The last woman hanged in Australia

In November 1949 a murder occurred in Dorrit St, Carlton, that was to lead to the last hanging of a woman in Australia before the death penalty was abolished.

The victim of the murder was an old man named William “Pop” Kent, aged 73, who rented some rooms in a house in Dorrit St. He was a bookmaker who made his money by taking illegal bets on horse races. On this particular day he was drinking in the nearby University Hotel in Lygon St after the races on a Saturday afternoon, and got into conversation with two men and a woman. They seemed to be particularly friendly, and when the hotel closed at 6pm, he invited them back to his place in nearby Dorrit St for a drink.

But this trio had evil intent. They had heard that Pop Kent kept a considerable amount of money in his home, and thought he would be an easy target. Once they were back at his place, the old man was tied to a chair and kicked and beaten by the trio who demanded to know where his money was kept. Kent insisted that he had no money stashed away. He was stabbed several times, before one of the men strangled him. Neighbours heard Kent’s screams and called the police, but by the time they arrived, the trio was gone and Kent was dead. However, they were soon apprehended in a city hotel room, still wearing blood-stained clothing, and all three were charged with murder. Their trial took place in March 1950, and all three were found guilty and sentenced to death.

The woman involved was Jean Lee. She was aged 30 at the time, had a background in petty crime, and was the lover of one of the men. After being found guilty and sentenced to death, her mental state in prison apparently declined. She was reported as alternating between violently attacking her guards and begging for mercy, while stating repeatedly that she was innocent and that they had never meant to kill anyone. As the date for her execution drew near, she grew increasingly erratic.

Their convictions were, however, appealed. In June 1950 the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled that confessions had been improperly obtained, and ordered a re-trial. But this was overturned by the High Court, and the verdicts and sentences were confirmed. No woman had been hanged in Australia for the previous 40 years and a public appeal was organised to have Lee’s death sentence commuted – but to no effect.

On 19 February 1951, the morning of her execution, protestors and the press gathered outside Pentridge Prison. Inside Lee became hysterical and had to be sedated. When the executioner came to her cell, she fainted. Strapped to a chair, she had to be carried semi-conscious to the scaffold trapdoor. At 8am, Jean Lee was hanged. Two hours later, her accomplices were also hanged. It was the last time a woman was executed in Australia •