The Beginning of the End

What brought down Britain’s most feared gangsters?

In Episode 1 of The Krays Web, we start where it all ended — the explosive 1969 Old Bailey trial that finally convicted Ronnie and Reggie Kray.

This episode breaks down the verdicts, the violence, and the fear that kept witnesses silent for years — until the case that changed everything.

In this episode:
• The 1969 trial that ended the Kray empire
• The murders of George Cornell and Jack “the Hat” McVitie
• The culture of intimidation surrounding the Kray firm
• Inside one of the most high-profile trials in British history

Why it matters:
This isn’t a story of glamour — it’s about power, violence, and the victims often forgotten in the legend of the Krays.

Follow the show for more deep-dive episodes into the truth behind the Kray twins.

 Next episode: The early lives of Ronnie and Reggie — Terrible Twos.

 Links to Resources

Check out my website for resources used and social media links : thekraysweb.com

Contact me : wendyceepods@gmail.com

Music by Captain Fat Hands captainfathands.com

Transcript

Wendy Cee 0:24

The Summer of Love.

News Reader 0:26

A rock music festival that drew hundreds of thousands of young people to a dairy farm in White Lake, New York over the weekend came to an end today, and we have a report from Richard O'Brien. They listened for three days, and today they sounded a retreat and headed for home. The sponsors said it was going to be three days of peace and music. It was metal, right? And much more.

Wendy Cee 0:55

Apollo 11 landed on the moon, and Neil Armstrong took those first iconic steps.

News Reader 1:13

It's April 9th, 1969, and Concorde 002 is ready for her maiden flight from BAC's M Field of Filter.

Wendy Cee 1:21

And for those of you that were children at the time, Sesame Street was first broadcast. The world was exciting, fun, fresh, and full of innovation, starting to thrive again after the austerity of the Second World War. BBC One and ITV started to broadcast in colour. The Beatles released their first studio album, Abbey Road, from the iconic Abbey Rose Studios, which, as a side note, I have recorded at. My Way by Frank Sinatra spent 124 weeks in the UK top 75 charts. And in London, Carnaby Street was the heart of the swinging 60s. The first teenage generation who were free from conscription were given a voice and freedom. They turned the decade from black and white to technicolor. The boutiques filled with designers like Mary Quant, with mini skirts and geometric patterns and bold colours being the fashion items of the day. The hippie movement grew, introducing psychedelic prints, vibrant colours, and flamboyant textures. Carnaby Street was buzzing and exciting, full of chatter, laughter, and music. People from all walks of life coming together, including models, celebrities, and rock stars like the Rolling Stones and The Who. But less than two miles away, there was a very different vibe. In the making of this podcast, I've read over 60 books, spent hours trawling through newspaper archives and Facebook groups, watched countless documentaries and listened to hundreds of hours of interviews. I've attended charity events, book signings and parties. I've met and interviewed some of the most amazing people, and I have made some lifelong friends. The Craze Web is going to take you on a journey. From the story of the notorious Kray twins from the East End of London to amazing life stories of many associated with them. From former firm members to rival gang members to family friends, this is going to be a kaleidoscope of memories. Throughout the podcast there will be anecdotes and interviews alongside my storytelling to give you a real flavour of people's lives. Sadly, many of those I would love to have talked to have now passed away, but I will still be telling their stories. The voices that you hear throughout the podcast are all my family and friends who have rallied around to help me to make this podcast more enjoyable for you to listen to. I do want to be clear from the start that the Kray twins are legends in the East End that have been depicted in countless documentaries and films. Many people did and still do worship them. But at the end of the day, they were murderers. And while listening to this podcast, I would ask you to remember the victims and their families. I've used lots of sources when writing these episodes, far too many to list here, but details of which you will be able to find on my website, thecrazeweb.com. Now it's time to sit back, grab a cup of Rosie Lee, and enjoy. This is season one, The Craze. This is episode one, the beginning of the end. Please note there is some swearing in this podcast and descriptions of violence. I'll be adding specific trigger warnings where needed. The fourth of March 1969, the Old Bailey, London. Thirty-nine days into the longest and most expensive trial in London at that time. The all male jury took just six hours and fifty five minutes to reach their verdicts, which were unanimous in all cases. As police patrolled the Old Bailey and guarded the entrances to Court No. Mr. Justice Melford Stevenson delivered his sentencing.

