A New South Wales man has testified to a state parliamentary inquiry that he narrowly escaped a potential encounter with serial killer Ivan Milat in the mid-1970s after a police traffic stop intervened. Steven Clark, who was a teenager at the time, claims the driver’s decision to pull over for a speeding violation—and the subsequent interaction with officers—likely saved his life.
Testimony of a Near-Miss
According to his submission to the inquiry, Mr. Clark and a friend were hitchhiking to Wollongong from Warilla in 1974 or 1975 when they accepted a ride from a man in a two-door sedan. Mr. Clark described the driver as having protruding teeth and a moustache, features he later recognized from news coverage following Milat’s arrest.
Mr. Clark reported that the driver’s behavior was unsettling, noting that the man repeatedly asked who knew their whereabouts while speeding and fiddling with an eight-track stereo. The journey was interrupted near Windang when police pulled the vehicle over for traveling 20 to 30 kilometers above the speed limit. Mr. Clark stated that the officer asked about the passengers, and the driver identified them as hitchhikers. After the driver received a ticket, his demeanor shifted, and he dropped the teenagers off at their destination without further incident.
Did You Know? The inquiry is currently examining dozens of public submissions regarding long-unresolved missing persons cases, with some reports suggesting that a serial killer may have been operating in New South Wales as early as the 1970s.
Broader Context of the Inquiry
The inquiry, chaired by MP Jeremy Buckingham, is investigating historical links to Ivan Milat, who was convicted in 1996 for the murders of seven backpackers and tourists. The committee is reviewing “scores of stories” from members of the public who report past assaults or near-misses that were not previously linked to the killer.
The investigation also covers other cold cases from the era, including the 1979 disappearance of Kay Docherty, who was last seen near a bus stop on Shellharbour Road. Her brother, Kevin Docherty, provided a submission to the inquiry, stating that his family has been let down by both police and the judiciary system over the last four decades. In 2013, an inquest found evidence suggesting that either Milat or fugitive Graham Potter may have been involved in the deaths of Kay Docherty and her friend, Toni Cavanagh.
Expert Insight: The volume of submissions highlights a significant gap in historical record-keeping and inter-agency data linking. By allowing families to provide testimony under parliamentary privilege, the inquiry creates a space for evidence that may have been previously overlooked or dismissed by authorities, potentially offering families a sense of resolution even without a criminal prosecution.
What May Happen Next
The parliamentary inquiry is scheduled to visit the Belanglo State Forest on Wednesday, a location central to the discovery of Milat’s victims. The first formal hearing is set to follow on Thursday. As the inquiry progresses, it is likely that more historical accounts will be cross-referenced against existing police files from the 1970s and 1980s. Analysts expect the committee to produce findings regarding the effectiveness of past police investigations and the potential existence of additional, previously unidentified victims.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the police stop impact the driver’s behavior?
According to Mr. Clark, the driver’s behavior changed significantly after the police stop, transitioning from erratic and questioning to driving normally until he reached the drop-off point.
What is the connection between the inquiry and Ivan Milat?
The inquiry is examining long-unresolved missing persons cases and investigating claims that Milat, who died in prison in 2019, may have been responsible for crimes beyond those for which he was convicted.
What is the current status of the search for Kay Docherty?
Kevin Docherty continues to seek answers regarding his twin sister’s 1979 disappearance. A 2013 inquest determined she likely died shortly after she went missing, with evidence pointing toward either Milat or Graham Potter as potential perpetrators.
Do you believe that revisiting cold cases decades later can provide meaningful closure for the families involved?