| Len Lawson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Wagga Wagga, New South Wales 1927 |
| Died | 29 November 2003 Grafton Correctional Centre, NSW, Australia |
| Charge(s) | Rape, murder |
| Penalty | Life imprisonment |
| Occupation | Graphics artist |
Leonard Keith Lawson (1927 - 29 November 2003), better known as Len Lawson or Lennie Lawson, was a bestselling Australian comic book creator, successful commercial artist and photographer, and a convicted rapist and murderer.
Lawson first came to prominence as the author of The Lone Avenger, an Australian comic book hero whose adventures, published first in 1946, would sell up to 70,000 copies over the next decade.[1]
In 1954, however, Lawson kidnapped, assaulted and raped five models. He was sentenced to death but had his sentence commuted to 14 years in prison.[1][2] After his release in 1961, he raped and killed another model on 7 November 1962 and on the next day, took several hostages at the Sydney Church of England Girls' Grammar School, killing a 15-year old girl in the ensuing siege.[2] Sentenced to life imprisonment, Lawson died in prison in November 2003.[2]