Justice Melford Stevenson 5:24

Ronnie Kray, life imprisonment with a minimum term of thirty years. Ian Barry twenty years. Ronnie Bender, twenty years. Reggie Kray, life imprisonment with a minimum term of thirty years. Charles Kray, ten years. Tony Barry acquitted being under dress. Chris Lambrianou fifteen years. Freddie Foreman, ten years. Tony Lambrianou fifteen years. Connie Whitehead, seven years.

Wendy Cee 6:06

So what had these ten men done to end up here? From the Court of Appeal documents dated the twenty second of july nineteen sixty nine, we can surmise the following. The case for the Crown was that the twin brothers Ronald and Reginald Kray were the leaders of an association of men with criminal records operating in the East End of London and known locally as the Kray Firm. The Crown did not attempt to particularise the activities of this so-called firm, but in the course of the trial witnesses spoke of its having demanded money by menaces from shops and club proprietors, the menaces consisting of threats of physical violence. The allegations are as follows. On the evening of the 9th of March 1966, the twin brothers Ronald and Reginald were drinking with a number of associates in a public house called The Lion, from which Ronald Kray and the applicant Barry drove to another public house nearby called The Blind Beggar, where, according to the barmaid, Ronald shot Cornell in cold blood whilst the latter was drinking with others in the bar, and McVitie disappeared at the end of October 1967 and his body has never been found. The Crown alleged that he was killed with a knife in a basement flat at number 97, Evering Road N16, by Reginald Kray and with the active assistance of Ronald Kray and others. I will be discussing the actual crimes that took place in a lot more detail in later episodes, along with the arrests and some of the aspects of the trial. But right now I want to introduce the victims, George Cornell and Jack the Hat McVitie. George Cornell was born George Myers on the 13th of November 1927 to Mary Ann Garrett and was one of eight children. Later they changed their surname to Cornell when their mum married Joseph Cornell. As was common at this time, the family was very poor, and from the age of twelve, George was out working at Billingsgate Market as a fish porter. Like many of the boys that grew up at this time, George was a bit of a fighter and wasn't scared of anyone. George went on to start his criminal career at the nearby docks, running credit rackets and was always in trouble with the law. He was also alleged to be heavily involved in drugs and pornography. George's son Billy was interviewed by the Mirror newspaper, who quoted him as saying, Dad knew all the traders in my land and the governors of all the pubs. He made his money setting up warehouses and buying in goods on credit, then selling them cheap and folding the business without paying his bills. On the 30th of October 1944, aged just 16 and still known as George Myers, he stole some chickens. A few months later he found himself in prison for three years after breaking into garages and stealing goods. Then, in 1950, now named as George Cornell, he did fifteen months for unlawful wounding and malicious damage. He was relentless. In 1952, not long after he came out of prison, George was fined for assault and willful damage, and then in 1953, he was back in prison for theft after breaking into a shop and stealing razor blades and cigarettes. He also got fined for assaulting two police officers. All small crimes, but still, he definitely had a checkered history. In 1950, George married Olive, and they left the East End to set up home and have a family in Camberwell, South London, later welcoming Billy and a daughter, Raina. George did all right for himself, Billy remembers. He made a success of himself in the most difficult circumstances. He was always well turned out in aquascutum suits, burberry raincoats, and crocodile skin shoes. We had money and nice food at Christmas, and he had a car, and we lived in two flats in South London, and had a house in the countryside. But despite his success financially, he continued to find himself in and out of prison, once allegedly for slashing a woman's face with a blade. And it was while doing his last stretch in 1963 that he met the twins, and on release they helped him to get back on his feet. George was originally a member of the Watney Streeters, an East End gang, but then became associated with the Richardsons, also known as the Torture Gang, when he moved to South London. He was a tough and loyal enforcer for the Richardsons, and was known to be totally fearless, good with his fists, and very strong. The decision to join the Richardsons is probably what ultimately led to his demise. On the evening of the 9th of March 1966, Billy remembered seeing