There are plenty of suspects - from his compulsive gambler and drug addict son Tom to rival "businessman" Bobo Simpson. Office while behind bars because of his extensive underworld contacts. 1928-1966. Favoured crimes: extortion and protection, credit- card fraud, drugs, immigration, smuggling and car theft, mainly in Bradford, London, and Bolton. On April 24 last year, police went to the home of Thomas Tait Snr in Kenton, Newcastle and found a kilo of cocaine in a cupboard and a further 1.5kg in the loft, along with a Glock handgun. Richardson Gang. Robbery, torture and cold blooded killings - the North East has a chilling history of gangland violence. You are gambling with your life and the stakes keep getting higher. Thompson later admitted that he had used that weapon in a drive-by shooting of the car and was jailed for six years last April. Jul 06, 2007 #21. Three members of the same family are today behind bars after being convicted of plotting a revenge shooting in Newcastle. One of most powerful family outfits of recent times has been the Arifs, a large extended family from Stockwell, south London, who were involved in armed robberies and drug smuggling and owned a string of clubs, pubs and restaurants - almost certainly bought from the proceeds of their criminal activities. All were found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. When he returned home he decided to break all ties that he had with his past allies and become his own boss in the east end of Newcastle by becoming a trouble shooter and minder for the pubs and clubs, expanding his business from a few small licensee's to his own little empire. Leon Haq, 39, and Barry Lynn, 40, initially denied conspiracy to possess a Firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and a section 20 assault before changing their pleas to guilty during their trial. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. I just realised one day this is a waste of a life.. Newcastle Crown Court heard the father and son raced to the scene on Woodlands Terrace, Felling, armed with two swords and a bayonet or dagger. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. A man I had utmost respect for. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. No evidence that they are run by bosses; usually a Yardie with a reputation for violence and murder obtains the services of British Afro-Caribbeans to help to run drug rackets. 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Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Their associates Barry Lynn, 40, and Leon Haq, 39, were also each sentenced to ten years behind bars following the violent attack in Elswick, Newcastle. Working his way up through the tough business world from an even tougher upbringing in a part of the city suffering from severe social depravation, Rob now has some of the most widely respected and successful businesses in the North East. contact the editor here. This book is the real story of the most notorious of Newcastle and the northeasts most feared gangsters and hard men Im just going to give a true account of what happened. Three members of the Lamb family used swords and a bayonet to inflict devastating injuries on a rival. Callum Wilson tops Newcastle United fan ratings in Southampton victory. Ann-Marie Glendenning, 64, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, Mary Egan, jailed for her part in a shooting conspiracy. These days you have got more chance of seeing me walking around the park with my grandchild than in a nightclub.. Please report any comments that break our rules. But the most recent threat to Britain, according to both police and NCIS, are criminals from the former Soviet Union. How they make money: almost exclusively through drug dealing. There is some evidence that the Triad gangs are hiring the Vietnamese to carry out violent hits and high-risk jobs. In 1991 in north London a Nigerian drugs courier had her face and breasts ironed by a drugs gang to obtain details of her shipment. Something went wrong, please try again later. Little direct involvement here, but some evidence of laundering money by buying up UK property. Organised crime is alive and kicking in Britain. Go here for the latest crime news and breaking North East police updates. Now producers have stepped in to line-up the novel up for an adapted TV drama. Newcastle gangster Stephen Sayers talks about his friendship with the notorious northern hardmen in a new DVD alongside his new book. After Thompson fired shots at a car belonging to the Tams, a plot was hatched to get back at him, culminating in the Bentick Road shooting. Newcastle Chronicle) By. A round-up of the latest Newcastle United headlines. They wanted to expand their already large drugs enterprise, but the anti-drugs Viv was in the way. The vehicle's windscreen was shattered with a sledgehammer and the crew was blasted with a shotgun. "In recent years," say the police, "a Triad group achieved notoriety in Glasgow with the professional killing of a Chinese businessman. Almost exclusively involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. Yep Brian Cockerill is a Roidhead and a crackhead, he taxes drug dealers of there drugs and he and his girlfriend take them. Kerry, Charlotte and Thomas Tams have been jailed for a total of more than 15 years after a 19-year-old was shot in the leg during the summer of 2019. The 49-year-old said: People dont realise that when you become a criminal you become a gambler. 1960s - 1966. I brought him through to fight Viv Graham. Glendenning, 63, of Northumberland Terrace, Byker, was jailed for 30 months. Desmond Patrick "Dessy" Noonan (8 August 1959 - 19 March 2005) was an English organised crime figure from Manchester, who acted as a political fixer for the Noonan crime family. