When Karm Gilespie suddenly stopped replying to messages and vanished without trace in late 2013, his friends assumed he'd simply decided to start a new life.
The reality was far more sinister—the former Blue Heelers actor had been secretly arrested in China on drug trafficking charges and has spent over a decade on death row.
Now 61, Gilespie faces immediate execution if his final appeal fails, marking a shocking end to what began as a modest acting career in 1990s Australian television.
From Mount Thomas to motivational speaking
Gilespie, originally from Ballarat, had small parts in Blue Heelers and The Man From Snowy River, and toured a solo show based on the poetry of Banjo Paterson.
His Blue Heelers appearances spanned 1995-1997, where he played the character Keenan Sykes in three episodes of the beloved police drama that drew more than 2.5 million viewers every week at its peak.
While his television appearances were brief, Gilespie later moved into property investment, motivational speaking and financial planning.
He had been well known in financial self-help circles, building a reputation as an encouraging mentor to others pursuing their dreams.
The mysterious disappearance
His abrupt disappearance saw those who knew him embark on a fruitless two-year search for information on his whereabouts.
Friend Jill Parris received a phone call from Karm, who was 'over the moon in love with a new woman' and excited about a business trip to Thailand shortly before he vanished.
The man never not called or wrote to me in the 38 past years of our lives, so when he didn't get back in touch I was immediately scared it was due to something beyond his control
Around the time of his arrest, friends began posting on his social media accounts asking him to contact them. Another long-time pen pal said she knew something was wrong when he didn't follow through on a promise to keep in better contact.
The devastating truth revealed
Gilespie was arrested after more than 7.5kg of ice (methamphetamine) was found in his luggage at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in December 2013, with the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court giving him a death sentence in June 2020—the first public acknowledgement of his secret detention.
China's tough drug laws
According to Amnesty International, murder, rape, arson and spying are all crimes for which China can apply the death penalty, but crimes involving drugs make up half of all death sentences in China.
China imposes the death penalty for drug smuggling, with executions usually carried out by firing squad.
Foreigners previously executed include a Japanese national in 2014, a Filipina in 2013, and a Briton in 2009.
Claims of being framed
Friends maintain Gilespie was set up by Chinese businesspeople. Roger James Hamilton wrote on Facebook that the former Blue Heelers actor had a meeting with 'Chinese business people' who agreed to invest in one of his projects, then gave him 'gifts as a show of good faith' - brand name leather goods and luggage where 'drugs were stashed' in the linings.
Hamilton said he believed Gilespie had been framed after being told by a friend of the former actor's family that he had been asked by Chinese businesspeople to deliver gifts to associates in Australia that were secretly lined with drugs.
Australia's diplomatic challenge
The case highlights the precarious situation facing Australians caught up in China's legal system. New Zealander Peter Gardner is also awaiting sentencing after allegedly attempting to smuggle methamphetamine out of Guangzhou's Baiyun Airport in 2014, with bags that were superglued shut.
Donald Rothwell, a professor of international law at the Australian National University, said the chances of successful appeal in Chinese courts are 'exceptionally low—somewhere in the vicinity of one per cent'.
Family's plea for privacy
Gilespie's family issued a statement through Australia's foreign affairs department saying: 'Our family is very saddened by the situation. We will not be making any public comment and ask that the media respects our privacy at this difficult time.
We also request that friends and acquaintances of Karm refrain from speculating on his current circumstances, which we do not believe assists his case'.
Travel safety for Australian seniors
- Never accept packages, gifts, or luggage from strangers when travelling
- Be especially cautious of business opportunities that seem too good to be true
- Pack your own luggage and keep it with you at all times
- Research destination countries' drug laws before travel—penalties can be severe
- Register with the Australian government's travel advisory service
- Maintain regular contact with family when overseas
The timing of Gilespie's sentencing coincided with deteriorating Australia-China relations, though Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack cautioned against making such links, saying 'Mr Gilespie's life is worth more than that'.
The waiting game continues
Gilespie initially had 10 days to appeal his sentence, but five years later, the outcome remains uncertain. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian has said that the ruling was made by the local Chinese court in accordance with the law, and that Australia should respect China's judicial sovereignty.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said Australian officials have raised Gilespie's case with Chinese counterparts several times and are still working to secure his freedom, adding 'I and the government are very sad and concerned that an Australian citizen, Mr Karm Gilespie, has been sentenced to death in China. Our thoughts are with him, his family and his loved ones'.
The case serves as a stark reminder that Australian laws don't apply overseas, and that travelling seniors should exercise extreme caution when accepting gifts or business propositions abroad.
For a man who once entertained Australian audiences as a small-town troublemaker in Blue Heelers, Gilespie now faces the ultimate real-life drama with his very existence hanging in the balance.
