Melbourne gangland widow freed on bail after being charged with kidnapping and death threat

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Gangland widow Roberta Williams has been given bail by a Melbourne court after allegedly kidnapping and threatening to kill a television producer making a show about her life.

The 50-year-old widow of convicted killer Carl Williams, who was killed in prison in 2010, is one of four people charged with assaulting and threatening to kill producer Ryan Naumenko at Collingwood on 9 July.

Naumenko had agreed to work on a reality show about Williams’s life and was invited to a party, only to be tied up with a power cord and beaten, police allege.

Williams was bailed in Melbourne magistrates court on Wednesday after being charged with 10 offences including deprivation of liberty, false imprisonment, making threats to kill, and recklessly and intentionally causing serious injury.

Naumenko was allegedly told, “Righto Ryan, you’re fucked. It’s all over now.

“Roberta wants money otherwise you’re fucked.”

Detective Senior Constable Lisa Hollingsworth told the court that Williams screamed: “Kill the cunt ... he is no use to us any more.”

Williams is also accused of threatening to tell police Naumenko raped her daughter, claiming she had paid off the authorities and media.

During police questioning Williams threw chairs around the interview room, Hollingsworth said.

In court, Williams yelled this was because she had been tormented by detectives about her husband’s killing.

The magistrate, Robert Kumar, threatened to stop proceedings unless she was quiet.

Williams was granted bail despite prosecutors’ fears she posed an unacceptable risk to Naumenko and could try and flee the county.

Kumar noted Williams had an eight-year-old autistic son who required around-the-clock care, so agreed to release her from custody with strict conditions.

She must adhere to a curfew, report daily to police, and cannot associate with her co-accused or contact witnesses.

Williams did not speak to waiting media while being escorted from court by her lawyers after providing a $10,000 surety.

Police also allege James Harrison and Jake Sexton, both aged 24, and a third man, joined Williams in threatening to kill Naumenko.

Harrison was granted bail on Wednesday night after being charged with similar offences. Sexton was due to appear in court on Thursday.

Sexton, Williams and Harrison are due back in court on 8 October.

The third man was charged after being arrested last month at Melbourne airport.