Terry Clark (drug smuggler)

Terrance John Clark (12 November 1944 – 12 August 1983), [1] also known by the aliases Terry Sinclair, Alexander James Sinclair,[2] Tony Bennetti, the Australian Jackal[3] and Mr Big,[4] was the head of the Mr Asia[5][6] drug syndicate, which imported heroin into New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom in the 1970s. In fact, Clark was the 'second' head man of the syndicate and became the lead having successfully plotted the murder of Marty Johnstone, the man who became known as Mr Asia.

Terry Clark
Mugshot of Terry Clark (1979)
Born
Terrance John Clark

1944 (1944)
Gisborne, New Zealand
Died1983(1983-00-00) (aged 38–39)
Isle of Wight, England
Other namesMr Big
Years active1970s–1979
Criminal statusDeceased
Spouse(s)Sarah Clark (divorced)
Norma Fleet (died 1975)
Maria Muhary
Children4
AllegianceMr Asia's drug cartel
Conviction(s)Contract killing
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment
Partner(s)
Imprisoned atHM Prison Parkhurst

Career

Born in Gisborne, New Zealand, Clark began his criminal career through petty crimes and was well known to police as a local thug. His career expanded in the mid-1970s after meeting Marty Johnstone who at this stage was doing financially well importing buddha sticks into New Zealand from the east. Clark and Johnstone, wanting to expand their market and money, started importing high quality white heroin into both New Zealand and Australia. This was about the time Clark moved to Australia to head the operation there. Their Asian partner based in Singapore was Choo Cheng Kui, better known as "Chinese Jack" or Jack Choo.[7]

Clark was ruthless as controller of his operations and killed a number of associates including Gregory Ollard, a Mr Asia drug supplier and heroin addict. He lured Ollard to Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in the northern suburbs of Sydney, where he killed, mutilated and buried him.[8] After killing him, he drove to the home of Ollard's girlfriend in Avalon and abducted her. He then drove her to the Blue Mountains where he killed her.

Women

Clark was known for his womanising, and had a reputation for extreme violence. He met his first wife Sally in his early years and she was mother to his first three children. After his divorce from Sally, Clark entered into a relationship with heroin addict Norma Fleet, whom he married in Wi Tako Prison. Norma later died in mysterious circumstances. It was at this time he met his third wife, Maria Muhary, with whom he fathered his fourth child, Jarrod. While in Australia, Clark became involved with Allison Raewyn Dine, a New Zealand kindergarten teacher from Rotorua who moved to Australia and met Clark. Dine became Clark's chief heroin courier and recruiter of other couriers, predominately other young women. Later at Clark's trial in the UK, Dine testified against Clark and was granted immunity from prosecution.[9] After the trial, Dine reportedly went into a witness protection program and still lives in the UK under an assumed name.[10]

After Dine, Clark became involved with Karen Mary Marie Soich, a New Zealand solicitor to whom he proposed marriage while serving at HM Prison Parkhurst.[11] Soich later told the New Zealand Commission that she had put the proposal to marry Clark in abeyance.[12] Clark was arrested while in bed with Karen Soich.[13]

Murder trial and death

In October 1979, Clark had Marty Johnstone (Mr Asia) lured to Britain on the pretext of a drug deal to take place in Scotland. Johnstone was murdered by his longtime friend Andy Maher under the orders of Terry Clark, and his handless body was dumped in Eccleston Delph, Lancashire, mutilated in a hasty but failed attempt to foil identification by the police. Maher not only cut off his hands, but battered Johnstone's face hoping to prevent dental identification. Initially the police were unable to identify the victim, and published a death mask of Johnstone in several newspapers to assist identification. In the end Johnstone was identified by his neck medallion that was still on the corpse.[14] Only one of Johnstone's hands was recovered by police. Johnstone's teeth were never actually damaged, as Maher had covered Johnstone's face with a cloth.

Clark was convicted of the contract murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. His trial at the time was the most heavily guarded in British history.

Clark died in 1983 at HM Prison Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight. The official cause of death given was heart attack.[15]

In fiction

Terry Clark was played by Philip Quast in the episode "All Good Friends" in the 1992 British ITV series Crime Story dealing with the killing of Marty Johnstone.

Terry Clark is one of the main characters in the 2009 Nine Network television series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities. The character was played by Matthew Newton.

Clark was also a key character in the 2011 New Zealand television series Underbelly NZ: Land Of The Long Green Cloud. This series depicts events prior to and concurrent with Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities. In this NZ series, Clark was played by Erroll Shand.

References
  1. "Evan Whitton: Can of Worms II - 6. Biographies".
  2. Berry, Aileen; Harrington, Tony (15 July 1981). "Sinclair, the 'nice guy' who murdered his best friend". The Age. p. 18.
  3. Mellor, Bill "The Mr Asia scoreboard". Sydney Morning Herald, 30 December 1984
  4. Williamson, Kerry (2 March 2009). "Sex, drugs and murder: The truth about Mr Asia". Dominion Post.
  5. " 'Mr Asia' murder victim found"
  6. "The fall of Mr Asia"
  7. Kwitny, Jonathan (1988). The Crimes of Patriots: A True Story of Dope, Dirty Money, and the C.I.A.
  8. Hon. Stewart, D G. (1983), Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking, Australian Govt Printing Service, Canberra, p. 131
  9. "The Mr Asia scoreboard"
  10. Moor, Keith (2009). Crims in Grass Castles. Penguin Books. ISBN 9780857966292.
  11. Cooke, Jenny (15 June 1982). "Killer may have to wait for wedding". Sydney Morning Herald.
  12. "The Stewart Commission". The Age. 1 June 1983.
  13. Williamson, Kerry (26 May 2009). "Sex and drugs". Dominion Post. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  14. Back from the Deep! Lancashire Evening Post 2 July 1982
  15. Homan, Ray, "Peter Fulcher and the Mr Asia syndicate",Police News Archived 8 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine (New Zealand), Volume 39, Number 5, June 2006, page 31.
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