The Man They Couldn't Break

William John O’Meally was an Australian criminal known for his violent history and for being the last person to be judicially flogged in Victoria. Raised in state care after his parents’ separation, he fell into crime at a young age, accumulating 42 convictions by 1952, including multiple assaults on police officers.

In 1952, O’Meally was convicted of the murder of Constable George Howell in Caulfield, Victoria. Howell was shot while pursuing a suspect, and despite O’Meally’s claims of innocence, he was sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment without parole.

O’Meally attempted to escape from Pentridge Prison twice, in 1955 and 1957. During his second attempt, a prison officer was injured in a shootout. As punishment, he received 12 lashes of the cat-o’-nine-tails in 1958, making him the last person to be flogged in Victoria.

After serving 27 years in prison, O’Meally was released on parole in 1979. He later wrote The Man They Couldn't Break, detailing his experiences in the prison system. He lived quietly in Queensland until his death in 1995.

Private Collection: Katrin Strohl