Circa 1980. 8 of England's Most Notorious Gangs | History Hit John Kinsella, known as The Psycho, was one of the most notorious Liverpool gangsters in history. In May 1988, the Dons faced Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool in the FA Cup final and won 1-0 ("The Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club" shrieked John Motson). He owned several nightclubs around Liverpool and was often seen out on the town with famous footballers and celebrities. Your email address will not be published. Liverpool has been home to some notorious gangsters over the years, each with their own unique story and reputation. Gangsters continue to face law enforcement officers in a cat-and-mouse chase every once in a while. However, behind closed doors, he was a ruthless killer who showed no mercy when it came to taking out his targets. No-one will forget the feeling when the details emerged of how James Bulger was murdered in 1993, or the revulsion last year after 11-year-old Rhys Jones was shot. He worked in security firms in Essex, and this made it easier for his gang to run drugs in Essex clubs. This was Liverpool's worst season in the league since the 1970-71 season; though they still finished a respectable fifth place. Tommy "Tacker" Comerford (1933-2003) Paul Grimes (born 1950) John Haase (born 1948) French was born into a family with a history of crime, and he began his own criminal career at an early age. "I've coached kids in boxing for years so I'm interested in the debate of youth crime, social conditions and how they affect children," he says. Copyright 2019 Gale, Cengage Learning. Read also; 10 Famous 1960s British Gangsters. Legend has it that he once tackled some ruffians by grabbing the leader and turning him upside down. And if you actually have bullets, it's an extra year for every bullet.". The 'socialist firebrand' Derek Hatton screwed Liverpool just as much Tom Driessen is Director of the Dutch National Crime Squad and says it's not an easy task: "The profile of those criminals from Liverpool is that they learned not only to do illegal activities but they learned to survive, and violence is part of their life from their youth "We can't name names. The real name of the feared gangland enforcer remains unknown, but his reputation in the underworld is no secret. Downes, of no fixed address, orchestrated the campaign of violence from a prison cell, from which he was able to make more than 18,000 mobile phone calls. Funeral service of former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly, held at St Mary's church in West Derby, Liverpool, 2nd October 1981. In 2005, he was charged by Dutch authorities for operating a drug smuggling ring from prison. Another chapter looks at examples of how youngsters were affected by cowboy films. List of gangsters by city - Wikipedia Good luck wishes from a lorry driver for comic Ken Dodd as he makes his way to Liverpool Crown Court today for the final stage of his trial in which he denies tax fraud. We Hope You Enjoy It! Robbery was also the trademark of one of Charlie's contemporaries - Tommy Commerford, known to his mates as 'Tacker'. Also known as Top Cat, Tommy Comerford was one of the very first crime bosses to establish an international drug trafficking network in England. Besides taxing drug dealers, he had a criminal record for kidnappings and assaults. Liverpool. But the ECHO understands the pair are now out of prison following stints in foreign jails. But in saying that it only led me to a life of desperation, despair and no hope "Money was made, money was spent. Tucker was infamous for his use of torture and punishment beatings for anyone who didnt comply with his orders. ECHO profiles most-wanted fugitive after Australia 'sighting'. Lucy Hargreaves, 22, was under a duvet on the sofa in her front room in Lambourne Road when three men burst in August 2005, fired a shotgun at her and then torched the house. Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. He gained notoriety after he was convicted of two high-profile murders: those of rival gang members Paul Massey and John Kinsella. