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The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Firebombings, cocaine scams & a crazed football ultra – astonishing inside story of Brit crime war rocking Costa del Sol
WITH its two-for-one cocktail deals, karaoke nights and football screens plastered over every wall, Monaghans wouldn't stand out from any other Irish bar found up and down the Costa del Sol. That was until a chilling bloodbath played out on Saturday evening, as two of Britain's most notorious gangsters were brutally executed in full public view by a masked hitman. 14 14 14 Holidaymakers enjoying a stroll in the sunny beach paradise of Fuengirola, Spain, watched on in horror as the gunman stormed into the pub and ambushed owner Ross Monaghan, 43, and Eddie Lyons Jnr, 46. The shocking scenes are believed to be the latest escalation of a brutal feud between two leading Scottish crime families - the Daniels and the Lyons - that insiders now fear could turn into all-out-war. The last few months have seen cars, homes, and businesses across the country torched in a wave of attacks that, until now, had not seen any deaths. No suspects have been arrested so far, but it's thought the double assasination was ordered by members of the Daniel mob and allies of caged Edinburgh cocaine kingpin Mark Richardson. And with retaliation a near certainty, it is feared that allies of the murdered pair are already flying out to seek retribution. As one onlooker who witnessed the horrific scenes in Spain over the weekend told The Sun: 'I've already heard that there are people coming over on the plane this morning from Scotland to enact revenge. 'They weren't hiding who they were - using their real names, no bodyguards. So it's almost as if they've gotten complacent. 'You can see a darkness - something bad behind their eyes.' Both Monaghan and Lyons Jnr were top members of Glasgow's Lyons mob, two-decades long rivals of the Daniels. Monaghan fled Scotland for Spain after a failed attempt on his life outside a Glasgow primary school in 2017. Horror moment Scots gangster Ross Monaghan is shot dead by hitman at Spanish pub as staff & punters flee in terror But both the Daniels and Richardson gangs have over the last few months faced attacks ordered by a new mobster on the block, known as 'Miami', determined to establish himself as a force to be feared. Meanwhile, Spain-based Lyons associates have acted as middle men and recruited foot soldiers on the ground. The bloody feud began with a drug deal gone wrong involving Ross 'Miami' McGill, a Rangers ultra turned organised crime boss, currently living a life of luxury in Dubai. McGill was a long-time ringleader of the Union Bears, the club's most hardcore group of fans. Dozens of snaps show the Scotsman leading chants from the stands of the Ibrox stadium and he was even given a send-off by then-manager Steven Gerrard when he stepped away from the leadership role in 2021. By then, however, McGill was on the police's radar and soon moved to Dubai after skipping court on drug-dealing allegations. It is from there that he is believed to have been directing a wave of attacks across those who crossed him. 'When EncroChat was cracked, many senior members of organised crime were detained in prisons up and down the country,' explains Graeme Pearson, former director of the Scottish Crime and Drug Agency. EncroChat was a communications tool widely used by organised crime to talk in secret. Its infiltration by police and crime agencies led to hundreds of arrests across the UK and Europe. 'The next generation of would-be gangsters stepped into that void and decided that they were going to be the top kids going forward,' Graeme says. 'It left something of a vacuum at a top level for somebody like McGill to step into the frame.' 'All hell broke loose' He continues: 'All hell broke loose in February. It became evident there'd been a fallout, allegedly about the theft of half a million pounds worth of drugs. 'Ross McGill came onto the scene, but being a new face, the gang took advantage of him, and he was paid with counterfeit money.' Having been done over for £500,000, the mobster is said to have wasted little time before enacting revenge. 14 In McGill's crosshairs were allies of Edinburgh-based cocaine kingpin Mark Richardson, currently being held in isolation at HMP Low Moss. Calling themselves Tamu Junto (TMJ) - Portuguese for 'We're in this together' - the footsoldiers targeted homes and businesses belonging to those linked to Richardson and the Daniels. The shameless group have even been posting sinister, slick videos set to music proudly showing off the trail of destruction they've left. One clip made in April showed the aftermath of a firebomb attack on a garage linked to the son of the late Jamie Daniel, while a house in Edinburgh was also torched. In the video, they warn: 'We are urging everyone in Scotland on the streets and those incarcerated to join us in the fight against Mark Richardson and the Daniels family. 'These rats have been thieving for a long time. 