Church of Choppers Blog

Cox

Known as one of Australia’s best armed robbers, his criminal mates called him ‘The Fox’, but to police and journalists he was Russell ‘Mad Dog’ Cox. Cox was sentenced to life after a failed 1975 escape bid from Long Bay, during which he kidnapped two warders at gunpoint. He was then incarcerated in the notorious Katingal Unit at Long Bay Jail. Katingal was a maximum security prison that was dubbed the ‘electric zoo’ and said to be escape-proof.

But Cox proved to be a criminal no prison could hold and he escaped Katingal in November 1977.
A master of disguise, Cox remained on the run for the next 11 years, accompanied by his partner Helen Deane, a nurse and also the sister-in-law of Australian criminal mastermind Raymond ‘Ray Chuck’ Bennett.

In his 11 years on the run Cox committed a series of armed robberies in Queensland (six between 1978 and 1983) and Victoria and was linked to three murders. It ended on July 22, 1988, when the crew from an armoured van heading to Doncaster Shoppingtown radioed police to say they feared they were being followed. Soon three armed robbery crews, armed with handguns and pistol-grip shotguns, were prowling the shopping centre.

Detectives opened a Holden station wagon rear gate and found the prison library card of notorious gunman Raymond John Denning, who had escaped from Goulburn Prison in New South Wales just days before. It was a stupid mistake from a smart crook. Denning was a cult hero among the anti-establishment intelligentsia in inner-suburban Sydney. Articulate and outspoken, Denning took on the prison system but he was not silly enough to take on the armed robbery squad.

When confronted on his return to the car, he retired from crime immediately. In fairness, armed robbery squad detective Ken Ashworth was standing on the bonnet of the vehicle brandishing a loaded shotgun at the time.

Cox took off in his yellow Ford Fairlane and headed for what he thought was the exit, chased by a large number of armed police. He waved a gun at his pursuers - who opened fire in a scene reminiscent of The Blues Brothers - until he crashed and was arrested.

As expected, Both said nothing. But later Denning concluded the underworld code of silence was an outdated concept and decided to open up. Denning got a shorter sentence but later died of a drug overdose that many believe was a 'hot shot'.

Cox did his time and was released in 2004.

Denning