Page 197 - Once a copper 10 03 2020

Conviction and imprisonment

Eventually, Scotland Yard decided to arrest the Krays on the
evidence already collected, in the hope that other witnesses
would be forthcoming once the Krays were in custody. On 8
May 1968, the Krays and 15 other members of the Firm were
arrested. Exceptional circumstances were put in place so as to
stop any possible co-operation between any of the accused.

Nipper Read then secretly interviewed each of the arrested
Figure 91 Albert Donohue and offered each member of the Firm a deal if they
testified against the others. Whilst in prison, the Krays had
come up with a plan, which included having Scotch Jack Dickson to confess
to the murder of Cornell, Ronnie Hart to take the McVitie murder and Albert
Donoghue to stand for Mitchell.

Donoghue told the twins directly that he wasn't prepared to be cajoled into
pleading guilty, to the anger of the twins. He then informed Read via his
mother that he was ready to cooperate. Read set up another secret
interview, and Donoghue was the first to tell the police everything that he
knew.

Ronnie Hart had initially not been arrested and was not a name initially
sought after by the police. With Donoghue's testimony, Hart was hunted
down, found and arrested. Offering the same terms as the others arrested,
Hart then told Read everything that had happened during McVitie's murder,
although he did not know anything about what happened to the body. This
was the first time that the police knew exactly who was involved and offered
them a solid case to prosecute the twins for McVitie's murder.

The Kray story has attracted those who would pin glory to their actions. An
extract from Nipper Read’s book ‘The Man Who Nicked The Krays’ spells out
the true horrific nature of their crimes. Read tells the story best as he took
down the statement of Ronnie Hart who was present for the McVitie murder.
“McVitie had therefore been selected as a victim, not because he posed a threat to the
Krays, nor because of the botched shooting of Leslie Payne, but simply because he was
available. Once the decision had been taken and they had stiffened themselves up with a
few drinks, the twins and the gang had walked into the Regency Club where they saw one
of the owners, Anthony Barry. He agreed that McVitie was in the club, and when they told
him they intended to kill McVitie on the spot, he protested to such effect that they decided
to find an alternative venue. As they left Reggie put a gun on Barry's desk and told him to
'look after it'.

Two of the Lambrianou brothers were left at the club to make sure that McVitie did not
leave, and the party moved towards Blonde Carol's Evering Road flat. Once there they
started drinking again, and Hart was sent to tell Barry to bring the gun to the flat. Barry
complained, asking Hart to take it himself, but the instructions were specific. This was a Page197
cunning move by Reggie. Barry was now totally compromised and his silence ensured.