'It's time for people to stand together as one and remove this vermin from the streets.' Earlier in May, the home owned by Kelly 'Bo' Green, daughter of late crime kingpin Jamie Daniel and ex-partner of slain gangster Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll was torched, leaving scorch marks around the exterior. Even more shockingly, a 12-year-old boy and 72-year-old woman were battered after being found in a property linked to the Daniel family. A trio of thugs armed with knives and machetes also stormed a car repair firm in East Kilbride run by convicted heroin dealer Robert Daniel, 50. 14 It is believed that the Lyons mobsters based in the Costa del Sol proved crucial in helping McGill identify targets and recruit foot soldiers for his war of revenge, with boss Steven Lyons, 44, thought to live there. 'The TMJ is a very new development. The authorities haven't recognised it yet,' says Pearson. 'But there is a street acceptance that they operate at the behest of McGill. 'So when McGill erupted onto the scene, it seemed a marriage of convenience for the Lyons family to connect up with the new kid on the block.' There is currently no extradition treaty between the UK and Dubai. As such, thugs like McGill are essentially untouchable, able to live a life of luxury with their ill-gotten millions. 14 The vicious mob recently refuted reports that McGill had called for the violence to be halted. 'We have terrorised you since March and we will continue to do so,' they said in a post on social media only the day before Monaghan and Lyons were shot. 'Despite false claims in the media, TMJ will continue to target anyone associated with the Daniel family or Mark Richardson. 'We aren't going away - we will continue to target you. 'We have no rules, we have no limits. 'We are coming for you.' It's thought that more than 100 mafia-like groups could be operating on the Costa del Sol, which is less than an hour's drive away from the port of Algeciras, one of Europe's main points of entry for cocaine. The expiration of an extradition agreement between the UK and Spain in 1978 made the region especially popular among British gangsters. Charlie Wilson, part of the Great Train Robbery, was one of them - before he was shot dead in 1990 at his villa in Marbella. There was also the crook and nightclub owner Ronnie Knight, and Krays associate Freddie Foreman. Meanwhile, plenty of lesser-known Brit gangsters have met a grizzly end on this part of the Spanish coastline. That includes Scott Bradfield, whose limbs were found crammed into a suitcase back in 2002, and 39-year-old Sean Hercules from Leeds, who died following a shootout with police in 2018. Wave of violence Police Scotland have so far made more than 40 arrests as part of Operation Portaledge, which was launched in response to the escalating violence. Scotland's top cop Jo Farrell said the force is determined to create 'a hostile environment' for gangsters involved in the violence. Underworld figures have claimed that McGill rejected an offer of peace talks with top mob boss Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel, 45. An insider said: 'Bonzo has reached out a few times looking to call for peace. 'But the Dubai guy has made it clear he is not interested.' McGill and the Lyon clan also have a trick up their sleeve - an alliance formed between the slain Monaghan and the notorious Kinahan crime cartel from Ireland. 14 It is believed that Monaghan was key in building the friendship after he boldly approached arch-boss Daniel Kinahan several years ago. As allies of the slain gangsters plot revenge, their alliance with the Irish gangsters could prove crucial in gaining an upper hand against their Scottish rivals once and for all. Meanwhile, the ambitious McGill is also likely to not let Saturday's dramatic violence deter him from waging war on his rivals. And with carnage all but guaranteed, the Costa del Sol may find itself the sunny backdrop to a very bloody game of revenge.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Police probing firebombing at Scottish mansion after gangsters shot dead in Spain
Police are probing a Scottish firebombing which took place shortly after two notorious gangsters were shot dead in Spain. High-ranking members of the Lyons crime clan - Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan - are understood to have been fatally shot outside a pub registered to Monaghan in Costa Del Sol on Saturday night. A masked gunman got out a vehicle and opened fire on his targets outside the pub which was full of punters watching the Champions League final in Fuengirola. READ MORE: Robbie Williams' wife Ayda gives one-word take on Edinburgh as couple take in sights READ MORE: Edinburgh Robbie Williams fans vow 'never again' as they're trapped in huge crowds after gig Just minutes after the gunman opened fire, a plush Scottish home in the Renfrewshire village of Bridge of Weir was torched, causing considerable damage, reports the Record. The incident took place shortly before 11.30pm and prompted a response from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service as well as police. A window of the property was reportedly smashed and the interior suffered smoke damage. The firebombing is currently being investigated by Paisley CID who are probing whether or not it is linked to recent incidents in Edinburgh and Glasgow which began in March. