Jean Lee (murderer)
| Jean Lee | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
10 December 1919 Dubbo, New South Wales |
| Died | 19 February 1951 (aged 31) HM Prison Pentridge, Coburg, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Criminal status | Executed by hanging |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
Jean Lee (10 December 1919 – 19 February 1951) was an Australian woman, convicted of murder, and notable as the last woman to be executed in Australia.
Born Marjorie Jean Maude Wright in Dubbo, New South Wales, Lee was the daughter of a railway worker. She had an unremarkable childhood in rural New South Wales and later in suburban Sydney and was remembered as an intelligent, popular student at her Roman Catholic school, although she was inclined to be rebellious on occasion. She married in 1938 and the following year gave birth to a daughter. After several years, her husband abandoned her and their child, and Lee gave her daughter to her mother to raise. After Lee's mother successfully sought legal custody of Lee's daughter, Lee moved to Melbourne where she became involved in petty crime.
She met Robert David Clayton, who had some criminal convictions, and their relationship soon became abusive and Lee was subjected to violence. She began to work as a prostitute.
The couple found a method to extort money from unsuspecting men, and later called it "the badger game". Lee would lure a man into a sexually compromising position and Clayton would burst into the room, and surprise them. Clayton played the part of the outraged husband, and blackmailed the other man into giving him money in return for his silence. As many of the men were supposedly respectable married men, they would often give Clayton money, rather than risk him telling their wives. On occasion, the man would refuse and Clayton would then beat and rob him.
The couple were later joined by Norman Andrews, another criminal whom Clayton had met while in prison.
In 1949, the trio targeted an elderly man, William "Pop" Kent. Kent, 73, was an SP Bookie. Kent invited the trio to have a drink at his flat—6 pm closing time was law in Victoria. They had heard that he kept money in his home, and thought Kent would be a soft target. While Lee kept Kent busy by performing oral sex, the two men would search the flat for money. The trio later gave conflicting statements to police but it is known that Kent was tied to a chair, by Lee, and over a period of hours all three kicked and beat him, while demanding to know where his money was kept; they took his money roll he had in his pocket but wanted more. Kent was at first defiant, but eventually insisted that he had no extra money. He was tortured then stabbed several times, before Andrews strangled him. Neighbours heard Kent's screams and called police, but by the time they arrived, Lee, Clayton and Andrews were gone, and Kent was dead. Kent was found under a pile of sheets and clothing, his furniture had been broken and his home had been ransacked. A later report claimed Kent's penis had been cut off and stuffed down his throat.
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