The Krays – a history of violence

Arguably London’s most notorious gangsters, we take a closer look at the crimes of the Kray twins…

In 1961 Ronnie and Reggie Kray began a reign of terror that would endure and define London’s East End right up until today. From protection rackets to members clubs, from brutal street brawls to arson via blackmail extending to the Cabinet Office, the Krays exacted out their own unique form of punishment on anyone who crossed them.

• On 5^th November 1956 Ronald Kray was jailed for 3 years for assaulting Terence Martin in a gang-related incident.

• In February 1960 Reginald Kray was imprisoned for 18 months for protection-related threats

• Christmas 1965 marked a confrontation between the Krays and Richardsons at the Astor Club when a Richardson henchman, George Cornell, referred to Ronald Kray as a “fat poof”. A gang war followed, and a Kray ally Richard Hart was murdered at Mr Smith’s club in Catford on 8^th March 1966. Ronald Kray took revenge by killing George Cornell in The Blind Beggar public house, Whitechapel Road. Intimidation prevented any witnesses from cooperating with police.

• The first murder of which the Kray twins were eventually convicted was that of George Cornell, a member of the Richardson Gang, a rivaling local gang, on March 9, 1966. He and fellow member George Dixon were at the Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel when the Krays and a bunch of associates walked in. When Dixon quipped “Look who’s here”, Ronnie walked up to Cornell and shot him in front of several customers. Reggie held Dixon at gunpoint, but let him live. Cornell was taken to a hospital, but died around 3:30 a.m. Even though there were several witnesses, none dared to testify against the Krays and Ronnie was released.

• On 12^th December 1966 the Krays assisted Frank Mitchell (“The Mad Axeman”) to escape from Dartmoor prison, but Mitchell became increasingly violent and unstable whilst staying in a flat in Barking Road. He disappeared and the Kray twins were later acquitted of his murder, allegedly on 23 December 1966 in London E6. The body was never recovered.

• The Kray twins were arrested on 9^th May 1968 and once they were detained in police custody, witnesses slowly started to develop the confidence to give evidence of the truth to the police team. The trial lasted 39 days at the Old Bailey and the Kray twins were sentenced to life imprisonment, thereby removing from London a notorious criminal influence.