'Things could have taken a dramatic turn for the worse': Meet the courageous grandmother who unwittingly helped bring down notorious serial killer Ivan Milat
- A grandmother recalled saving the life of British backpacker from Ivan Milat
- Joanne Berry was driving along Hume Highway in New South Wales in 1990
- She said she saw British backpacker Paul Onion wrestling with Milat on the road
- Mr Onion ran up to her car pleading for help and she drove him away from Milat
A brave grandmother has revealed how she helped bring down notorious serial killer Ivan Milat.
Joanne Berry saved the life of British backpacker Paul Onion as he wrestled with Milat in the middle of the Hume Highway, in New South Wales, in 1990.
Mr Onion would go on, years later, to help investigators link Milat to a string of killings and ultimately bring down the killer.
But he might not have come to play such a crucial role had Ms Berry not stopped her car when she found the pair grappling on the highway years before.
Ms Berry had been driving when she noticed the scuffle near Belanglo, in the state's Southern Highlands, 7News reported.
Joanne Berry saved the life of British backpacker Paul Onion as he wrestled with Milat in the middle of the Hume Highway, in New South Wales, in 1990
Milat has failed to admit to any of the heinous crimes, and was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences with a non-parole period of 18 years
The concerned Canberra grandmother stopped her car and a frantic Mr Onion ran up to her vehicle and pleaded for help.
'(He) said, "Help me, he's got a gun!"' Berry said.
Mr Onion had been fighting Milat, potentially moments away from death.
He had been visiting Australia and needed work. Milat had introduced himself as 'Bill' and offered him a fruit picking job.
An unsuspecting Mr Onion took up the false offer and got in the car.
Though when Milat began to act aggressively towards him, he knew something wasn't right.
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Milat pulled over his car to pull out a length of rope and a gun.
That's when instinct kicked in and Mr Onion later said he saw an opportunity to escape.
'I can remember the silver bullets shining in the chamber, but then I saw the rope and that scared me more,' he said.
'I just thought, "This is it… run or die". So I undid my seatbelt and jumped straight out of the vehicle and ran.'
As good fortune would have it grandmother Ms Berry had stopped her vehicle when she saw the incident on the road.
As Mr Onion pleaded for help, a terrified Ms Berry had to decide what to do as cars swerved around her vehicle.
Mr Onion would go on, years later, to help investigators link Milat to a string of killings and ultimately bring down the serial killer
Milat had been found guilty in July 1996 of killing seven backpackers between 1989 and 1993
Her sister and five children were in the car and she didn't know who the stranger was.
'Looking back now, I can just count my blessings that I was being looked after,' she said.
'Things could have taken a dramatic turn for the worse.'
The pair made statements to police following the incident, though no charges were laid.
Years later, Mr Onion was back at home in England when he read reports of bodies being discovered at Belanglo State Forest.
He contacted NSW police and was flown back to Australia where he identified Milat.
Milat had been found guilty in July 1996 of killing seven backpackers between 1989 and 1993.
He has failed to admit to any of the heinous crimes, and was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences with a non-parole period of 18 years.
The 74-year-old is terminally ill with throat and stomach cancer, and has just a short time left to live.
Milat was taken to Long Bay Jail hospital in May, where he is expected to stay until he passes away.
Milat was taken to Long Bay Jail hospital in May, where he is expected to stay until he passes away