his father as he had been a naughty boy and had received a clip round the ear before being sent to bed. This was the last time that Billy saw him because that night George Cornell had a running with Ronnie Kray in the Blind Beggar pub in the East End of London and sadly passed away. George was around six feet tall with a wide neck. He always dressed smartly in expensive clothes and was a heavy drinker. When drunk he could be violent, unstable, and unpredictable, and was described as a sick, sadistic bastard who liked to inflict pain on his enemies. But despite everything, George was still a victim. His death left two young children without a father, and a wife without a husband. The second victim was Jack Dennis McVitie, born on the nineteenth of April 1932, in Battersea, South London. His father was a labourer and his mother was a charwoman, which meant she was a domestic cleaner who did not live in. Jack was one of five, with three brothers, Henry, Leonard, and Fred, and a sister, Jean. Jack was a bit of a tearaway and received his first criminal conviction aged just fourteen, when he was caught stealing jewellery and a watch. Around the same time he met Esther Marney, who was just thirteen years old, and they fell in love and eventually married in 1949, when Jack was seventeen. Their daughter Mary Elizabeth was born the following year. Sadly, the marriage didn't last. Jack was called up for national service and was posted to Reading. The trip was around seventy five miles each way, and with transport options much more limited than today, it meant that the couple rarely saw each other. Jack continued to be a naughty boy, stealing, for which he was sent to Borstall, and then assaulting a police officer. In 1954, Jack met Sylvia Anne Mitchell, and his second child, Tony Jackson McVitie, soon came along. Jack made money by drug dealing, but it wasn't that that got him arrested. On the 3rd of April 1959, Jack was sent to prison for seven years, along with three of his accomplices, for possessing a flick knife in public and for the possession of explosives. Sylvia couldn't cope any longer, and the couple split up. When Jack left prison at the end of November 1965, he had decided to mend his ways and took a job as a bookmaker's clerk. He also met a new partner, Sylvia Barnard, yes, another Sylvia, and they had his third child. Jack had met Reggie Kray in prison and was soon carrying out criminal activities for the Krays on a part-time basis to earn some extra money. His drinking became out of control, and the twins were starting to see him as an embarrassment. They warned him a number of times, but he ignored them. He also owed them some money for a job that they had paid for up front that he failed to complete. On the 29th of October 1969, Jack was invited to a party by some friends. When he arrived, he was confronted by Reggie Kray and has never been seen again. Jack was around five feet nine inches tall, heavy set with blue eyes. He had numerous tattoos on his body, including the name Anne on his left wrist. His nickname the hat allegedly came from the fact that he always wore a trilby to cover up his hair loss. It was in fact reported that he never even removed the hat even when he had a bath. Jack, like George and many others, was well known to be a violent drunk. But despite all of his shortcomings, Jack was still a victim of murder. His death left two young children without a father. There was a third victim, Frank Mitchell, known as the Mad Axman, so called because he had broken into a couple's house and threatened them with an axe. Frank was murdered, but the Krays were acquitted due to lack of evidence. He was born in 1929, one of seven children in a working class family from East London. His criminal career started at the tender age of nine when he stole a bicycle from another child and was put on probation. He spent his life in and out of Borstall and then prison for breaking and entering and theft. But once inside he was violent towards both guards and fellow inmates, once slashing a guard across the face, and in another incident attempting to murder another inmate. He was often subjected to punishment with the birch, which was a bundle of birch sticks used to beat a person, or the cat and ninetails, which was a multi-tailed whip or flail. In 1955, Frank was assessed and moved to a mental institution from which he later escaped. It was after he was recaptured that he attacked two policemen with meat cleavers, and when he escaped again he held a couple hostage in their home with an axe. In 1958, Frank was sentenced to life in prison for robbery with violence. But that was not the end. Because in 1966, the Krays and some of their associates helped him to escape again. But they got more than they bargained for, because he was so physically strong that they couldn't control