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. War was waged on Edinburgh kingpin Mark Richardson and the Daniel crime clan after a Dubai-based Mr Big was ripped off in a £500k drug deal. The individual, who was recently named as Ross McGill, has since targeted businesses and properties linked to both Richardson and his Glasgow-based associates. It is also unclear if the double murder bid in Spain is linked to the escalating Scottish underworld feud. Detective Sergeant Kenny Taggart said: "The fire was set alight within a residential area and caused considerable distress and alarm to nearby residents. Thankfully, there were no reports of any injuries. "I am appealing to anyone who heard or saw anything suspicious in the local area to contact us. I would ask residents in the Bridge of Weir area and surrounding villages who have video doorbell, CCTV or possible dash cam footage to review it. "It may have captured something that can assist our enquiries." Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 4116 of 31 May 2025. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you wish to remain anonymous.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The infamous Scottish gangsters shot dead by hooded gunman outside an Irish bar on the Costa Del Sol
Two 'infamous Scottish gangsters' have been shot dead in front of horrified holidaymakers in a crowded pub in Spain. A masked gunman opened fire at an Irish bar in Fuengirola, on the Costa del Sol, at around 11.30pm on Saturday before fleeing in a vehicle. The victims have been widely named as notorious gangsters Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr, prompting speculation that the assassination is linked to a gangland feud that has raged across Scotland's Central Belt since March. Spanish authorities say the first victim was shot in the chest, while the second was hit in the chest and abdomen. One man died instantly and although attempts were made to revive the other, he was also pronounced dead at the scene. Disturbing images of the incident show a man in shorts and a T-shirt lying lifeless on his back on a terrace outside the bar. Pictures also show police and paramedics surrounding a body that has been covered with a blanket as appalled tourists look on. Unsuspecting visitors to the bar, which was owned by Monaghan and calls itself a 'family friendly' venue, had gathered to watch the Champions League final before the gunman burst in. One local told the Malaga Hoy newspaper: 'I thought they were going to kill me too. I thought I was hearing fireworks at first but then saw the noise was coming from someone firing a gun.' Another explained that he saw people running for their lives, adding: 'I looked out and saw a man pointing at something and shooting. I was in shock, I didn't know how to react.' No arrests have been made, but police have set up roadblocks in the surrounding area in a bid to catch whoever was responsible. According to Spanish newspapers, the regional authorities have mobilised a specialist violent crime unit to investigate the incident. The Foreign Office said that it had not been approached for any consular assistance but its staff were ready to assist any British nationals if required. The shootings are the latest in a series of violent crimes that have shaken the Costa del Sol in recent weeks as rival gangs operating from the popular resort seek to settle scores. Six weeks ago, a 32-year-old British man was murdered in the nearby town of Calahonda, in what police are treating as a drug-related gang shooting. Just days before, a 34-year-old Briton was hospitalised after being shot outside a nightclub in Marbella. Ross Monaghan was previously linked to the high-profile killing of one of Glasgow's most notorious gangland figures and enforcer for the Daniel crime family, Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll. He was targeted as he sat outside a supermarket in Robroyston, Glasgow, in 2010. Monaghan was accused of the murder and of disposing of evidence after the shooting but was later acquitted amid a lack of evidence. He was targeted by a shooter in 2017 when he dropped off his daughter at primary school in Glasgow. Lyons Jnr was shot at just days before Carroll was killed. Police Scotland refused to say whether they are supporting foreign officers on the possible Scottish organised crime element of the shooting at the seafront bar, Monaghans. A vicious gangland war has been raging between three rival groups since March. It has seen buildings firebombed and men mutilated across the Central Belt. Former Union Bears chief Ross McGill, 31, has been blamed for launching a wave of attacks in Glasgow and Edinburgh over a drug deal gone wrong. The Dubai-based gangster is said to have ordered assaults on associates of the Daniel crime family, which are believed to have been plotted with the help of Spanish-based rivals from the Lyons gang. More than 40 arrests have been made in Scotland in response to the escalating turf war, but McGill's enforcers, a group dubbed Tamo Junto, have vowed to continue their attacks regardless. On Friday, the group wrote: 'We have terrorised you since March and we will continue to do so.'
