In a startling revelation that pulls back the curtain on Britain's most infamous criminal dynasty, a former Parkhurst prison officer has broken his silence about guarding the terrifying Kray twins.
John 'Ken' Kennett, now 83, served as a prison officer during the 1970s when the notorious brothers were among the most high-profile inmates at the maximum-security facility on the Isle of Wight. His accounts reveal a complex relationship with the gangsters that blended professional duty with genuine human connection.
The Day Ronnie Kray Threatened My Life
"One afternoon, Ronnie completely lost it with me," Kennett recalls, the memory still vivid decades later. "He looked me dead in the eye and said, 'I could have you killed, you know.' The silence that followed was absolutely terrifying."
Yet what happened next defied all expectations. After Kennett reported the threat through official channels, Ronnie unexpectedly approached him days later. "He actually apologised," Kennett reveals. "Said he hadn't been himself and asked if we could move past it. That was the strange reality of dealing with the Krays."
An Unlikely Friendship Forms
Despite the initial death threat, Kennett developed what could only be described as a friendship with the twins, particularly Reggie. Their interactions went beyond the typical guard-prisoner relationship, with conversations spanning everything from family matters to the brothers' criminal past.
"Reggie once told me, 'We're not monsters, Ken. We just got caught up in something that became bigger than us.' In those moments, you saw the human beings behind the fearsome reputation," Kennett reflects.
The Krays' Prison Influence
Even behind bars, the twins commanded respect and fear in equal measure. Kennett describes how other inmates would literally step aside when the Krays walked through the prison yard. Their notoriety preceded them, creating an aura that permeated the entire institution.
"They ran that prison in many ways," Kennett admits. "The guards might have had the keys, but the Krays had the real power. Everyone knew it - prisoners and staff alike."
A Lasting Legacy
Now, decades after their deaths, Kennett believes the public fascination with the Kray twins stems from something deeper than mere notoriety. "They represented an era when criminals had codes, when there were lines even gangsters wouldn't cross," he suggests.
His final encounter with Reggie Kray remains etched in his memory. "He thanked me for treating him like a human being. In the end, that's all any of us want, isn't it?"
These extraordinary accounts provide a unique window into the lives of Britain's most legendary gangsters, revealing the complex men behind the myth that continues to captivate the nation.