What are your thoughts on this case? Have you ever been approached with suspicious offers while travelling overseas? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Original Article
https://www.news.com.au/entertainme...0acc0130b447ca38cd581ac7762447?from=rss-basic
Friends of Karm Gilespie shocked after Chinese court sentences ‘squeaky clean’ Australian to death | South China Morning Post
Cited text: Gilespie, who is now in his mid-50s, is originally from the regional town of Ballarat, outside Melbourne.
Excerpt: Gilespie faces immediate execution if his final appeal fails
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/poli...ilespie-shocked-after-chinese-court-sentences
Australia plays down role of China tensions in Karm Gilespie death sentence | South China Morning Post
Cited text: ... Gilespie, a 55-year-old financial investor and former actor, was handed the death penalty by a Guangzhou court on Wednesday, seven years after he ...
Excerpt: Gilespie faces immediate execution if his final appeal fails
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/dip...-down-role-china-tensions-karm-gilespie-death
Blue Heelers' actor Karm Gilespie vanished 6 years ago. Now he's facing execution in China.
Cited text: The actor, originally from Ballarat, had small parts in Blue Heelers and The Man From Snowy River, and toured a solo show based on the poetry of Banjo...
Excerpt: Gilespie, originally from Ballarat, had small parts in Blue Heelers and The Man From Snowy River, and toured a solo show based on the poetry of Banjo Paterson
https://www.mamamia.com.au/karm-gilespie-actor/
Craig Gillespie | Actor
Cited text: Blue Heelers · 7.1TV Series · Keenan Sykes · Suited Man · 1995—1997 · 3 episodes · Hotel de Love · 6.0 · Young Man · 1996 · Janus · 8.5TV Series · Rep...
Excerpt: His Blue Heelers appearances spanned 1995-1997, where he played the character Keenan Sykes in three episodes
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2767878/
Blue Heelers—Wikipedia
Cited text: The series drew more than 2.5 million viewers every week at its peak.
Excerpt: more than 2.5 million viewers every week at its peak
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Heelers
Friends of Karm Gilespie shocked after Chinese court sentences ‘squeaky clean’ Australian to death | South China Morning Post
Cited text: He appeared in a number of episodes of Australian police drama series Blue Heelers in the mid-1990s before turning to property investment, motivationa...
Excerpt: Gilespie later moved into property investment, motivational speaking and financial planning
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/poli...ilespie-shocked-after-chinese-court-sentences
Friends of Karm Gilespie shocked after Chinese court sentences ‘squeaky clean’ Australian to death | South China Morning Post
Cited text: He had been well known in financial self-help circles, and his abrupt disappearance saw those who knew him embark on a fruitless two-year search for i...
Excerpt: He had been well known in financial self-help circles
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/poli...ilespie-shocked-after-chinese-court-sentences
Blue Heelers' actor Karm Gilespie vanished 6 years ago. Now he's facing execution in China.
Cited text: Parris said she received a phone call from Karm, who was 'over the moon in love with a new woman' and excited about a business trip to Thailand shortl...
Excerpt: Friend Jill Parris received a phone call from Karm, who was 'over the moon in love with a new woman' and excited about a business trip to Thailand shortly before he vanished
https://www.mamamia.com.au/karm-gilespie-actor/
Blue Heelers' actor Karm Gilespie vanished 6 years ago. Now he's facing execution in China.
Cited text: Around the time of his arrest, friends of 56-year-old Gilespie began to post on his social media accounts asking him to contact them. Another, a long-...
Excerpt: Around the time of his arrest, friends began posting on his social media accounts asking him to contact them.
https://www.mamamia.com.au/karm-gilespie-actor/
Friends of Karm Gilespie shocked after Chinese court sentences ‘squeaky clean’ Australian to death | South China Morning Post
Cited text: Karm Gilespie was arrested after more than 7.5kg of Ice, a methamphetamine, was found in his luggage at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Dece...
Excerpt: Gilespie was arrested after more than 7…
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/poli...ilespie-shocked-after-chinese-court-sentences
Karm Gilespie not the first Australian sent to China's death row—NZ Herald
Cited text: According to Amnesty International, murder, rape, arson and spying are all crimes for which the communist regime can apply the death penalty, but crim...
Excerpt: According to Amnesty International, murder, rape, arson and spying are all crimes for which China can apply the death penalty, but crimes involving drugs make up half of all death sentences in China
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime...-chinas-death-row/VOQ7LSSBDEJX23A5BJFQQY3VUU/
Karm Gilespie: Friends of Australian man sentenced to death in China call for his release | SBS News
Cited text: China imposes the death penalty for drug smuggling, and executions are usually carried out by firing squad. Foreigners previously executed by China fo...
Excerpt: China imposes the death penalty for drug smuggling, with executions usually carried out by firing squad.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article...death-in-china-call-for-his-release/qnmg8rjoh
Current—Former Blue Heelers actor Australian Karm (Cam) Gillespie sentenced to death in China. | BigFooty Forum
Cited text: Mr Gilespie’s friend, Roger James Hamilton, wrote on Facebook that the former Blue Heelers actor had a meeting with a “group of Chinese business peopl...