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Irish Times
Robodogs, digital forensics and ghost guns: inside Interpol's innovation lab
A fleet of underwater drones, gleaming and ready for action, is lined up along the wall. Nearby, a small armoury of brightly coloured, 3D-printed guns is displayed on a side table. A robot dog, named Inno, lies prone on the floor, waiting to be activated. In the leafy Singapore suburb of Tanglin, over the road from the British high commission and the US embassy, and a block away from the botanic gardens, Interpol 's innovation centre is where law enforcement officers from around the world come to analyse the latest strategies of organised criminals and develop techniques for bringing them down. One side of a global arms race is being waged here, as the international police organisation tries to stay ahead of its increasingly sophisticated and professionalised criminal adversaries. For a decade this modest research facility, kitted out with technology at the forefront of policing, has been a mecca for forensic scientists. The centre is set within Interpol's large, fortified complex in Singapore, its second biggest office behind its headquarters in Lyon, France. READ MORE The site also includes one of Interpol's three global command and co-ordination centres which, along with facilities in Lyon and Buenos Aires, provide 24-hour monitoring for police in nearly 200 countries. If a suspect on Interpol's most-wanted list crosses an international border, they will be flagged here. In 2024, 215 fugitives were caught this way. This year, Mohamed Amra, the gangster known as 'The Fly', who was named France's public enemy number one after his escape from custody left two prison guards dead last May, was arrested in Romania following an operation involving an international network of police. The Singapore office is where Interpol studies a range of modern criminal activities, including cyber crime, digital piracy and counterfeit pharmaceuticals. As in many industries, the business of crime has been profoundly affected by developments in artificial intelligence , upending the cat-and-mouse game played by the police and criminals. 'The changes in criminality we have seen over the last two to three years because of advances in technology are bigger than at any point in my career,' says Fabio Bruno, a bespectacled Italian, who started as a fraud investigator in the late 1990s and now runs Interpol's digital forensics team. Bruno and his colleagues – Paulo Noronha, a Brazilian, and Abdulla al-Jalahma, from Bahrain – take me on a tour of the digital forensics lab. Here the team uses an array of gadgets, from chip readers to smartwatch testing tools, to disassemble digital devices before extracting and analysing their precious data. Near the door sits a bulky suitcase, heavily padded with a dozen or so cartridges that resemble retro video games. These are readers for the infotainment systems of a variety of car models. Each cartridge can be hooked up to the mini computer that sits inside most modern cars and stores huge amounts of data on their movements. Vehicle digital forensics is one of the fastest-growing areas of criminal investigation. 'Sometimes if the suspect connects their phone to their car entertainment system, we can even access their messages and call history,' says Noronha with a mischievous grin. The mobile phone has become arguably the most important piece of evidence for criminal investigators. It holds a wealth of information on communication, movement and search history, as well as personal media files. Criminals often try to break or discard their phones when they realise they are about to get caught. But even if the screen or the handset is damaged, the most valuable information is stored in a labyrinth of microchips. Half the Interpol lab is dedicated to workstations for extracting circuitry from broken phones and other devices, using digital microscopes and tiny precision tools. Around a corner is a portable 'clean room', a glass box with an extractor to purify the air and keep out dust. The chips are highly sensitive to contamination. Next to it is a thick metal door leading to a windowless office. This is a Faraday room, Jalahma explains, which blocks electromagnetic signals. It is here that investigators take phones that are off or dead and turn them back on for inspection. 'It is like an underground bunker,' says Jalahma. 'If you turn a phone on and it connects to a network, there is always the risk that someone will be able to connect to it and wipe it remotely. We cannot take that risk.' A logo at Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation building in Singapore, which aims to strengthen global efforts to fight increasingly tech-savvy international criminals. Photograph: Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images The lab also features a range of 3D laser scanners: special cameras that capture a 360-degree impression of a crime scene. Set atop a 6ft tripod, the tall black dome head resembles a sleeker version of a surveying tool common on most building sites. During a 20-second rotation, its multiple sensors and cameras can map out a high-definition 3D image, limiting the chances of contamination. 