WHO WAS MR CRUEL?

IN THE 1980S, A KILLER STALKED MELBOURNE’S QUIET SUBURBS

By April Glover

In the 1980s and early ’90s, Australia was gripped by terror as a masked assailant prowled the streets, abducting, raping and even murdering children. The unnamed man stalked the quiet suburbs around Melbourne, targeting young girls. To many, he was a real-life bogeyman. But no-one ever saw his face – police sketches only showed a balaclava. Because of the way he terrorised his victims, the predator was nicknamed ‘Mr Cruel’. It was an apt moniker – and one of his first victims, 10-year-old Sharon Wills, would certainly agree. Sharon was abducted by Mr Cruel from her home in Melbourne’s Ringwood East in December, 1988. The masked intruder first entered the bedroom of Sharon’s parents, threatened them with a gun and tied them both up with copper wire. He then took Sharon, blindfolded and gagged her,…

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New Idea (Digital) - 1 Issue, 27 April 2020

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