him. On the twenty fourth of december nineteen sixty six, Frank was enticed out of the flat that he had been hiding in with the promise of being taken to a safe house in the country. Frank was shot and murdered in the back of the van. His body was never recovered. Frank was a large, physically strong man who loved to demonstrate his power by lifting one full grown man up in each hand. He seems to have been mentally challenged, and many have reported that his mental age was very low, including his lawyer, who I was lucky enough to talk to. Frank was clearly mentally unwell and needed to be institutionalized for not only his own safety, but for the safety of others. But Frank was still a victim of murder, and nobody has ever been convicted of this crime. Frank's family have never had a resolution, and his body has never been recovered. I will be discussing more about the circumstances leading up to the murders in later episodes, but right now we're going back to March 1969 and the trial of Ronnie Kray, Reggie Kray, and eight of their associates. The trial was a joint trial for ten individuals. Brothers Ronnie Reggie and Charlie Kray, brothers Chris and Tony Lambrianou, Tony Barry, Ronnie Bender, Connie Whitehead, Ian Barry, and Freddie Foreman. The judge ordered everyone to be numbered so that the jury and everyone else in the court could easily identify who was who, but Ronnie and Reggie Kray refused and ripped the numbers off. All of the defendants were dressed in smart suits. Ronnie and Reggie were always known for their immaculate appearance, and this was no different. Every day the twins appeared in dark coloured, expensive, often handmade suits, paired with crisp shirts, silk ties, gold jewellery, and expensive shoes. Ronnie wore rimless glasses throughout the trial. The defence counsel wore formal attire, one account mentioning a black silk suit and gold rings. Leonard Nipper Reed, the detective's chief superintendent who had ultimately brought the Craze to justice, wore a neat grey suit with an exclusive tie, a plum coloured satin tie with an orange globe embroidered on it, known as a murder squad tie that only ten detectives were permitted to wear. The jury were protected by plainclothed police officers twenty four seven throughout the trial, due to concerns regarding their safety. There was media frenzy about the case throughout its duration. Here are a few excerpts. From the Observer newspaper There has been the sensation this past week of sitting right inside a superior thriller. The plot has had everything, and the most apt comment of the week was made by Reggie Kray on Wednesday when he asked, quote, is James Bond going to give evidence in this case? On Friday, Ronnie Kray's lawyer was at pains to point out that Ronnie had not been crying in court the day before, but had been, quote, convulsing himself with laughter, end quote. We have seen extraordinary contraptions in court. A neat hide attache case was fitted up with clips and springs to hold a hypodermic needle that could be released by a cord to inject a dose of hydrogen cyanide through a hole in the side when swung against someone's leg. There was the crossbow, a clumsy weapon of mahogany and steel, with telescopic sights bought at Lilywhite's. The evil steel tipped arrows we were told were used for killing deer and would, at the least, cause multiple hemorrhage in a human being at a range of up to fifty yards. We did not see the Jellignite, though we were shown a cheap sky blue suitcase in which it was said to have been found. The Guardian reported The evidence grew more bizarre as the week progressed. With Thomas Cooper there was discussions of plans to kidnap the Pope and to release Chombey, as well as more of the immediate matter of killing someone involved in a case at the Old Bailey. And from the BBC. The jury deliberated for six hours and fifty five minutes before returning the unanimous guilty verdict for the murder of Jack McVitie. And the East London advertiser said, Reign of Terror ends. Many of those involved in the Craze story are no longer with us, and those that are, in most cases, are now too elderly or unwell to tell us their stories. However, we are lucky enough to have their books, which I will be referencing throughout the podcast. Quotes from books and articles will be read by my family, friends, and fellow podcasters to enhance the listening experience for you. Of course, original audio will be included wherever possible. It has not been possible to match accents, but I hope that you will enjoy the variety of voices that have been included. I wanted to include some quotes about the trial from those that were in the dock. Let's start with Ronnie Kray, who was found guilty of the murders of Jack McVitie and George Cornell and sentenced to a minimum of 30 years. His book is called My Story.

