Graham Potter: Bland alias Australia's most wanted man used while hiding in Ravenshoe


Australia’s most wanted fugitive had been living under the alias of ‘Josh Lawson’ while on the run, police claim. 

Biometric testing was needed to confirm the identity of fugitive Graham Gene Potter who evaded capture for more than a decade.

The 12-year manhunt for the convicted killer ended in Far North Queensland on Monday when detectives found the 64-year-old at a home in the Tablelands region.

Potter initially used the pseudonym ‘Josh Lawson’ when police arrived at the Ravenshoe address, about two hours south of Cairns, Detective Inspector Kevin Goan said on Tuesday.

Detectives believe Graham Potter initially used the pseudonym 'Josh Lawson' when they found him in a hide-out a Ravenshoe address, about two hours south of Cairns

Detectives believe Graham Potter initially used the pseudonym ‘Josh Lawson’ when they found him in a hide-out a Ravenshoe address, about two hours south of Cairns

But detectives involved with the case for several years had enough cause to arrest him anyway.

‘They had reasonable cause to effect his arrest, bring him into custody (and) do the biometric testing through the live-scan machine,’ Det Insp Goan said.

The results confirmed that ‘Josh Lawson was in fact Graham Gene Potter’.

Potter has been wanted since 2010 after he allegedly failed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on charges of conspiracy to murder and Commonwealth drug offences.

Police have previously attended the address where Potter was eventually found, but said ‘our approach on this occasion was different’.

‘The credible information that came through to investigators was sufficient …for them to gain lawful entry to the premises,’ Det Insp Goan said.

Potter had evaded police for 12 years before he was located at the far north Queensland property

Potter had evaded police for 12 years before he was located at the far north Queensland property

While he’s been ‘keeping a low profile’, police said he had assimilated with some members of the local community.

No one has been charged in connection with Potter’s hiding spot.

Potter was allegedly hired in 2008 to kill a man at a wedding of the son of Melbourne underworld figure, Mick Gatto.

He also faces charges over a $440 million ecstasy and cocaine haul the same year.

Potter served 15 years in jail for the 1981 mutilation and murder of NSW woman Kim Barry.

He was known to use disguises, such as wigs and fat suits, and there were several unconfirmed sightings over the years.

Potter was previously spotted by police at Tully, in North Queensland, in August 2010 but escaped.

Victorian police are on route to Mareeba and Potter is expected to face an extradition hearing on Tuesday.

‘It’s likely that he will be remanded into their custody to appear back in Victoria in the coming days,’ Det Insp Goan said.

Beer bottles in the window, piles of cardboard boxes and Australia’s most wanted man on top of a chicken coop: Inside rubbish-strewn home where fugitive who beheaded a teenage girl was finally found after evading cops for 12 years

Australia’s most wanted fugitive was living in a rubbish-strewn house full of animal cages and junk when police finally tracked him down. 

Graham Potter, 64, was arrested on Monday after spending more than a decade on the run.

He had allegedly skipped bail on charges in Melbourne for conspiracy to murder in 2010 and is accused of evading authorities by constantly changing his appearance.

In body-worn vision released by Queensland police during the raid to capture Potter, the shocking condition of the house in which he hid out at Ascham St, Ravenshoe, 120km south-west of Cairns in far north Queensland, was revealed.

The footage shows police locating Potter in a squalid room filled with empty cardboard boxes, a chicken coop and old bed. 

Potter is seen hiding behind a bunk bed topped with multiple old mattresses. There are large cobwebs on the walls.   

‘This is the police. Do not move. Put your hands where I can see them,’ a police officer yells at him.

‘Yeah, yeah,’ Potter nonchalantly responds. 

Graham Potter is allegedly seen stumbling on a chicken coop after police discovered him inside a squalid room filled with old cardboard boxes and rubbish

Graham Potter is allegedly seen stumbling on a chicken coop after police discovered him inside a squalid room filled with old cardboard boxes and rubbish

Old furniture, fridges and other junk are strewn randomly through the Ravenshoe house in which Potter was found

Old furniture, fridges and other junk are strewn randomly through the Ravenshoe house in which Potter was found

A stack of old mattresses are pictured on the bunk bed behind which Potter was found hiding

A stack of old mattresses are pictured on the bunk bed behind which Potter was found hiding

Potter was taken in handcuffs from the house down a staircase piled with old newspapers, magazines and general rubbish

Potter was taken in handcuffs from the house down a staircase piled with old newspapers, magazines and general rubbish

As he is led from the house in handcuffs, piles of newspapers and magazines are seen stacked on a staircase.

Old furniture, fridges and other junk are strewn randomly through the house. 

