Australian Families of Crime

One-eyed crime matriarch Kath Pettingill mothered a brood of 10 who variously went to early graves, prison or witness protection. She has a string of convictions and wrote an autobiography titled "The Matriarch".

Abe Saffron ruled his family with an iron fist. He was involved in a wide range of criminal activities, including illegal alcohol sales, dealing in stolen goods, illegal gambling, prostitution, drug dealing, bribery, and extortion.

Kane was described by his widow, Judi, as the most violent man in Australia. Les came to prominence when he declared war on the armed robber Ray Chuck, the mastermind of what is known as the Great Bookie Robbery in 1976. But Chuck struck first.

Carl William is the notorious "baby-faced" underworld figure who police believe killed 10 people and was jailed for 35 years after pleading guilty to the murders of Mark Mallia (August 2003), Jason Moran (June 2003) and Lewis Moran (March 2004).

David John Birnie and Catherine Margaret Birnie were an Australian husband and wife pair of serial killers from Perth, Australia. They murdered four women ranging in age from 15 to 31 in their home in the 1980s and attempted to murder a fifth.

George David Freeman was a Sydney organised crime figure and illegal casino operator. He was linked to the Sydney drug trade during the 1970s and '80s, was named in several Royal Commissions into organised crime and had links with American crime figures.

Les, Michael and Gary Murphy, brothers from an Irish family of nine children, were among those convicted of the savage rape and murder of Sydney nurse and beauty queen, Anita Cobby, which sparked calls for the reintroduction of the death penalty.