Page 193 - Once a copper 10 03 2020

According to some sources, Ronnie killed Cornell because Cornell referred to
him as a "fat poof" (a derogatory term for gay men) during a confrontation
between the Krays and the Richardson gang at the Astor Club on Christmas
Day 1965.

Richardson gang member "Mad" Frankie Fraser was tried for
the murder of Richard Hart at Mr. Smith's, but was found not
guilty. Richardson gang member Ray "the Belgian" Cullinane
testified that he saw Cornell kicking Hart. Witnesses would not
co-operate with the police in the murder case due to
intimidation, and the trial ended inconclusively without
pointing to any suspect in particular.
Figure 86 Richardson
Gang member 'Mad'
Frankie Fraser

Frank Mitchell

On 12 December 1966, the Krays
helped Frank Mitchell, "the Mad
Axeman", to escape from Dartmoor
Prison. Ronnie had befriended
Mitchell while they served time
together in Wandsworth Prison.
Mitchell felt that the authorities should
review his case for parole, so Ronnie
thought that he would be doing him a
favour by getting him out of Figure 87 Frank Mitchell (The Mad Axman)
Dartmoor, highlighting his case in the
media and forcing the authorities to act.
Once Mitchell was out of Dartmoor, the Krays held him at a friend's flat in
Barking Road, East Ham. He was a large man with a mental disorder, and he
was difficult to control. He disappeared, but the Krays were acquitted of his
murder. Freddie Foreman, a friend of the Krays, claimed in his autobiography
Respect that he shot Mitchell dead as a favour to the twins and disposed of
his body at sea. Despite their acquittal, Nipper Read, the officer in the case
wouldn’t rest until he’d found out the truth about The Frank Mitchell affair for
himself. He tells the story in Nipper Read – The Man Who Nicked The Krays.

“Albert Donaghue turned to me for help when he realised that the twins were wanting him to
take the blame for Mitchell on his own. They had called for suggestions from the others who
were with them in Brixton. When Donaghue produced a piece of paper with his thoughts,
Ronnie simply tore it up saying, 'It's been decided that you should stand for the Mitchell lot
and we'll share the others out.' So all the comradeship, all the command structure, all the
leadership was gone. Now it was every man for himself and the Krays did not care who Page193
suffered so long as they were all right, Jack. It was after this realisation that Donaghue