Ben Archbold

On April 28, 2003 controversy hit TV reality show, Big Brother.

Contestant Benjamin Archbold gave the show further publicity after revelations he had resigned from the Victorian police force in disgrace and that his life was threatened by recently slain gangster Nik Radev.

Former detective Archbold was arrested on November 2, 2001, for offensive behaviour and exposing himself outside the Waterloo Cup Hotel in Moonee Ponds.

He appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on April 1, 2003, and was not convicted and served a 12-month good behaviour bond.

Archbold was the first person allowed into the new Big Brother facility and spent the opening night of the show alone in the so called "round house".

In his biography, Archbold, who now lives on the Gold Coast, said since leaving the force he planned to become a criminal lawyer and described himself as sneaky, manipulative and unpredictable.

"I'm manic, crazy, annoying, intense," he added.

In the show's third episode, Ben revealed that he doesn't play `Monopoly' because he has always been compelled to put the fake money in his wallet and take it home.

On April 29, 2003, the Herald Sun revealed that Archbold had quit the force and moved north after receiving death-threats from notorious gangster Nik Radev.

The threats came well before Radev's shooting death earlier in the month.

Radev threatened the police officer from the public area of a suburban magistrates' court, where associates of his were facing charges.

Archbold, then a senior detective, had been involved in a raid during which Radev's associates were sprayed with capsicum spray.

It is understood Archbold was under investigation ''for a number of groundless accusations'' made by Radev and his associates.

On September 14, 2003, the Herald Sun published an exclusive story in which Archbold told how he was the target of Nik Radev who threatened to kill him while putting a $30,000 bounty on his head.

Archbold said he was hunted by Radev because he was investigating Radev's crimes.

Archbold had to go into hiding after the notorious criminal vowed to "knock" him.

He moved seven times in two years to escape the suspected hitman, eventually leaving the police force and moving to Queensland.

Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Herald Sun, Archbold told how his life was derailed by Radev's campaign of terror.

He lived in fear of his life and for his family -- taking his police service revolver home.

Archbold said Radev once took a grenade to his parent's Toorak hotel to kill him.

Police learnt of the threat through a bugging device attached to Radev's telephone.

"I was absolutely terrified, he was a notorious criminal," Archbold said. "In the initial stages I took a firearm home to protect myself.

"I moved into a motel and wore a (bullet proof) vest outside of the police station."

Archbold said his parents felt compelled to sell their hotel, the popular Bush Inn on the corner of Malvern and Williams roads, and go into hiding after Radev's visit.

Archbold said telephone bugs recorded Radev boasting to a criminal associate that he had gone to the hotel with a grenade with "my name on it".

Radev was seen in the hotel's TAB outlet by Archbold's father, who identified him from police mugshots.

Archbold said Radev left the hotel when he could not find him (Archbold), but there was not enough evidence to press charges.

Archbold accused Victoria Police of lacking compassion.

"I have lost that much faith in Victoria Police," he said. "I was that scared I went into hiding because Victoria Police failed to support me.

"I ran, and ran, and ran."

Archbold said although a senior officer recommended he be put under police surveillance for protection, this was not done.

Archbold said police only agreed to pay for motel accommodation for a few weeks after he paid for the first week.

He said pressure and threats from Radev increased after the criminal was arrested on firearms charges in June, 2001.

Archbold said he moved from the organised crime squad to the Carlton criminal investigation unit, but was still in charge of compiling the case against Radev.

"I wasn't coping, I was asking for help (with the police brief) and I didn't get it," he said. "I was working 60, 70 hours a week."

Radev ordered an associate to threaten Archbold in a suburban magistrates' court where a group of Radev associates were facing charges.

Within 30 minutes of the threat, Archbold was fitted with a concealed recorder in case the gangster repeated the threat.

"I went through months of hell," Archbold said. "I had panic attacks, I became an alcoholic and I just broke down."

Radev and his associates made corruption claims about Archbold which proved baseless.

Archbold said he entered the Channel 10 Big Brother house this year as a public statement to show "I wasn't running any more".

Police had been investigating Radev since 1998.

Archbold said that by chance, Radev came to the attention of the Lorimer taskforce investigating the murders of police officers Gary Silk and Rodney Miller in 1998.

Radev and an associate were found in a stolen car near the restaurant where the detectives were gunned down.

Archbold said that although Radev was not connected with the police murders, he became a "person of interest" to police.

Radev had a reputation as a stand-over man who preyed on white-collar criminals.

He and Housam Zayat, who was later shot dead, dangled a "fraudster" from a seventh storey hotel balcony and bashed him until he put $110,000 in Radev's bank account.

"I was investigating three crooks, Radev, Zayat and another man, but no one would listen to me," Archbold said.

"Well, it is curious that two of the three have been killed in the gangland murders and the third was present during one of the shootings."

Former articled law clerk, Ali Aydin later received a 12-month prison term with a non-parole period of six months after he and a co-offender - notorious criminal Helmut Kirsch aka Gregory Midapp - were found guilty of threatening Archbold in 2001.

Archbold was subjected to the threats over the case involving Zayat Nik Radev, both victims of gangland murders and close associates of Aydin.

On March 29, 2004, a jury heard that former law clerk, Aydin threatened to sue Archbold  if he did not reduce the number of criminal charges against his client.

The County Court was told that Helmut Kirsch, along with Aydin, had threatened Archbold in July 2001 in a bid to influence the criminal case against Housam Zayat.

Prosecutor Andy Moore said Aydin and Kirsch were trying to frighten Mr Archbold so he would "go soft with their client".

The jury heard that Aydin"directly threatened" Mr Archbold with civil and criminal charges, and had also threatened to leak his address to Nik Radev, who was described as "an armed loose cannon".

Such "tactics" implemented by Aydin but "devised by Kirsch" had effectively "held a gun to the head" of Mr Archbold, Mr Moore said.

The threats included reporting Mr Archbold to police on corruption claims and fabricating evidence.

The court heard that after the threats were initially made, Mr Archbold was fitted with a recording device to tape further conversations with Aydin and Kirsch, who had allegedly told Mr Archbold that Radev was "violent" and "a lunatic".

Kirsch pleaded not guilty to one count of intending to pervert the course of public justice.

Aydin had been charged with the same offence as Kirsch, but had been tried separately.

Kirsch was found guilty of threatening Archbold and sentenced to 15 months' jail, six of which were suspended.

This was reduced on appeal.