Ronnie Kray 21:52

Melford Stevenson started out nonsense about us wearing numbered cards around our necks. I soon told him to fuck off. The court was packed in. Every day. We had plenty of star names watching us in court, including Charlon Haston. And tickets for the trial were changing hands for big money on the black market. Taps were even outside the Al Bailey buying and flogging tickets. But as the trial went on, I realised we were in big trouble. We were brought up one by one for sentencing. I was the first. The judge, Melford Stevenson, was wearing scarlet robes and he had a black cap on the bench alongside him.

Justice Melford Stevenson 22:26

He looked at me and said, I am not going to waste words on you. In my view, society has earned arrest from your activities.

Ronnie Kray 22:36

He repeated the charges against me and the verdict, guilty of course. Then he sentenced me to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure for a minimum of 30 years. It took 16 minutes. In the time it would take to drink a nice glass of gin and tonic he had thrown away the rest of my life, it was gone. It was a fucking outrage.

Wendy Cee 22:57

Reggie Kray was found guilty of the murder of Jack McVitie and being an accessory after the fact to the murder of George Cornell. He was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years. Reggie's book, Born Fighter, skims over the trial and goes from being arrested to his time inside. Chris Lambrianou was found guilty of murdering Jack McVitie and received 15 years. In Chris's book, The Kray Madness, he says, I heard my name being called and I walked towards the steps that led up to the court. Capital punishment had been abolished just four years before, but I felt I was walking from the condemned cell to the hangman. As I reached the top of the stairs, I looked up at the public gallery and saw my father sitting next to the Kray brothers' father, Charlie. Our eyes met. All I could think was, how could I keep his spirits up when he heard the sentence? And then I heard Melford Stevenson's sonorous tone. Christopher Lambrianou, there is only one sentence I can pass on you. I sentence you to life imprisonment with a recommendation that you serve 15 years. I glanced up at the gallery. Send him down. Tony Lambrianou was found guilty of murdering Jack McVitie and received 15 years. In Tony's book, Inside the Firm, he says, I woke up in the morning, put on a clean shirt, and polished my shoes. I knew it was the last time I was going to wear a civilian suit, and I wanted to look my best. Everything about this day felt different, even her routine was more or less the same. Tony doesn't mention anything about how he felt about the sentencing. Charlie Kray, Ronnie and Reggie's older brother, was found guilty as an accessory to the murder of Jack McVittie and was sentenced to ten years. In his book, Me and My Brothers, he says.

Charlie Kray 24:50

He spoke for only a minute or so, but it seemed like forever. And then he got to the point of his monologue, the denouncement of my personal tragedy that had been played out on the greatest criminal stage in the land.

Justice Melford Stevenson 25:01

Charles James Kray, you have been found guilty of being an accessory to murder. It may well be that you were not a member of what, in this case, has been called the firm, but I am satisfied that you were an active and willing helper in the dreadful enterprise of concealing traces of the murder committed by your brother. For accessory after the fact, the maximum sentence, I believe, is life.

Wendy Cee 25:29

In the few seconds before the judge said the word life, Charlie's breath caught in his throat. He could see the words forming on the judge's mouth grotesquely enlarged as some surreal painting. He thought, What is happening? Is this a dream? Was I here? Or is someone pretending to be me? And then when the judge said the word life, Charlie said, I swear, my heart stopped. After some tooing and froing between the judge and Kenneth Jones, he pointed out the maximum sentence for accessory to murder was ten years. The judge corrected himself and passed the sentence. Freddie Foreman was convicted as an accessory to the murder of Jack McVitie and received a sentence of ten years. In his book, The Godfather of British Crime, he glosses over the trial, but there will be excerpts from it in other parts of the podcast. Ian Barry was found guilty of the murder of George Cornell and sentenced to twenty years. He has not written a book and has stayed away from the limelight after being released from prison in the 1980s. Ronnie Bender was found guilty of the murder of Jack McVitie and was sentenced to twenty years. Ronnie has not written a book. Anthony Barry was found not guilty of the murder of Jack McVitie and was discharged. Anthony has not written a book. Connie Whitehead was convicted as an accessory to the murder of Jack McVitie and received a sentence of seven years. He has not written a book. This trial marked a victory for the local police and the beginning of the end for Ronnie and Reggie Kray. Over the rest of this series I will be taking you through the highs and lows of the Kray's life. Thank you for listening to The Kray's Web. This was episode 1, the beginning of the end. Next week in episode 2, Terrible 2s, I will be discussing the Kray's early life. Finally, I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has helped me to put this podcast together. Please check out the show notes on my website for more information on the books and reference material that I used for my research. Until next time, stay safe.