The Richardson Gang was a 1960s group of South London criminals. Less well remembered that their rivals the Krays, they nevertheless had a reputation in their heyday as being some of London's most infamous and sadistic gangsters. Also known as the 'Torture Gang', their "speciality" was pinning victims to the floor with 6inch nails and removing the victims' toes with bolt cutters.

History

The gang's leader was Charlie Richardson, born in South London in 1934. He and his younger brother Eddie turned to a life of crime when their father left home, leaving the family penniless.

They slowly began to build up a business empire, Charlie invested in scrap metal whilst Eddie operated fruit machines. These businesses were, however, merely fronts of the Richardson's underworld activities, fraud, theft and stolen goods.

If Eddie offered a pub landlord one of his fruit machines he would be wise to accept otherwise they would find 'heavies' smashing up his pub in front of his very own eyes.

Though they preferred the method of investing in long firms, in which a company would be set up by an acquaintance of the Richardsons, they would go about business legitimately building a good credit rating, and then place a large order on credit and sell the goods. The Richardsons would pocket the money and the company would disappear.

Charlie was at one point arrested for receiving stolen goods but was acquitted through lack of evidence.

The feud with the Krays

The beginning of the turf war that existed between the two rival gangs can be traced down to a brawl that erupted at the Astor Club at Christmas 1965, when George Cornell, a member of the Richardson gang, called Ronnie Kray a "fat poof". A few weeks later, Richard Hart, one of the Krays' associates was murdered in Catford; the Krays in their turn took their revenge with the murder of George Cornell in the Blind Beggar pub in the Whitechapel Road.

Methods of Torture

In July 1965 the police were informed of a horrific crime by one of the gang's victims. The victim told a tale of being severely beaten and bruised after being found guilty of disloyalty by a Kangaroo court, he then had to mop up his own blood.

The police unearthed the sadistic methods of torture that Eddie specialised in; sick with fear, victims were hauled in front of Eddie and others in a mock trial. Then the punishments were handed out, anything from beatings to more severe forms of torture; whippings, cigarette burning, teeth being pulled out with pliers (for which gang member "Mad" Frankie Fraser was especially notorious), nailing to floor, having toes ripped off with bolt cutters and being electrocuted into unconsciousness. Afterwards if victims were too badly injured they would be sent to a doctor who had been struck off. This process of trial and torture was known as "taking a shirt from Charlie", because of Charlie Richardsons habit of giving each victim a clean shirt in which to return home. Another notable character in the gang was the notorious hitman Jimmy Moody.

Arrest and Trial

Eventually Eddie was sent down for five years for affray, and Charlie was arrested for Torture. There were also stories of Charlie being connected to the South African Bureau Of State Security and an attempt to tap Prime Minister Harold Wilson's telephone.

In July 1966 police arrested the remaining members of the Richardson gang following a series of raids in south London. In April 1967 the trial began - the Richardsons were found guilty of fraud, extortion, assault and grievous bodily harm. Charlie was sentenced to 25 years in prison and Eddie had ten years added to his existing sentence.

Aftermath

In 1980, after many attempts to obtain release, Charlie escaped from an open prison and went on the run for almost a year, even dressing as Santa Claus and giving out presents to children in order to publicise his requests for release. In 1983, he was able to go on day release to help the handicapped and was allowed to spend a weekend with his family. Charlie was finally released in July 1984.

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