Ronnie Kray, one half of Britain's most notorious criminal partnership, died in hospital yesterday morning at the age of 61. He collapsed at Broadmoor hospital two days earlier, where he was serving a life sentence for murder.
Kray, who with his twin brother Reg became the archetypal East End gangster in the 1960s, was jailed for the murder of fellow gangster George Cornell at the Blind Beggar pub in 1966. He was taken to Heatherwood hospital in Ascot earlier this week for anaemia and exhaustion, but was returned to Broadmoor before being transferred to Wexham Park hospital in Slough, where he died of a heart attack. He had a history of heart problems and smoked more than 100 cigarettes a day.
Former fellow inmate 'Mad Frankie' Fraser said Kray was 'pumped full of drugs' but called him 'a real gentleman'. A close family friend, Eddie Jones, predicted the funeral, likely in Chingford next week, would be 'as big as Kennedy's'. Kray had requested an old-fashioned funeral with a black-plumed horse-drawn hearse.
Reg Kray was informed of his brother's death in Maidstone prison, where he is serving life for the murder of Jack 'The Hat' McVitie. He was comforted by former Kray henchman Freddie 'The Mean Machine' Foreman. The twins' older brother Charlie, who also served time for the McVitie murder, said he was 'gutted' and 'in bits'.
Ron's former wife Kate Howard expressed sadness, saying she knew he was in hospital but not how ill he was. Former detective Leonard 'Nipper' Read, who brought the Krays to trial in 1969, said he was 'saddened' by the death. Ron Kray had been certified insane and knew he was unlikely to leave Broadmoor; Reg Kray hopes for release after serving the recommended 30-year minimum.