Excerpt: Roger James Hamilton wrote on Facebook that the former Blue Heelers actor had a meeting with 'Chinese business people' who agreed to invest in one of his projects, then gave him 'gifts as a show of good faith' - brand name leather goods…
https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/thre...illespie-sentenced-to-death-in-china.1241054/
Friends of Karm Gilespie shocked after Chinese court sentences ‘squeaky clean’ Australian to death | South China Morning Post
Cited text: Hamilton said he believed Gilespie had been framed after being told by a friend of the former actor’s family that he had been asked by Chinese busines...
Excerpt: Hamilton said he believed Gilespie had been framed after being told by a friend of the former actor's family that he had been asked by Chinese businesspeople to deliver gifts to associates in Australia that were secretly lined with drugs
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/poli...ilespie-shocked-after-chinese-court-sentences
Karm Gilespie: Friends of Australian man sentenced to death in China call for his release | SBS News
Cited text: New Zealander Peter Gardner is still awaiting sentencing after allegedly attempting to smuggle methamphetamine out of Guangzhou's Baiyun Airport in 20...
Excerpt: New Zealander Peter Gardner is also awaiting sentencing after allegedly attempting to smuggle methamphetamine out of Guangzhou's Baiyun Airport in 2014, with bags that were superglued shut
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article...death-in-china-call-for-his-release/qnmg8rjoh
Karm Gilespie not the first Australian sent to China's death row—NZ Herald
Cited text: NSW man and dual Australian and New Zealand citizen Peter Gardner allegedly tried to board a flight with suitcases full of ice. The bags were superglu...
Excerpt: New Zealander Peter Gardner is also awaiting sentencing after allegedly attempting to smuggle methamphetamine out of Guangzhou's Baiyun Airport in 2014, with bags that were superglued shut
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime...-chinas-death-row/VOQ7LSSBDEJX23A5BJFQQY3VUU/
Karm Gilespie: Friends of Australian man sentenced to death in China call for his release | SBS News
Cited text: However, Donald Rothwell, a professor of international law at the Australian National University, said the chances of the appeal being granted are sli...
Excerpt: Donald Rothwell, a professor of international law at the Australian National University, said the chances of successful appeal in Chinese courts are 'exceptionally low—somewhere in the vicinity of one per cent'
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article...death-in-china-call-for-his-release/qnmg8rjoh
Karm Gilespie: Friends of Australian man sentenced to death in China call for his release | SBS News
Cited text: But it needs to be acknowledged that the chances of success for appeal on criminal matters before Chinese courts are exceptionally low—somewhere in ...
Excerpt: Donald Rothwell, a professor of international law at the Australian National University, said the chances of successful appeal in Chinese courts are 'exceptionally low—somewhere in the vicinity of one per cent'
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article...death-in-china-call-for-his-release/qnmg8rjoh
Family of Karm Gilespie urge friends to stop speculating as he faces death penalty in China | SBS News
Cited text: Mr Gilespie's family on Monday afternoon issued a statement through Australia's foreign affairs department. · 'Our family is very saddened by the sit...
Excerpt: Gilespie's family issued a statement through Australia's foreign affairs department saying: 'Our family is very saddened by the situation.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article...-as-he-faces-death-penalty-in-china/wuzcbnmyu
Australia plays down role of China tensions in Karm Gilespie death sentence | South China Morning Post
Cited text: Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack on Monday said caution should be exercised in connecting Karm Gilespie’s case to friction between ...
Excerpt: Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack cautioned against making such links, saying 'Mr Gilespie's life is worth more than that'
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/dip...-down-role-china-tensions-karm-gilespie-death
Karm Gilespie: Friends of Australian man sentenced to death in China call for his release | SBS News
Cited text: Australian universities urge students to do their own research, rather than heed China's racism warning · Mr Gilespie has 10 days to appeal his senten...
Excerpt: Gilespie initially had 10 days to appeal his sentence
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article...death-in-china-call-for-his-release/qnmg8rjoh
Australia plays down role of China tensions in Karm Gilespie death sentence | South China Morning Post
Cited text: Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters on Monday that the ruling for Gilespie was made by the local Chinese court in accordance...
Excerpt: Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian has said that the ruling was made by the local Chinese court in accordance with the law, and that Australia should respect China's judicial sovereignty
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/dip...-down-role-china-tensions-karm-gilespie-death
Govt doing ‘all it can’ for man in China | The New Daily
Cited text: Earlier, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australian officials have raised Mr Gilespie’s case with Chinese counterparts several times, and were stil...
Excerpt: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said Australian officials have raised Gilespie's case with Chinese counterparts several times and are still working to secure his freedom, adding 'I and the government are very sad and concerned that an…
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life...2020/06/15/karm-gilespie-china-death-sentence
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