Hailey Tran
Ashworth Hospital in Maghull, Merseyside, is one of only three high-security psychiatric hospitals in England. It has housed some of the UK's most notorious criminals, including Ian Brady, Mark Corner, and Charles Salvador, formerly known as Charles Bronson. Paul Onions, a British Navy veteran, was hitchhiking in Australia in 1990 when he had a near-death encounter with Ivan Milat, a serial killer. Onions managed to escape, and his evidence was crucial in Milat's conviction in 1996. However, it is unclear if Paul Onions was ever admitted to Ashworth Hospital, as there are no reports of him being institutionalized for mental health issues.
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What You'll Learn
Paul Onions' near-death experience with Ivan Milat in 1990
In January 1990, Paul Onions, a 23-year-old ex-Navy man from Birmingham, UK, was hitchhiking from Sydney to Mildura in Australia. He was offered a lift by a man who introduced himself as 'Bill' and who Onions later identified as Ivan Milat.
Onions initially felt fortunate to have been given a ride, but soon became uneasy as Milat started making offensive and racist comments. As the white Toyota Landcruiser approached the Belanglo State Forest, Milat pulled over, saying he wanted to get some tapes to play music from, even though the cassettes were within reach of the men in the car. Suddenly, Milat pulled out a gun and a length of rope, telling Onions, "this is a robbery".
Onions realised he was in grave danger and decided to flee. He unbuckled his seatbelt and jumped out of the moving vehicle, running for his life. Milat shot at him and gave chase, and the two men even grappled in the middle of the highway as cars swerved around them. Onions managed to escape his captor and attempted to flag down passing cars. Eventually, a motorist, Joanne Berry, stopped to help him. She drove him to the nearest police station in Bowral, where he gave a detailed report of his ordeal.
Onions' evidence was key to Milat's conviction in 1996. Milat was sentenced to life in prison for his crimes, which included the murders of seven young people, two of whom had been shot in the head multiple times, and one of whom had been beheaded. Milat died in prison in 2019 at the age of 74.
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Onions' crucial evidence leading to Ivan Milat's conviction
In January 1990, Paul Onions was backpacking in Australia and hitchhiking from Liverpool station towards Mildura. He accepted a ride from a man known as "Bill", who pulled out a gun and some rope to rob him. Onions managed to escape from the vehicle and flagged down a passing motorist, Joanne Berry, and together they reported the incident to the Bowral police.
Three years later, after reading newspaper reports about the remains of several partially-buried bodies found in the nearby Belanglo State Forest, Onions called the police hotline from the UK to remind them of his own assault. He was flown to Australia, where he identified Ivan Milat as his assailant. A search of Milat's house revealed various weapons, including gun parts and knives, as well as items belonging to several of the victims.
Onions provided crucial evidence that led to Milat's conviction in 1996. He was the star witness at the four-month-long murder trial, which was the longest in Australian legal history. Milat was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of seven people, five of whom were killed after Onions escaped. Onions turned down a reward of $200,000 to $500,000 for his testimony, saying he did not want to be paid "blood money".
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Milat's death in prison and unsolved murders
Ivan Milat, the infamous "Backpacker Murderer", died in prison on 27 October 2019, at the age of 74. He was diagnosed with terminal oesophageal cancer and transferred to the Long Bay Correctional Centre to continue serving his sentence. Milat was convicted of seven murders, including five foreign backpackers (three German and two British) and two Australians from Melbourne. The bodies of his victims were discovered partially buried in the Belanglo State Forest, bearing similarities to other unsolved murders that police suspected Milat of committing.
Paul Onions, a British Navy veteran, played a crucial role in Milat's conviction. In January 1990, while hitchhiking in Australia, he had a terrifying encounter with Milat, who offered him a ride. Onions soon realised Milat's sinister intentions when he pulled out a gun and a length of rope. Onions managed to escape, and his testimony became key evidence in the prosecution of Milat, leading to his conviction in 1996.
Despite extensive investigations and a reward of $500,000 offered for information, Milat never confessed to the murders and maintained his innocence. Police believe he may have been involved in more killings, with as many as 14 unsolved cases linked to him. These include the disappearances of young women in the Hunter Region south of Newcastle and similar murder scenes with identical modus operandi.