'You can have fewer people walking around, adding their own footprints and potentially accidentally tampering with evidence,' says Bruno. Investigators can revisit the scene remotely with more accurate measurements of bullet trajectories or bloodstain patterns than by traditional methods. The virtual crime scene provides juries with a more immersive way to assess evidence. The International Criminal Police Commission, as it was known, was founded in 1923 as a group of police forces from 20 countries. Interpol today counts 196 countries as members, a global organisation that unites the US, China, Russia, Ukraine and Iran. Just a handful of countries are not members, including North Korea, Kosovo and Taiwan. More than 10,000 of Interpol's famous red notices – international alerts for wanted individuals – are issued every year. The first was for a Russian man accused of killing a police officer in 1947. Since then, Interpol has launched a rainbow of different notices: yellow for missing persons, black for unidentified bodies, silver for criminal assets. Interpol encourages members to share investigative techniques, and it hosts centralised criminal record systems. One of its first priorities was cracking down on counterfeit currency, cheques and passports. It was through Interpol that fingerprint identification techniques, developed by Danish police, spread globally. The organisation now hosts 19 separate databases, centralising more than 225 million police records on areas as diverse as travel and identity documents, firearms and stolen property. One tracks lost artwork, containing descriptions of cultural objects stolen from museums or looted from war zones such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Another logs incidents of maritime piracy. In total the databases were searched some 7.4 billion times in 2023. [ Interpol being misused by China to target dissidents and others, ICIJ investigation finds Opens in new window ] Sharing information between police forces is a key part of Interpol's mission. At the Singapore complex, a dedicated team of cyber crime experts from police forces around the world work together to assess emerging cyber threats and alert countries that are under attack. Working at desks in rows and facing a screen showing live data on cyber attacks, the team gathers and analyses information on one of the fastest-moving areas of organised crime. The Singapore office was opened in 2015 to act as a global hub for tackling the emerging threat of cyber crime. As AI-enabled crime has risen to prominence, the team is now focused on deepfake romance scams, sextortion and multimillion-dollar phishing attacks. 'AI has completely changed the criminal's business model,' says Huanzhang Fu, a former policeman from China who leads the AI lab. A decade ago, a widely attempted fraud was the 'Nigerian prince' scam, wherein a victim is emailed by supposed foreign royalty, with the promise of shared riches if they provide an upfront payment. Today's AI-enabled scams are far more sophisticated. Large language models strip out telltale signs of a scam, such as spelling mistakes or syntax errors. Meanwhile, deepfake audio and video are used to provide 'proof' of the scammer's credentials. Southeast Asia is the global centre for romance-baiting scams, where fraudsters strike up phoney relationships with victims, convincing them to hand over ever-greater sums. The day I visit, the cyber centre is monitoring close to 3.5 million attempted attacks – a fairly typical day, I'm told, with education institutions, telecommunication companies and government agencies the hardest hit. The screens being analysed by the cyber specialists, on secondment from countries as diverse as Ukraine and Sri Lanka, show a particularly effective malware attack emanating from eastern Europe and targeting countries across north Africa and Asia. Advances in AI have brought about a new age in the global arms race between police and criminals – one that Interpol is battling to stay ahead of. [ Opens in new window ] Dogs have aided law enforcement since at least the Middle Ages. The word 'sleuth' is derived from bloodhounds in 14th-century Scotland, known as 'slough dogs' for their ability to track miscreants through boggy ground. The latest iteration of the police dog is the robotic K9, used to assess potentially dangerous scenes before entering. These robodogs, metallic and faceless with spindly legs, are packed with sensors to detect the presence of a range of hazards, from drugs and explosives to chemicals and radiation. Interpol's Chinese-made model is roughly the size of a German shepherd. It lies dormant during my visit, but I'm told it can run at