A 27-year-old woman and her two-year-old son were confronted by a knife-wielding man in their home in The Gap, leading to a breakthrough in the case of the serial rapist known as the “Ether Man.” This terrifying incident, which occurred in 1966, marked a turning point in a series of attacks that had gripped Brisbane for months.
Phillip Charles Lamont, a seemingly ordinary public servant, was identified as the perpetrator who terrorised Brisbane residents for 10 months in the 1960s. He preyed on at least six women in their homes across inner-city Brisbane suburbs after dark, using chloroform or ether-soaked cloths to subdue his victims before raping them.
A City in Fear
Crime historian Jack Sim said the attacks triggered one of the biggest police investigations in Brisbane’s history, leaving the city in a state of fear. “Rapes in people’s homes by strangers … it was something the city had never seen,” he explained. In the 1960s, Brisbane was a smaller city, with unlocked doors and unfenced yards common. This made it easier for the Ether Man to attack women in their homes, often in the evening or late at night.
The Attacks Escalate
The Ether Man’s first attack occurred in December 1965 when he attempted to rape a 59-year-old woman in her Coorparoo apartment. He continued to attack women over the next few months in suburbs like New Farm, Milton, Annerley, and Kangaroo Point.
In June 1966, a 24-year-old woman in Annerley was attacked while hanging clothes on the line. She screamed, alerting her husband, who chased the offender but couldn’t catch him. Days later, a 23-year-old woman in Kangaroo Point was found bound and gagged in her apartment, although she had not been raped.
A Crucial Mistake in The Gap
The attack in The Gap, where Lamont threatened a mother and her child with a knife before raping the woman, proved to be his downfall. Witnesses saw a cream-coloured 1963 Ford Falcon Sedan with distinctive red-brown undercoat paint parked near the home around the time of the attack. This vital clue led police to Lamont.
The Investigation and Tragic End
Police questioned Lamont, who initially cooperated but gave conflicting accounts about his car. His fingerprints matched those found at the scene of the first attack in Coorparoo. When confronted with the evidence, Lamont confessed. While police searched his apartment, Lamont, under guard in the kitchen, grabbed a knife and fatally stabbed himself in the chest.
Justice Denied, Legacy Remains
Lamont’s suicide meant he was never brought to trial, denying his victims justice. However, the case had a lasting impact on how police in Queensland dealt with sexual assault cases. Detectives believed Lamont was likely responsible for other unsolved attacks.
Mr Sim said the attacks sparked reform within the police force, leading to the creation of specialist units to handle sexual assault cases. In 1975, the Queensland Police Service established the first Rape Squad in Australia, staffed by female officers and operating 24/7. This initiative provided dedicated support to victims of sexual assault.
Published Date 28-December-2024