The death of Ivan Milat brought little closure to the families of his victims, as he took the secrets of his crimes to his grave. Milat's great-nephew, Matthew Milat, and his friend Cohen Klein, were also sentenced for a separate murder in the Belanglo State Forest in 2010, continuing the legacy of violence associated with the family.
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Ashworth Hospital's most notorious patients
Ashworth Hospital is a high-security psychiatric hospital in Maghull, Merseyside, that treats patients from across the north-west of England and north Wales. It is one of only three high-security psychiatric hospitals in England. The hospital is home to some of the UK's most violent and notorious patients, who are considered a danger to the public and themselves. Here are some of Ashworth Hospital's most notorious patients:
Ian Brady
Brady, along with his partner Myra Hindley, was convicted of the Moors Murders, killing five children between 1963 and 1965. He was first admitted to Ashworth in 1985 after being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and suffering from delusions and hallucinations. He was declared criminally insane and spent the rest of his life at the hospital until he died in 2017.
Dale Creegan
Creegan was convicted of the cold-blooded murders of police constables Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes in 2012. He lured the officers to a home in Greater Manchester with a hoax 999 call and then attacked them with a gun and a grenade.
Mark Corner
Corner was detained at Ashworth in 2003 for the murders of two sex workers, Pauline Stephen and Hanane Parry, whose remains were found in a bin bag in an Everton alleyway.
Unidentified Patient
In 2018, a patient at Ashworth attacked seven nurses while being escorted back to the hospital from Aintree Hospital, where he had been treated for self-inflicted bite wounds. The patient punched one nurse three times, causing a concussion, and then put another nurse in a chokehold.
Kyle Miller
In 2017, convicted sex offender Kyle Miller launched an unprovoked attack on a nursing assistant at Ashworth Hospital.
Unidentified Patient
In 2013, a patient at Ashworth held a broken CD to a female nurse's throat in a hostage attempt.
Paul Onions
Paul Onions is not a patient at Ashworth Hospital. He is a British backpacker who had a near-fatal encounter with serial killer Ivan Milat in Australia in 1990. Onions provided crucial evidence that led to Milat's capture and conviction.
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Paul Onions' current whereabouts
Paul Onions is not in Ashworth Hospital. Ashworth Hospital is a high-security psychiatric hospital in Maghull, Merseyside, UK. It is one of only three high-security psychiatric hospitals in England. The hospital has housed some of the UK's most notorious killers, including Ian Brady, Mark Corner, and Charles Salvador (formerly known as Charles Bronson).
Paul Onions is a British Navy veteran who, in 1990, had a near-deadly encounter with Ivan Milat, the "Backpacker Murderer", in Australia. Onions was hitchhiking to a fruit-picking job in southern Australia when he accepted a lift from Milat, who soon pulled out a gun and a length of rope. Onions managed to escape, and three years later, he provided the crucial information that led to Milat's conviction. Onions testified against Milat in court and was awarded $500,000, which he returned, stating that he did not want to be paid "blood money".
Ivan Milat died in prison in 2019, and Paul Onions is now 53 years old. He has tried to rebuild his life in recent years by becoming an accomplished sailor. There is no indication that Paul Onions was ever admitted to Ashworth Hospital or any other psychiatric facility. Therefore, it can be assumed that Paul Onions is currently living a private life somewhere in the UK or Australia.
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Frequently asked questions
Paul Onions is a British Navy veteran who was hitchhiking in Australia in 1990 when he had a near-deadly encounter with serial killer Ivan Milat.
Paul Onions was able to escape from Ivan Milat and provided crucial evidence that led to Milat's capture and conviction. Onions testified in court as the star witness for the prosecution and was awarded $500,000, which he returned, stating that he did not want to be paid "blood money".
Ivan Milat was convicted of seven murders and sentenced to life in prison. He died of cancer in prison in 2019, maintaining his innocence until the end.
No, Paul Onions is not known to have been a patient at Ashworth Hospital.
