William "The Mutilator" Macdonald

Remorse

"Are you by nature a violent man?"

"No. Anything but. I had never committed any violent crime before in my life. I like the passive things in life. But the other person that committed those murders was very violent. But he's gone now."

"Are you sane now? Would you kill anyone now if you had the opportunity?"

"Yes, I am perfectly sane now. And the thought of killing another human being now would never cross my mind. I don't get the urge to kill any more. I may still be a schizophrenic but murder is out of the question. It is not even the slightest consideration."

"Were you glad when you were eventually caught and it was all over?"

"Yes. Very glad. I hadn't eaten for three days because I had no money to buy food. I think I was glad for a couple of reasons in that all of the anxiety of wondering when I would be caught was over and also that I wouldn't kill any more innocent people. When I bumped into John McCarthy in Pitt Street and fled to Melbourne I knew that they were on to me and that it was only a matter of time. Yes, I was very pleased that it was all over."

"Do you feel sorry for what you did?"

"Yes, very much so. I feel terribly ashamed. Even though I had no control over it "

"Apart from the murders, what is the deepest regret in your life?"

"That I couldn't have had a normal life. A wife, children, a family home. If I had my life over that is what I would wish for."

"Have you accepted the fact that you will die in prison?"

"Yes. It doesn't worry me at all. I don't want to get out, I'd never survive on the outside. I've been in prison too long. Besides, if I was on the outside I would live exactly the same existence as I do now, like a hermit. I like my own company and I'm happy with my music and reading. I would love to be able to get the papers everyday and some day I might be able to afford a black and white TV and a CD player and some discs. But outside of that, there's nothing that I want for on the outside that I don't get in here."

"Would you like to get out for a day and be driven around and shown the sights of Sydney?"

"Yes. I'd love to see the Opera House. It was just being built when I went to prison. I believe that Joan Sutherland was one of the first to sing there. And I'd love to see how much Sydney has changed. Maybe I will one day."

He agreed to come outside of the meeting room and have a few pictures taken with me and after they were done we shook hands firmly and said goodbye.