AUSTRALIAN TRUE CRIME –

In 1959, Australians thrilled to every move made by a new criminal underdog, a Ned Kelly for the rock’n’roll era.Kevin John Simmonds was a charismatic crook whose brazen crime spree had scored him a lengthy prison sentence. But as he was led from court, he boasted, ‘They’ll never hold me.’ Two months later, Simmo made good on his promise, staging a daring escape from Long Bay Gaol. When his bid for freedom took a deadly turn, legendary Detective Ray ‘the Gunner’ Kelly took charge of the search, putting the fugitive in the crosshairs of the biggest armed manhunt in Australian history. They’ll Never Hold Me is the true story of an antihero with a code of honour who captured the public’s hearts and minds even as he enraged the cops and the establishment. Brilliantly researched and written by Michael Adams, of the Forgotten Australia podcast, this never-before-told tale takes us beyond the public adventures that made Simmo into Public Enemy No. 1 to reveal the haunting tragedies he was trying to outrun – and the terrible fate that even he might not escape. Incredible, swashbuckling tale that feels like being on the run with Australia’s most colourful fugitive.

Kevin John Simmonds was a young man who took pleasure in doing things which gave him a buzz. His early years involved stealing cars and joy rides. By 14 he was sent to Boys Town until he was 18. He then headed to Sydney where he committed break and enters as well as car theft, being sentenced to two years at Mt Penang Training School in which his criminal education was polished. Then ‘Simmo’ graduated being charged with three counts of armed robbery, 17 of breaking and entering and stealing 35 cars. He was sentenced to 15 years in Long Bay.

Simmo had no intention of serving those years and in October 1959 with the assistance of Leslie Newcombe escaped from Long Bay. In the act of stealing, they were fronted by a guard who they killed. Now it became a murder hunt. Les was quickly captured, but Simmo was more elusive, leading to the largest manhunt in NSW history, eluding the police for 37 days and making the front page of all the dailies. He was finally captured on the central coast among dense undergrowth, his feet torn to shreds and he was starving. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter. The judge made an example of Simmo sentencing him to life in Grafton Goal.

This is a story of a chase but also of police corruption, from the detectives up into the hierarchy of the NSW Government and the brutalisation of prisoners, especially at Grafton. It is a tale that captivated the audience of its time and still has the power to do so today.

pp. 384, illusts. First Edition #300625