Empty beer bottles can be seen lined up in the front windows of the house, with the curtains tightly drawn. 

Police said Potter denied his identity when located, while the home’s owner said Potter was known to her as ‘Ned’. 

The owner, Sandi Feller, told The Australian she would not comment about Potter’s discovery at the house under she’d spoken to a solicitor. 

‘They didn’t arrest me. They haven’t charged me, but that might come yet too, who knows?’ she said.

Graham Gene Potter was released from prison in 1996 after serving 15 years. He was dubbed Australia's 'number one fugitive' by Victoria Police in 2017

Graham Gene Potter was released from prison in 1996 after serving 15 years. He was dubbed Australia’s ‘number one fugitive’ by Victoria Police in 2017

The house on Ascham St, Ravenshoe, 120km south-west of Cairns, where fugitive Graham Potter was found by police

The house on Ascham St, Ravenshoe, 120km south-west of Cairns, where fugitive Graham Potter was found by police

Empty beer bottles can be seen lined up in the front windows of the Ascham St property, with the curtains tightly drawn

Empty beer bottles can be seen lined up in the front windows of the Ascham St property, with the curtains tightly drawn

A neighbour told Nine News Queensland he had never seen Potter at the house.

‘I’ve never seen the man they arrested this morning,’ the man said. 

Another resident of the street, Paul Adamson, said the house where the fugitive was found was known as a junkyard but had actually been ‘tidied up’ recently.

‘At the moment it looks the best it’s been since I’ve been here. You couldn’t even see the house two weeks ago.’ he said.

Mr Adamson said Potter had been known to visit the house. 

‘He was there years ago. He was on the run years ago and they’d found he’d been staying there,’ he said.

Potter was jailed for life for the murder of teenager Kim Barry (pictured), 19, in Wollongong in 1981

Potter was jailed for life for the murder of teenager Kim Barry (pictured), 19, in Wollongong in 1981

Victorian detectives are travelling to the Queensland to seek the extradition of Potter to Victoria when he appears in Mareeba Magistrates Curt today. 

The convicted murderer, who has an extensive criminal history, was dubbed Australia’s ‘number one fugitive’ by Victoria Police acting assistant crime commissioner Paul De Santo in 2017.

Historical police records show Potter lining up for a mugshot as early as 1976, when he was aged just 18.

Five years later, he was jailed for life for the murder of teenager Kim Barry, 19, in Wollongong, after he beat her and cut off her head. He was released in 1996 after serving just 15 years.  ve

Local police update on the capture of Graham Gene Potter 

Detective Inspector Kevin Goan discussed the capture of Australia’s most wanted man, Graham Potter, at a press conference at Mareeba police station on Tuesday morning.

– ‘He’s a personable fellow,’ Det Insp Goan said of Potter. ‘He is happy to speak with to us in relation to any number of issues. We’ve had no acts of violence that warrant concern for our detectives.’

– Police suspect Potter has lived in the far north Queensland area for the last 12 years.

– Det Insp Goan said there was evidence Potter had at times ‘assimilated’ himself with others members of the local community. 

– Potter claimed to be ‘Josh Lawson’ when approached by police at the Ravenshoe property, until finger-printing at Mareeba police station confirmed his identity.

– Queensland police are waiting on Victorian detectives to arrive before deciding whether charges will be laid against the woman found at the Ascham St property. The woman is not in custody.

– No warrant was needed to enter premises because police possessed ‘credible’ information a wanted person was at the property.

– Det Insp Goan confirmed police had visited the house a number of times over the years after reports Potter had visited the premises.

– The dog squad attended the arrest because Potter had been known to ‘take flight’ on previous occasions when police closed in on him. 

At the time of his arrest in 2010, Potter was connected to Victorian and New South Wales organised crime figures and had allegedly been recruited to carry out gangland killings.

He was one of three charged over the alleged planned murders of two men related to disputes within a drug syndicate over a failed importation.

Potter  allegedly skipped an appearance at Magistrates court in February 2010 and has eluded police ever since.

In August 2010 he allegedly bragged about how he had used a number of costumes, including wigs, fat suits, and hair colour changes, to mingle in society undetected. 

His alleged strategies were unearthed in letters discovered at a campsite in Tully, 140km south of Cairns, on August 28 that year by officers investigating a tip-off about his possible location.   

Potter’s stint in Tully was the closest police would come to catching him before he was finally apprehended this week, in another town just 128km north west.

Acting on a tip off, an army of officers and police dogs stormed the ramshackle Ravenshoe house around 8.45am on Monday to find Potter lying at the top of a dingy bunk-bed.

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