up to 12km an hour and jump more than a metre high. The dogs' ability to climb stairs, carry phones or medical supplies, and send and receive audio messages makes them handy in hostage negotiations. Interpol's battles are also naval. Its collection of remote-controlled, blue submersible drones highlights the way criminals and police often use the same technology, in an escalating battle. Much like the flying drones gangs use to smuggle drugs and mobile phones over prison walls, their underwater cousins are used to transport contraband along rivers and out at sea. From Brazil, drugs and weapons are transported overseas strapped to the hulls of ships. In this so-called parasite smuggling, cocaine traffickers hire skilled divers to attach torpedo-shaped, waterproof containers to cargo ships bound for European and Asian ports. The ships' crews may have no idea they are part of a global smuggling operation. Interpol's drones monitor for parasites at major ports. [ Ireland is awash with cocaine, but how does it get into the country? Opens in new window ] Another area where police are catching up with criminals is the proliferation of 3D-printed firearms. A type of 'ghost gun', the plastic weapons first appeared just over a decade ago. The availability of 3D printers and print-to-order services online means criminals are finding it easier to manufacture bespoke firearms. Luigi Mangione, the suspect accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, was in possession of a pistol and silencer that police believe was 3D-printed. More than 27,000 ghost guns were seized by US police in 2023, up from 1,629 in 2017. Despite their flimsy appearance, each one can sell for as much as $2,000 (€1,750) on the black market. The replica gun parts on display at Interpol's lab are manufactured here to use in research into ghost guns' traceability. Unlike traditional firearms, which have serial numbers, it seems impossible to track the origin of a ghost gun. Researchers at the lab are working to link ghost guns to their specific printers, analysing distinctive production patterns. But for every success, the researchers at Interpol are acutely aware that the game of one-upmanship will continue, Bruno says forlornly. 'They are clearly learning from us just like we are studying them.' – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I was the Kray twins' most feared rival…they were fake hardmen who broke down in tears to me over notorious murder
THE Krays are legends in the minds of many - but not to former rival Eddie Richardson who was once part of the notorious Richardson gang along with his brother Charlie. Speaking exclusively to The Sun, the now 89-year-old revealed his memories of the Krays and his time in the dark underworld of 50s and 60s London. 17 17 17 'If people knew them better,' said Eddie, 'they'd realise what two f***ing mugs they were.' With the new series of Peaky Blinders expected to focus on the rise of what's dubbed the 'golden era' of British gangsters, only a handful of people who saw it firsthand are still alive to tell their story. Eddie, who served more than 23 years behind bars as a double A category prisoner in some of the country's most secure institutions, said: 'I was working the stores in Parkhurst, and the Krays were in the hospital wing. 'They'd come to where I was working. But they were like two lost sheep. 'I had a date I was coming home, so my mind was outside prison. 'I don't know what was in their heads - not a lot. They were both very thick.' With brother Charlie and friends like the notorious 'Mad' Frankie Fraser, the Krays were the undisputed kings of their patch of the capital. Born in 1936, Eddie started in the scrap metal industry before building an empire of clubs and businesses across South London that rivalled anything Reggie and Ronnie had in the East End. 'I met them at the Elephant and Castle pub one time, because I wanted to have a meeting,' Eddie recalled. 'I only stayed there for about half an hour. 'It was a waste of time - they weren't any benefit to us.' 17 While the Krays' infamous lives have been immortalised in endless books and even a film, 2015's Legend, they still held secrets known only to those there at the time. 'A lot of people think Reggie wasn't gay, but he was,' revealed Eddie. It was widely known that his brother, Ronnie, was gay or at least bisexual - even enjoying a sadistic sexual relationship with the Tory peer Lord Boothby. Tragic marriage Reggie wed Frances Shea in 1965, but she walked out less than a year into the marriage and repeatedly tried to get it annulled on the grounds of non-consummation. In 1967 she was found dead at the tender age of 23. 17 17 An inquest concluded she had committed suicide - although some have since claimed she was murdered. 'I went to the film Legend, I was on the red carpet for that,' told Eddie. 'The Shea family were there protesting because he never even consummated the marriage with that girl. 