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. CCTV enquiries and analysis of telephone data eventually led to the arrest of those involved in the conspiracy and they were charged to appear in court. This has enabled gangs to exploit weak banking regulations in their own countries to launder money through the UK. Bernard OMahoneys Fog on the Tyne novel on Newcastles criminal underbelly with tales of murder, robbery and torture is to be adapted for Channel 4, Get the latest news from Newcastle straight to your inbox. Feared Stephen Sayers today insisted that after 20 years at the centre of Tynesides underworld he has turned his back on crime for his family. Some have influence all over the country which extends even into the world of finance. There is great difficulty in persuading witnesses to come forward because of brutal reprisals and intimidation. However the Court of Appeal has extended their sentences so they will each now serve nine years behind bars following a hearing. Well first time authors and cousins Eddie Lennie and Tony Sayers have researched 130 years of the family history to tell all the tales. Sections of some Loyalist groups are involved in drug dealing, but the IRA refuses to handle drugs. The scene was set. Triads use intimidation, and the inbred fear of their organisation to prevent members of the Chinese community from informing against them. However this new found strength coupled with his love for the drink became too much for him and he nearly killed a late night drinker. jailed for 11 years in 1995, but has been closely monitored by the Home. Printer Friendly. Amongst his businesses he [] A feared gangster from Newcastle has been cleared of ordering the ride-by shooting of a bouncer because his son had been thrown out of a nightclub. His big break came when he impressed a local underground boss by beating up one of the well known, big time gangsters and was then moved to work in the city centre. Luckily, the guy survived and Viv only receives a suspended sentance. Callum Wilson breaks Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer's longstanding record in Southampton win. . But the vast majority of gangs control small patches of the UK with specialist interests. The authors spent some time with reporter Micky Welch talking about their book. Britain does not have a "Mr Big", or single national organisation that controls the distribution of drugs, with gang members in every city and an interest in every major scam. However, as quickly as he was making the money, he and his girlfriend Anna were spending it. "Recent investigations have continued grossly to underestimate the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the British criminal classes," says Dr Barry Rider, a senior legal academic at Cambridge University. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Editors' Code of Practice. Major centres: London, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle. It is this concern that has prompted the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) to compile a gangland register. I have done lots of little jail sentences after that. The fingerprints of Daniel Tait and Thomas Tait Jnr were found on the cocaine packaging. Stephen Sayers has penned the tell-all biography along with Steve Wraith, Stuart Wheatman and Rebecca Sayers, entitled; The Sayers: Tried And Tested At The Highest Level. FOR five decades the Abadom family have operated in Tyneside's murky underworld. The author looks at the unsolved murder of Viv Graham and makes claims about the fierce feud between two well-known West End families. Bernard was part of the Essex Boys firm which operated throughout South East England. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to I should have got them good and proper.". Both Leon Haq, 40, and Barry Lynn, 41, initially denied the same charge and a section 20 assault before changing their pleas to guilty during their trials. Mr Sayers, 50, from Newcastle, said he travelled with Duffy to the fight. But the scrap never happened as Graham didnt turn up. Nixon and Daniel Tait, 22 of Rennington Place, Cowgate, Newcastle pleaded guilty to three offences of possessing prohibited firearms and two of possessing prohibited ammunition without a certificate in relation to the items in the bag at Glendennings home. In our case if we get convicted we are not going to be treated the same as anybody else. He wanted one last fight, but soon died in the arms of his friend (who happened to own The Queens Head). Four separate Triad societies are now operating throughout the UK, with bases in every city with a large Chinese community. But with technology things have changed. Police believe this is responsible for more than half of all the illegal activities of these groups. Sophie Doughty. When it came to picking their accomplices these criminals chose to keep it in the family. Also gun trafficking and protection rackets. Its your family and your loved ones that suffer when you are inside. Finney: With David Morrissey, Andy Serkis, Melanie Hill, Clive Russell. He said: For 20 odd years I have kept quiet. The family first gained notoriety in May 1977, when Osar Arif was acquitted of the murder of a guard during a security van robbery in which pounds 103,000 was stolen. The crime gang were this year jailed for a total of 35 years after police infiltrated encrypted chats which revealed they were running a lucrative drugs empire and had a frightening arsenal of weapons. donaldo@hotmail .co.uk. David Glover Newcastle gangster David Glover, 42, was jailed along with Paddy Conroy for the abduction and torture of Billy Collier and has been linked to numerous shootings in the North-East. Bernard OMahoneys Fog on the Tyne novel documents Newcastles criminal underbelly with tales of murder, robbery and torture. A court was told that after Thompsons attack on the car, Haq and Barry Lynne had gathered at the home of Thomas Tams to plot their revenge. