The Victorian judge who banned the original Underbelly series has admitted to finding the show "very entertaining".
The series depicted Melbourne's gangland wars - possibly rather too accurately. In 2008 Justice Betty King watched all 13 episodes in one night before taking it off air the following day, on the basis that it might prejudice an ongoing underworld murder trial. She told the Young Lawyers Journal this week that she had "found it very entertaining and that's one reason it had to be banned as it had such an impact."
King knows more about the criminal underworld than most - she sent Melbourne crime boss Carl Williams to jail for 35 years in 2007. He was murdered in prison last month, before being buried in a paparazzi friendly gold casket. Since then King has criticised the celebrity status accorded to gangsters. She recently spoke out about Carl's widow, Roberta Williams, and fellow gangland figure Mick Gatto's growing notoriety. "Roberta Williams has done nothing except be married to a criminal. Mick Gatto has become a celebrity for killing someone and being acquitted on the grounds of self-defence. How does that make someone a celebrity?"
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The series depicted Melbourne's gangland wars - possibly rather too accurately. In 2008 Justice Betty King watched all 13 episodes in one night before taking it off air the following day, on the basis that it might prejudice an ongoing underworld murder trial. She told the Young Lawyers Journal this week that she had "found it very entertaining and that's one reason it had to be banned as it had such an impact."
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King knows more about the criminal underworld than most - she sent Melbourne crime boss Carl Williams to jail for 35 years in 2007. He was murdered in prison last month, before being buried in a paparazzi friendly gold casket. Since then King has criticised the celebrity status accorded to gangsters. She recently spoke out about Carl's widow, Roberta Williams, and fellow gangland figure Mick Gatto's growing notoriety. "Roberta Williams has done nothing except be married to a criminal. Mick Gatto has become a celebrity for killing someone and being acquitted on the grounds of self-defence. How does that make someone a celebrity?"