.
rifle to murder Ian James Lamb, 43, who was sleeping in his car next to the road to save accommodation costs while he was in the area to look for seasonal work. The murder appeared to be a thrill killing
as the pair did not know Lamb.
Three days later they camped near the home of Brian and Virginia Morse in Collarenebri, where one of them had previously worked for as a migrant farm labourer. After watching the house for two days, they abducted 35 year old Virginia Morse when her husband and their three children left the property. The men drove via back roads towards Queensland
, stopping at hotels and garages along the way, and buying beer and petrol with the $30 they had stolen from the Morse homestead. They drove mainly at night to avoid detection. During the journey, Morse sobbed and pleaded for her life. The men stopped south of the Queensland border, tied Virginia Morse to a tree and took turns raping her repeatedly. They then threw her back in the car and continued on their journey.
When they stopped by the Weir River near Moonie
they again tied Virginia Morse to a tree. They raped and tortured her repeatedly before one of the men shot her between the eyes in an execution style killing. They rolled her body into the river, burnt her clothes then drove back to their campsite.
, intending to commit a robbery. However after their stolen vehicle was spotted near Maitland
, the pair took flight from the scene. A police vehicle responding to the attempted burglary intercepted their vehicle en route and a high speed chase ensued. The police car was rammed off the road, and the chase taken up by a second police unit. A police officer in this vehicle was seriously injured when the fugitives shot him in the face. The car chase culminated at a police roadblock at Woodville
, where the pair took to foot, shooting at police as they fled into the bush. An intensive ground and air search of the area followed, and the two men were eventually arrested in a nearby river three hours later.
After their capture, Crump tried to evade responsibility for Morse's murder in his police statement. "I was forced to kill Mrs. Morse by Baker, because he wanted me to be in as deep as him. He said he was going to kill me if I didn't. I admit that I was prepared to kidnap Mrs. Morse and even to sleep with her, but once again, as with Mr. Lamb, I did not want to be a part of her death...It was a choice of either me or Mrs. Morse."
Even though there was compelling evidence that Crump had murdered Virginia Morse, he was not charged with this crime, as she had been murdered in Queensland, outside the jurisdiction of the Government of New South Wales
. However he was charged with the murder of Ian James Lamb and with rape and conspiracy to murder Virginia Morse.
At their trial, Crump and Baker pleaded not guilty to the four charges of murdering Ian James Lamb, conspiracy to murder Virginia Morse, maliciously wounding a police officer with intent to prevent lawful apprehension and shooting at police with intent to prevent lawful apprehension. It took the jury one hour and forty-five minutes to convict Baker and Crump on all charges. Baker showed no emotion at the verdict, while Crump appeared to stare at the floor and shudder.
Mr. Justice Taylor then sentenced both men to life imprisonment plus 55 years. The judge said: "You have outraged all accepted standards of the behavior of men. The description of 'men' ill becomes you. You would be more aptly described as animals, and obscene animals at that. I believe that you should spend the rest of your lives in jail and there you should die. If ever there was a case where life imprisonment should mean what it says— imprisonment for the whole of your lives— this is it." Details of the torture Virginia Morse endured at the hands of Baker and Crump was suppressed during the trial as the information was deemed too graphic and disturbing for the public.
In the early years of their incarceration, Crump and Baker lived quite happily as man and wife at Long Bay Jail's
notorious Katingal section. After a public outcry following exposure by the media Crump and Baker were separated.
In 1997 the NSW government passed legislation that was set to ensure that both Baker and Crump would remain incarcerated for the rest of their lives. Allan Baker challenged this legislation in the High Court of Australia. In Oct 2004, Baker lost his challenge, the high court ruling the legitimacy of the NSW Parliament's sentencing laws with respect to life imprisonment. Kevin Crump had his sentence set at a minimum of 30 years back in 1997 but has had three parole applications rejected.
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
in jail.
Crimes
On 3 November 1973, Kevin Crump and Allan Baker used a .308.308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester is a rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge upon which the military 7.62x51mm NATO centerfire cartridge is based. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm NATO T65...
rifle to murder Ian James Lamb, 43, who was sleeping in his car next to the road to save accommodation costs while he was in the area to look for seasonal work. The murder appeared to be a thrill killing
Thrill killing
A thrill killing is a term used to describe a premeditated murder committed by a person who is not necessarily suffering from mental instability, and does not derive sexual satisfaction from killing victims, or have anything against them, and sometimes do not know them, but is instead motivated by...
as the pair did not know Lamb.
