Mad Frankie Fraser dies

[Len Cnut]

Gangster 'Mad' Frankie Fraser dies at 90

The criminal and former associate of the Kray twins, "Mad" Frankie Fraser, has died aged 90 in a London hospital.

He was known as an "enforcer", meting out violence on behalf of the Krays and the Richardson gang in the 1960s.

His death was confirmed by Eddie Richardson who, with brother Charlie, formed the infamous London crime gang.

By the time he left prison for the final time in 1989, Fraser had served a total of 42 years for a range of offences.

More recently he established himself as a TV personality and published an autobiography.

He became critically ill on Saturday after undergoing surgery on his left leg at King's College Hospital in south London.

Fraser was born in the Elephant and Castle area of south London in 1923. He was first sent to a borstal - a type of secure institution for young offenders - at the age of 13.

He was birched at 17 for attacking a prison officer - the first of many experiences of corporal punishment, usually for attacking jail staff.

His various prison sentences included three spells in Broadmoor after being classified insane.

He was closely associated with the Richardson gang which carried out racketeering and fraud across south London in the 1960s.

'The dentist'

Fraser's methods of torturing the gang's victims earned him the nicknames "Mad Frankie" and "The Dentist" - he was reputed to pull out people's teeth with pliers.

At the Richardson gang "torture" trial at the Old Bailey in 1967 he was jailed for 10 years. Two years later a further five years was added for leading a riot at Parkhust Prison.

In 1975 he assaulted three prison officers, one of whom he attempted to hang.

After completing another sentence in 1989, Fraser tried to build a career as a celebrity, appearing on television chat shows, acting as a consultant on crime and taking a stage show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

In 1997, he was called as a character witness at the trial of Charlie Kray on drugs charges.

Last year he was reported to have received an Asbo following an argument over a chair in the care home where he lived.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30218842

Shit, the great Frankie Fraser is dead, never thought I'd see the day. The Dentist, dating back to the days of fuckin' Jack Spot and Billy Hill and all the old time London gangsters, can't believe it, Frankie Fraser dead, tragic

[Rovim]

Good riddance. Interesting though.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Rovim

[Len Cnut]

The last of a dying breed.

[dalsh327]

I'm always surprised how guys in organized crime ever make it to old age and some family member doesn't have it out for them.

[Len Cnut]

I'm always surprised how guys in organized crime ever make it to old age and some family member doesn't have it out for them.

The ones that survive survive for good reason. firstly, don't have a big mouth. Secondly, never tell on no one. Thirdly, depending on the type of people you're attached to, if you're a continuing source of profit for them without incrimination, you'll survive.

People like Frank were really quite unique in that they kind of rode the border between forties and fifties gangsters of the Billy Hill, Jack Spot era...then onto the Kray and Richardson era. Frankie figures large in the history, in the days when Jack Spot and Billy Hill were fighting over dominance of London Frank was just a young nutter that worked for Billy Hill...he cut Jack Spots face to ribbons.

He then worked with The Richardsons but was highly respected by their arch enemies (or so the tale is presented) The Krays, who even tried to employ him. He was famously involved in The Richardsons kangaroo courts where they'd take some grass or guy that'd done em wrong, set up a fake judge and torture the poor bastard...they had a special electrocuting machine attached to a heavy duty batteries, pegged up to the guys bollocks. Really used to turn em over, Frank used to take their teeth out...then make them wipe their own blood up in the mess area, give em a new shirt and send em on their way...whoose gonna try and do over a person like that, God help you if you don't finish the job.

The Richardsons were seriously crazy bastards too, Charlie was involved in bugging the Prime Ministers office for some South African fella or something, crazy stuff.

1) Fraser was born in Lambeth to an Irish mother and a Canadian father.

2) He first appeared in court at the age of 13.

He was hauled before magistrates after he was arrested for stealing a packet of cigarettes and was sent to an approved school as punishment.

3) He was given his nickname “Mad” Frankie because he feigned mental illness to avoid being called up during the war.

He then made a living looting bombed out stores in the capital and selling goods on the black market.

4) Fraser was just 5ft 5 inches tall.

5) After the war, Fraser worked for ­underworld boss Billy Hill and carried out razor attacks on his rivals.

He claimed Hill paid by the stitch, so if a victim got 50 stitches he would get £50.

6) He spent a total of 42 years in prison for a string of beatings, ­slashings and alleged pulling of teeth with pliers of rivals who crossed his gang bosses.

He was last behind bars in 1989.

7) In 1953, he thumped legendary hangman Albert Pierrepoint when he was on his way to execute Derek Bentley, who was wrongly convicted of the murder of a policeman.

8) Fraser was behind the 1969 prison riots at top security HM Prison Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight.

He organised a sit down demonstration against alleged beatings of prisoners in segregation which soon turned violent.

He was eventually overwhelmed by riot officers, receiving multiple injuries and spending six weeks in hospital.

9) He was certified insane three times and served some of his time at Broadmoor.

10) In 1991, he was shot in the head outside the Turnmills Club in Clerkenwell, London but survived.