Terry Lewis, the infamous former commissioner of the Queensland Police who was imprisoned for corruption, passed away at the age of 95.
Prior to his career suddenly taking off, the disgraced commissioner was sent to Charlieville, Queensland, when he first joined the police department in 1949.
As a senior policeman, he was appointed director of the Juvenile Aid Bureau before rising to the position of police commissioner in 1976.
Before his career was marred by scandal and corruption, Lewis held the position of leadership for 11 years and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
Lewis’ career came to an end as a result of the Fitzgerald Inquiry, a two-year investigation into police and political corruption that began in 1987.
Lewis was shown to be the leader of a “Rat Pack” of dishonest police officers by Judge Tony Fitzgerald, who also discovered that he had amassed over $600,000 in bribes.
High-profile cops Tony Murphy and Glen Hallahan were also discovered to be complicit by the investigation.
“It is a remarkable tale of growth and fall. According to Matt Condon, author of Three Crooked Kings, “a man from nothing to the pinnacle of his profession to a man sipping brandy in Government House in Brisbane.”
Lewis received a 14-year sentence in 1989 after being found guilty on 15 counts of corruption as well as perjury and forgery.
His home, superannuation, and knighthood were all taken away.
He was granted parole in 2002, having served ten and a half years in jail.
Lewis remained truthful all the way through.
He will be remembered as one of the most infamous individuals in police history, according to Condon.
He was a human, though, so that was another thing.