'It was ridiculous what they'd done to her. She was a nice, attractive girl, enjoying life. 'Finished up with them two f***ing w***ers, and committed suicide.' Decades later, Reggie's former cellmate Bradley Allardyce claimed the gangster told him Ronnie forced her to swallow an overdose of pills out of jealousy. Kray biographer John Pearson was also reportedly told by Ronnie that the twins had enjoyed sex with each other when they were young. 'Reggie was making out that he was heterosexual, making it out that he wasn't gay like his brother, but they both were. He kept it quiet,' said Eddie. 'It was symbolic what they'd done to Frances - such f***ing idiots.' 17 17 Brutal murder The Richardsons made a fortune through Soho cinemas showing 'blue' movies, fruit machine rackets and 'security' firms, with Eddie enjoying luxury nights out on London clubs and splashing out on Rolls Royces. But a bust-up in a Catford nightclub in 1966 saw Kray associate Richard Hart shot dead, and Eddie was sentenced to five years in prison for affray. It put an end to a life that, until then, had been packed with fine dining, tailored suits, and celebrity pals. His enforcer, 'Mad' Frankie Fraser, was charged with the shooting, though this was later dropped. Eddie looks back fondly on the loyalty that Frankie, who passed away in 2014, showed to him. 'He was game at heart, Frankie. Very game. Never argued, did whatever I said. 'He got more money with me than he'd ever had in his life. 'He knew a lot of people, which was useful to me too - (Scottish enforcer) Albert Dimes, (gangster) Billy Hill, people like that.' 17 17 Following the shooting, police arrested most of the gang on July 30, the day England triumphed in the World Cup. With mounting testimony from victims, and gang members increasingly willing to talk in exchange for pardons, 1967 saw the so-called 'torture trial' kick off at the Old Bailey. The court heard how those who got on the wrong side of the gang faced beatings, having their teeth ripped out with pliers, and their genitals clamped with a wind-up electric generator. Eddie had ten years added onto his sentence, while brother Charlie was put away for 25 years after being found guilty of fraud, extortion, assault, and grievous bodily harm. The Krays, in turn, were arrested in Bethnal Green on May 8, 1968. Ronnie was found guilty for the murders of Jack 'The Hat' McVitie, and Richardson associate George Cornell, allegedly in revenge for the latter calling him a gay slur. Cornell was shot at point blank range and in full public view at the Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel on March 9 1966, the day after the Catford shooting. The pair were handed life sentences, where they once again crossed paths with Eddie in Parkhurst prison on the Isle of Wight. Ronnie was eventually diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and lived out the rest of his life in Broadmoor. 17 17 17 Life behind bars 'Reg was opposite cells to me, in Parkhurst,' said Eddie. 'I used to get the Times, and he got the Telegraph. At tea time we'd swap papers. His paper hadn't even been opened - pages still stuck together. 'You can understand why. He wasn't thinking about outside - but my mind was. I had family and all that. 'I had plenty of friends outside, whereas they didn't really have anyone like that.' At one point, the murder of Frank Mitchell, a one-time friend of the Krays, came up. In December 1966, the pair helped the gangster, dubbed "Britain's most violent convict", escape from Dartmoor prison before deciding he was 'out of control' and ordering his murder, 12 days later. 'I said to Reggie, 'That was a f***ing liberty, killing Frank Mitchell'', Eddie remembers. 'Tears came into his eyes, and he said: 'I didn't want it done, Ed. I didn't want it done'.' Eddie also recalled a time when, in a Leicester prison, Reggie was caught in a fight with a fellow inmate. 'It went on a little while, and eventually, Reggie was on top. After about five minutes, I thought enough's enough,' said Eddie. "I got hold of him and pulled him off. I was the only one there who could have done that without him having a row with me." Eventually freed in 1977, Eddie was sent down again for 25 years in 1990 after being convicted of importing cocaine and cannabis into the country. He takes a dim view of people like Dave Courtney, a self-proclaimed gangster who died in 2023. Released early in 2001, he now lives in a leafy suburb of the capital, and - popular with the ladies as ever - also has a girlfriend. He spends a lot of his time painting, having learned about art in prison. Reflecting on how the world's changed, Eddie added: 'Everyone looked after themselves back then - we sorted out our own problems. 'That's changed completely.' An Evening with Eddie Richardson will be held on Thursday 12 June at 7pm in The Brookmill Pub, Deptford, SE8 4EJ. Tickets are available online at for £30, and include entry, meet and greet, raffle, and memorabilia auction. 17
