Part4 Mark “Chopper” Read (1954–2013) was an Australian criminal, author, and notorious underworld figure best known for his violent reputation and darkly charismatic persona. Raised in Melbourne, Read spent much of his life in and out of prison, gaining infamy for brutal assaults, kidnappings, and his unapologetic embrace of criminal culture. Despite his crimes, he became a strange kind of celebrity, publishing a series of autobiographical books that mixed shocking violence with grim humour. Hi

On Australia Day 1978, Mark “Chopper” Read made criminal history. After a failed Supreme Court hostage plan, he was sent to Pentridge’s brutal H Division. Facing a death contract, Chopper cut off both ears to force a transfer — landing at Old Geelong Gaol, Cell 101. Extreme survival, pure infamy. #ChopperRead #AustralianCrime #TrueCrimeAustralia #GeelongGaol #nationalcrimeandjusticemuseum | Geelong Gaol Museum