Russell Street bomber Stanley Taylor dies in custody at 79

Russell Street bomber, Stanley Taylor, has died in custody aged 79.

He was sentenced to life in prison for the 1986 car bomb explosion that killed a female police officer and injured 21 others outside the Melbourne police office on Russell Street.

Corrections Victoria confirmed a prisoner of that age died of natural causes at St Vincents Hospital on Wednesday.

Taylor had been ill for at least a year, according to numerous media reports.

A career criminal, Taylor was known for having a hatred for authority.

Before the bombing, he had served 17 years in prison for numerous bank robberies.

Eight years after getting out, he would commit one of the most brutal acts of terror in Victoria.

The car bomb was set up to explode at 1pm, precisely the time most people would be heading out to get their lunch.

It was stuffed with almost 60 sticks of gelignite and timed for maximum destruction.

Constable Angela Taylor, 21, was on her way to pick up lunch for her office when she was in the direct firing line.

She died of her injuries 24 days after the bombing, becoming the first Australian police woman to die in the line of duty.

The explosion was so large that debris was found three blocks away.

Police were led to Taylor and his accomplices when they were able to rebuild the car used in the attack, and found it had been stolen.

Alongside Taylor in 1988, Craig Minogue received life with a minimum of 28 years and Rodney Minogue was jailed for eight years with a minimum of six in 1988.

Another man, Peter Reed, was found not guilty but was later jailed for 13 years, with a minimum of 11, of the attempted murder of police during the investigation of the bombing.

Craig Minogue will be up for parole by the end of this year.

As with all deaths in custody, Taylor's death will be referred to the coroner.