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. Street gangs in Liverpool have been in existence since the mid-19th Century but the light was firmly shone on these groups with the death of schoolboy Rhys Jones in 2007. He too was sprung from the prison van in Salford by an armed gang, but later caught after fleeing the country. Switch to the dark mode that's kinder on your eyes at night time. It seems that nobody could innocently walk past them without falling prey to some sort of abuse or violence.. From 2009 to 2010, the two operated an underworld enforcement network responsible for a series of violent attacks and unrest in Merseyside. both believed to have been released from jail, where he was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in jail, Revealed: Curtis Warren and the major league crooks hit with empire-crippling crime orders, Stephen French writes letter to The ECHO after being acquitted of rape, has evaded capture for more than a decade, Who is Kevin Parle? For local insights and insiders travel tips that you wont find anywhere else, search any keywords in the top right-hand toolbar on this page. He later abandoned his life of crime. He used his money to move into the drugs world dealing with bigger and larger quantities of drugs, and ended up doing substantial terms of imprisonment for it. Notorious Liverpool crime families who ended up behind bars Tony Tuckers legacy lives on as one of Liverpools most infamous gangsters, remembered for his larger-than-life personality and involvement in organized crime. Liverpool academic and author of "The Gangs of Liverpool", Mick Macilwee, has been studying the gangs who terrorised the streets of the Victorian city. McKeever had been on the radar of law enforcement agencies for quite some time. When Merseyside detectives arrested him he was about to do a deal with South American drug cartels. In September that year police launched Operation Asquith to smash the gang, with raids taking place in Plymouth, Southampton, Sheffield, and Greater Manchester. Tony Tucker is one of Liverpools most notorious gangsters. He smuggled drugs into the UK for distribution across England and Wales. It wasn't only teenagers causing trouble in Liverpool's past though. By the mid 80's, Liverpool's drugs squad was trying to clean up what had become known as 'Smack City'. Mrs Thatcher may have neglected Liverpool in the first half of the 1980s, but Mr Hatton and the Militant's grip on my city by the middle of the decade set progress back a generation. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "And if we as elders of the villages and communities don't have something to keep their interests and channel their energies, it doesn't bear thinking about. As the drugs gangs expanded so did the violence - and a new phrase entered the gangland culture - contract killing. The Huyton gangster, thought to be in high security prison Belmarsh, is currently serving a life sentence after orchestrating a wave of shootings and grenade attacks across Merseyside. Liverpool gangs: Our history of violence - Liverpool Echo Curtis Warren was born in Liverpool, in 1963. Feedback | However, this bustling city has had a dark side to it as well. The historic gangs that terrorised Liverpool's streets And they even sported a uniform, of sorts, just like the black tracksuited gangs of today. But, as Mick amusingly recalls, the High Rips comeuppance came from a policeman who struck fear into the local thugs. Police promised to meet force with force as violence flared amongst gangs - and for the first time in Britain, officers routinely and openly carried firearms. The inside story of Liverpool's 'door wars' - and the security firm As different immigrant communities arrived in Liverpool, drugs came in with them. He grew more violent as he rose through the levels of armed robbery, becoming one of the most notorious gangsters in the 1960s. Drug trafficking, armed robbery, extortion, and murder are just a few of the criminal activities that make up their portfolio. The most notorious Liverpool gang of all was the High Rip which announced itself with the infamous Blackstone Street Murder and waged a vicious war against its sworn enemies, the Logwood Gang. Despite being involved in illegal activities, Tucker was something of a local celebrity. Her two-year-old daughter was sleeping upstairs at the time. That sentence, handed to him 2010, was to be served alongside a seven-and-a-half year drugs sentence. Happy travels! In the late 1980s, Cocky was known for waving guns in people's faces. He is considered to have been one of the biggest British drug traffickers in his prime. Kinsella had many enemies within the criminal world and faced multiple assassination attempts over the years. In one chapter Mick explores how WW2 impacted on children here. As part of the gang, he was involved in the drug trade, armed robbery, and numerous acts of violence that spread terror around. Prior to his arrest, Fellows had been living a double life. Years of neglect and racial harassment led to nine days of violence and riots in Toxteth. Another old Liverpool landmark bites the dust - the portal that once welcomed the city's poor and destitute is all that remains of the David Lewis Hostel and Club. Despite being a high-profile figure within Liverpools underworld, Joseph McKeever managed to escape any convictions that carried substantial sentences until he was brutally murdered by Mark Fellows another infamous Liverpool gangster in August 2017. 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