A Serial Killer Tried To Hide His Past Life
Archie “Mad Dog” McCafferty, a serial killer served 23 years in prison for the murder of three people in Australia and was living in Edinburgh under a new identity, by the name James Lok. The 58-year-old’s past was only revealed when he was caught driving a stolen car and his original name was given in court.
McCafferty emigrated to Australia with his family when he was ten years old. He was constantly in trouble with the police. By the time he was 12 was placed in an institution for stealing, he already had a long record. By the time he was 18 Archie had been in institutions five times and had been classed as an incorrigible juvenile delinquent. He fell in love and married Janice Redington, but only their marriage lasted only six week when she caught him sleeping with another woman. Jenice wasn’t impressed, but Archie’s response was so violent it prompted his first visit to a psychiatric hospital.
He was jailed in 1974 for murdering three tramps in a five-day killing spree, sparked by the death of his six-week-old baby son. The baby’s death was an accident caused by his mother falling asleep and rolling over on top of the infant. That incident seemed to change him forever. At his trial, McCafferty said he heard the voice of his dead son telling him that if he killed seven people the boy would be brought back to life. After killing a few inmates he got a nickname “Australia’s Charles Manson”, but soon after he was deported back to Scotland.
McCafferty, who now uses the name James Lok, has been living in Beaverbank Place in Broughton while working as a self-employed painter. He said the only reason he changed his name was because he wanted a ‘quiet life” and his neighbors seemed to know nothing about his past identity.
Speaking following yesterday’s court appearance, McCafferty said that he was “not a criminal”, with his latest offence involving a “car, not mass murder”. He added: “I’m just a normal guy trying to get on with my life. My crimes were 35 years ago.”
Sheriff Charles Stoddart said: “I’m satisfied on the basis of the social inquiry report and what has been said on your behalf that I can deal with this with an alternative to custody.”
To read more about this interesting case and to find out everything about Archibald’s childhood, his victims and the way he killed them as well as all the deatils from his trial, go to truTV library.
-article by Alan McEwen rewritten and adapted by administrator-
Tags: Archibald McCafferty, Archie, Australia's Charles Manson, James Lok, kill seven, Mad Dog, new identity, serial killer, violent killer
December 4th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Do you have a link for that?
December 4th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Hello,
A link for what? Yes, I do have a link to the whole story, it doesn’t get any more detailed than this actually, and I posted it in my post. If you missed it, here it is again:
truTV library
Enjoy the story and thanks for your comment!
Regards!
July 3rd, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Where is he nowadays? I read somewhere he was caught in NZ trying to get back to australia…
July 4th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Hello Imogen, he was caught in NZ on 21 July, 2002, for failing to declare his criminal convictions when he arrived in the country. Detective Sergeant Stuart Mills of Interpol said they were alerted to McCafferty’s presence in NZ when his wife followed him there. He was voluntarily deported back to Scotland.
That’s pretty much all there is to it! Tanks for your comment!
August 3rd, 2010 at 2:31 pm
It would appear that when he was voluntarily deported back to Scotland, he then spent some time around 2002 – 2004 in the Isle of Man:
(2002) http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/NOTORIOUS-KILLER-LEAVES-ISLAND-SUDDENLY.434553.jp
(2004) http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/KILLER-WHO-FLED-TO-ISLAND.839582.jp
It looks like he then returned to Scotland and that is where he still remains.
August 3rd, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Hello Paul, thanks for sharing this info with us!
August 4th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
When researching my family tree I found that he is my cousin of some description, our grandparents being siblings. Don’t think i’ll be looking him up for a family reunion!
May 4th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
this guy is unbeliveable. there is just no excuse for what he did. wether the crimes were 35 or 4 years ago he still shouldnt go unpunished. a crime is a crime so wake up and smell the new institute archibald.
October 1st, 2011 at 12:38 am
I’m currently writing about this man, and also my father and mother. Rather embarrassingly I can report that my silly mother married him in Parramatta gaol when he was doing time for the murders. When I asked her what the hell she was thinking, she reported that he was ‘Charming’. Thankfully she divorced him in a couple of years later long before he was released.
My mother can pick them, she married a serial killer, and my biological father became a mass murderer! Thanks Mum so grateful for that!
October 1st, 2011 at 9:53 am
Wow, that’s one hell of a story! Thanks a lot for your comment. Let me know if you want to share your story with my readers when you’re done. I’m sure it’s going to be an interesting read. Good luck!