Image: News Corp Australia

A former Corrective Services Commissioner has revealed what Anita Cobby’s murderers are really like behind bars.

Ron Woodham says the brutal and sickening rapists are “weak cowards” who hide from other inmates.

The pack of five – Michael, Leslie and Gary Murphy as well as John Travers and Michael Murdoch – raped and killing the 26-year-old nurse and beauty queen in horrific circumstances in 1986.

All were sentenced to life in prison, never to be released.

On Thursday night, 66-year-old Michael Murphy became the first of them to die behind bars.

Ms Cobby’s widower John hoped his death “was painful for him”, telling The Daily Telegraph, “One down, four to go.”

Mr Woodham spent 46 years in the prisons system and tells Ray Hadley what life is really like for the gang.

“They needed protection, the other crims would have killed them.

“From my whole service Ray, I reckon this is the second worst murder that I had dealings with the offenders.

“The most gruesome of course was the murder of the woman out at Goondiwindi, Virginia Morse.

Mr Woodham has also revealed the sickening conversation one of the murderers had with his mother, straight after being jailed.

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

“I don’t normally celebrate death, it’s something we should be respectful about,” says Ray.

“But in the case of this bloke Michel Murphy, his two brothers and the other creatures Travis and Murdoch, there’ll be no tears shed here when they finally go.”

“A lot of prison officers feel the same way,” says Mr Woodham.