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. He died on the way to hospital. However the fact that he was shot three times from close range and none of the rounds were particularly accurate suggests that they were either rubbish hitmen or they were amateurs. The British banking system is used to laundering illegally obtained money. David Allison was the man who made the fatal wound when he plunged a knife into his side, underneath his left arm during a street fight. Mr Sayers said it was a fight everyone wanted to see and goes down as one of the biggest fights that never happened. In May, David Ungi, 36, died under a hail of bullets after his car was blocked by a black VW Golf at a crossroads in Liverpool. And today we take a look at the life and crimes of some of Tyneside's criminal families. Soon, Viv's apparent dislike of drugs and his concern for the community began to annoy the aforementioned West End crime family. Enforcer who worked for Charlie and Eddie Richardson during the 1960s. Operation Sayers is a book that delves into the lives . Det Chief Insp Paul Woods, from Northumbria Polices Priority and Organised Crime Team, said: "The Taits thought they were untouchable but thanks to the hard work and unrelenting efforts of our officers and staff, their illicit business has been dismantled and our communities already made safer.". How they make money: mainly enterprise crime with little penetration of the financial world, and in drug trafficking, often through control of pubs and clubs. Callum Wilson tops Newcastle United fan ratings in Southampton victory. Lynn, of Colby Court, Benwell, was jailed for nine years.Kenneth Thompson, 47, of Bentinck Street, Elswick, was jailed for six years after he admitted possession of a loaded firearm in a public place and criminal damage. A Chinese restaurant-owner in Glasgow struggles to open the door of his Mercedes, the lock of which has been deliberately jammed with matchsticks. He was charged by police and in April last year he was jailed for six years. Japanese Yakuza gangs and the Italian Mafia have also established themselves in Britain, primarily via money-laundering. Its not a crime to be a Sayers, but you do get punished for being one. In September Thomass ex-partner, Mary Egan ,48, who had always denied her role in the conspiracy, was found guilty and jailed. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. There are also concerns about their increasing use of witness intimidation. No one was ever brought to justice but detectives say that the file on the gangland killing remains open and they still hope to identify his killer. Bernie, 53, from Ferryhill, County Durham, said: In Newcastle, the criminals are uniquely family orientated and its all about the families. But we do have an increasingly violent and sophisticated number of organised outfits. Gun crime in our region is thankfully very rare but when it does happen this case shows those involved will be held accountable and put behind bars.. In the early hours of August 7, 2019, they were informed a 19-year-old relative of Thompson had been admitted to hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg. Nixon, 28, of Chase Meadows in Blyth and all three Taits pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. 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Power rating: recent outbreaks of killings between rival drug gangs in Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool illustrate their willingness to revert to violence. The gang also had access to a frightening arsenal of firearms, supported by hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Mr Mitchell said the infiltration of the subscription EncroChat service is what brought the gang down. 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Officers established the incidents were linked and in the days that followed 12 people were arrested and this Luger-style gun and ammunition pictured was recovered from the River Tyne. Something went wrong, please try again later. He became a regular at The Queens Head pub (rumour has it he had interests in the place) but a band of locals took an instant dislike to the famous hardman coming to THEIR watering hole. This is modern gangland Britain. He stored some drugs at the home of his father and used his father to drive him around. The groups also control many pubs and clubs. It was alleged the 48-year-old had tried to cover up the attack which happened on August 7, 2019, by disposing of the weapon however Egan denied this and the weapon was never recovered. James Lamb also admitted possessing two offensive weapons and Paul Lamb admitted possessing a sword. Who they are: Chinese gangsters, originally from Hong Kong and South- East Asia. Its been very hard for my kids. Vincent Palermo, "Vinny Ocean" (born 1944) Angelo Prisco, "The Horn" (born 1939) Marco Reginelli (Philadelphia family member based in South Jersey) (1897-1956) Giovanni Riggi, "John the Eagle" (1925-2015) Nicodemo Scarfo, "Little Nicky" (Philadelphia family member based in Atlantic City) (1929-2017) A spokesman for Northumbria Police said: "Our detectives have worked incredibly hard to piece together what happened and that has resulted in those responsible being put before the courts. Feb 21, 2016. . Always smiling and carefree, he took every fight with a pinch of salt, oblivious to the danger that was never far away. And the long stretches he has spent behind bars and away from his family remain his biggest regret. Even though I was still a kid I was a child who had been beating up men. When my brother got arrested for robbing a security van the police said on television: We are now dealing with a new type of criminal on Tyneside, he said. Among the tales documented in the novel, Fog on the Tyne, is the execution of Tyneside doorman Viv Graham, who was gunned down on New Years Eve in 1993. While all agencies acknowledge that organised crime in Britain is small compared to countries such as Italy and the US, NCIS already has a list of 366 "criminals of major significance". contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. He was one of three villains jailed for the . Supposedly, professionals were hired to carry out the shooting. Victim Wayne Brown, nicknamed Squatter, had fallen out with the Lamb family over claims he had taken advantage of and bullied David Lamb. The family was given free entry to clubs . They wanted Viv taking out and arranged a winner takes all bare knuckle boxing fight, but their plans failed when Viv was warned about the ambush and did not show. It is said that one of these had connections with the West End crime family, and, because of a dare one drunken night, they plan Viv's demise which they name 'Viv no more for '94'. They were sentenced on Friday alongside associates Barry Lynn and Leon Haq who were each jailed for ten years for the violent attack in Elswick. It was becoming apparent to many that he is changing from a protector of the pubs and clubs to a bully who strikes fear into the heart of his enemies, but also of the people who he was meant to protect.
