The Krays Behind Bars

by Stuart Wheatman, Stuart Wheatman

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 Krays: very few have been enticed into becoming an intimate part of their extraordinary real-life world.

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 5, 2015