The Krays : Behind Bars

by Steve Wraith

Indifferent to what school had to offer, I was heading for academic suicide when I came across the Profession of Violence by John Pearson. It was in this book that I first discovered the infamous Krays, and to my amazement I was allowed to read it as part of my English GCSE.

Fascinated by what I had read, something compelled me to go ahead and write to them. I did not expect a reply, but in due course a letter arrived signed by Reggie himself. This was the beginning of an enduring friendship and over the years I also got to know his twin brother Ronnie and the rest of ‘the Family’.

From initial curiosity and fascination bloomed a true partnership. I was accepted into their inner circle, and I visited them in prison, eventually gaining enough trust to run their affairs on the outside. Having the honour of attending Ronnie’s funeral and being Charlie Kray’s minder was a day I will never forget.

This is the story of my long-standing friendship with some of the most notorious criminal characters of modern London. Many people will have read about the very few have been enticed into becoming an intimate part of their extraordinary real-life world.

221 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2015