Who Was The Leader Of The Richardson Gang?

The notorious Richardson gang which was active on the crime scenario in the UK in the 1960s operating from South London was led by Charlie Richardson. The gang comprising of Charlie's younger brother Eddie and Frankie Fraser among others acquired a fearsome reputation regarding their sadistic method of torturing their victims which involved mutilation of toes, teeth being forced out and electrocution.

The Richardson gang built their empire based on activities like fraud, theft and dealing in stolen goods with their modus operandi concerning setting up phony businesses and absconding with goods acquired on credit or extortion or force selling their commodities like fruit machines to reluctant bar owners.

The gang was most famously involved in a turf war with the Kray Twins in the mid 1960s which eventually led to their downfall; incidents like the murder of Kray associate Richard Hart and the arrest of Richardson gang member Johnny Bradbury in connection with the murder of a businessman in South Africa led to the police on the trail of the gang and a CID squad arrested most of the gang members in 1966.

The trial which began in April 1967 resulted in the sentencing of Charlie for 25 years and his brother Eddie for 10 years; Charlie after escaping from prison in 1980 gave himself up voluntarily and was then released in 1984 while Eddie was sentenced again in 1990 for trading in drugs though was released later on.