Three days later they camped near the home of Brian and Virginia Morse in Collarenebri, where one of them had previously worked for as a migrant farm labourer. After watching the house for two days, they abducted 35 year old Virginia Morse when her husband and their three children left the property. The men drove via back roads towards Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, stopping at hotels and garages along the way, and buying beer and petrol with the $30 they had stolen from the Morse homestead. They drove mainly at night to avoid detection. During the journey, Morse sobbed and pleaded for her life. The men stopped south of the Queensland border, tied Virginia Morse to a tree and took turns raping her repeatedly. They then threw her back in the car and continued on their journey.
When they stopped by the Weir River near Moonie
Moonie, Queensland
Moonie is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. The town is located in the Western Downs Region Local Government Area at the intersection of the Leichhardt and Moonie Highways, west of the state capital, Brisbane, and is the Official Oil Capital of Australia.The town's name...
they again tied Virginia Morse to a tree. They raped and tortured her repeatedly before one of the men shot her between the eyes in an execution style killing. They rolled her body into the river, burnt her clothes then drove back to their campsite.
Arrest and trial
On November 13, ten days after Lamb's murder, the pair headed towards the Hunter ValleyHunter Valley
The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney with an approximate population of 645,395 people. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within of the coast, with 55% of the entire...
, intending to commit a robbery. However after their stolen vehicle was spotted near Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
, the pair took flight from the scene. A police vehicle responding to the attempted burglary intercepted their vehicle en route and a high speed chase ensued. The police car was rammed off the road, and the chase taken up by a second police unit. A police officer in this vehicle was seriously injured when the fugitives shot him in the face. The car chase culminated at a police roadblock at Woodville
Woodville, New South Wales
Woodville is a very small township in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia that is shared between the Port Stephens and Maitland Local Government Areas...
, where the pair took to foot, shooting at police as they fled into the bush. An intensive ground and air search of the area followed, and the two men were eventually arrested in a nearby river three hours later.
After their capture, Crump tried to evade responsibility for Morse's murder in his police statement. "I was forced to kill Mrs. Morse by Baker, because he wanted me to be in as deep as him. He said he was going to kill me if I didn't. I admit that I was prepared to kidnap Mrs. Morse and even to sleep with her, but once again, as with Mr. Lamb, I did not want to be a part of her death...It was a choice of either me or Mrs. Morse."
Even though there was compelling evidence that Crump had murdered Virginia Morse, he was not charged with this crime, as she had been murdered in Queensland, outside the jurisdiction of the Government of New South Wales
Government of New South Wales
The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
. However he was charged with the murder of Ian James Lamb and with rape and conspiracy to murder Virginia Morse.
At their trial, Crump and Baker pleaded not guilty to the four charges of murdering Ian James Lamb, conspiracy to murder Virginia Morse, maliciously wounding a police officer with intent to prevent lawful apprehension and shooting at police with intent to prevent lawful apprehension. It took the jury one hour and forty-five minutes to convict Baker and Crump on all charges. Baker showed no emotion at the verdict, while Crump appeared to stare at the floor and shudder.
Mr. Justice Taylor then sentenced both men to life imprisonment plus 55 years. The judge said: "You have outraged all accepted standards of the behavior of men. The description of 'men' ill becomes you. You would be more aptly described as animals, and obscene animals at that. I believe that you should spend the rest of your lives in jail and there you should die. If ever there was a case where life imprisonment should mean what it says— imprisonment for the whole of your lives— this is it." Details of the torture Virginia Morse endured at the hands of Baker and Crump was suppressed during the trial as the information was deemed too graphic and disturbing for the public.
In the early years of their incarceration, Crump and Baker lived quite happily as man and wife at Long Bay Jail's
Long Bay Correctional Centre
Long Bay Correctional Complex is located in the suburb of Malabar in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Long Bay comprises six institutions, four maximum security and two minimum security.-History:...
notorious Katingal section. After a public outcry following exposure by the media Crump and Baker were separated.
In 1997 the NSW government passed legislation that was set to ensure that both Baker and Crump would remain incarcerated for the rest of their lives. Allan Baker challenged this legislation in the High Court of Australia. In Oct 2004, Baker lost his challenge, the high court ruling the legitimacy of the NSW Parliament's sentencing laws with respect to life imprisonment. Kevin Crump had his sentence set at a minimum of 30 years back in 1997 but has had three parole applications rejected.