Mervyn Henry Stevenson
Mervyn Henry Stevenson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 31 March 1926 |
| Died | 16 December 2001 |
| Occupation | Police officer |
| Awards | Australian Stockman's Hall of Famer |
Mervyn Henry Stevenson (1926-2001) served as a Queensland police officer from 1947 until 1982. He started as a bush cop and ended up as the superintendent in charge of the Townsville Police District, though his retirement years were tainted with the spectre of corruption.[1][2]
Renowned bushman
[edit]Described as "the last of the corned beef and damper coppers", Stevenson made a name for himself as a horseman, cattleman and bushman.[1] He gained notoriety in 1950 at the northern township of Coen for tracking down on horseback a group of 12 Aborigines wanted for questioning over the murder of an indigenous police boy.[3] In 1965 he was promoted to detective sergeant and named officer-in-charge of the CIB stock squad based in Charters Towers.[1]
Crooked Creek Cattle Company
[edit]The cattle duffing racket of north Queensland police was mentioned in the Australian House of Representatives in 2006 by the Federal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter.[4] He referred to it as ‘the crooked creek cattle company’. He told parliament he had given evidence about it when he was a senior minister of the Queensland government. He also acknowledged the very courageous actions of ABC journalist Steve Austin, who exposed the situation.
Disappearance of Tony Jones
[edit]In 1992 Townsville police published an identikit sketch of a person wanted for questioning in relation to the suspected murder of a young West Australian hitchhiker, Tony Jones, who disappeared without trace in 1982.[5] On the night of the disappearance, the suspect, believed to be involved in the cattle industry, was allegedly dining with Jones at the Rising Sun Hotel and planning to give him a lift to Charters Towers.[5] The Townsville Bulletin reported that the identikit sketch matched a "former policeman",[6] whose identity was subsequently confirmed during the 2002 coronial inquest into Jones's disappearance as being none other than Mervyn Henry Stevenson.[7][8][9]
Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame
[edit]Stevenson avoided prosecution and was eventually inducted into the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame in 2001.[10] He died of cancer on 16 December 2001 and was farewelled by a police guard of honour at his funeral in Townsville.[10]
External links
[edit]Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame [1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Anderson, John, "Tough bush adversary", Townsville Bulletin, 22 December 2001.
- ^ Hansen, P, "Ex-policeman lashes out: confessions 'red hot'", Sunday Mail, 23 September 1984.
- ^ "Two natives charged with having murdered police boy", Cairns Post, 10 May 1950.
- ^ "ParlInfo - AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION AMENDMENT BILL 2006 : Second Reading". parlinfo.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
- ^ a b "Identikit issued after 10 years", Courier Mail, 2 November 1992.
- ^ "Former policeman matches description", Townsville Bulletin, 4 November 1992.
- ^ ^ Transcripts of inquest into the cause and circumstances surrounding the death of Anthony John Jones", Townsville Coroner's Court, Ref. no. 20022002 T20/JOW M/T TSV6356.
- ^ Armistead, Jane, "Inquest into 30-year-old case gives hope", Townsville Bulletin, 3 November 2012.
- ^ Michael, Peter, "The bush copper and the missing hitchhiker," The Courier Mail, 5 February 2016.
- ^ a b "Fitting farewell for bush policeman", Townsville Bulletin, 22 December 2001.