How one final murder brought about the downfall of the Krays
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Ronnie and Reggie Kray were two of the most notorious gangsters and criminals in the East London underworld during the 1960s, but they were finally brought to justice after the murder of another gangster in 1969.
The legend of the Krays has been told far and wide, including the film – which was actually called Legend – starring Tom Hardy as both twins.
During their time at the top of the crime world, they were responsible for the murders of several people, including George Cornell, shot dead by Ronnie in the Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel after insulting him.
However, the one that landed them in prison was the 1969 killing of Jack ‘The Hat’ McVitie, who was knifed to death, leading to both Ronnie and Reggie receiving life sentences.
McVitie was a Londoner who grew into a life of criminality, nicknamed ‘The Hat’ because of a trilby hat that he used to wear.
He was a hitman and enforcer for The Firm - the Krays gang - and also dabbled in drug trafficking.
McVitie was hired by Ronnie Kray to kill a man called Leslie Payne, paid £500 and told that he’d receive more upon completion of the task.
He and an accomplice, Bill Exley, were unsuccessful in their mission, but kept the money that the Krays had paid them instead of giving it back.
At a party, Reggie and Ronnie planned to kill McVitie, but initially Reggie’s gun jammed.
So, they knifed him to death, leaving lesser members of their gang to dispose of the body.
Both received life sentences for the murder, after it was discovered.
In his later years, Reggie expressed no regret for what he did, giving an interview from prison in which he said: "I have got no regrets, my brother didn't have any either.
“I have learnt over the years, as did Ron, that there are many people worse off than us.
“A lot of people have no choice but we did.
"I would not change anything.
“You can't just select parts of your life and alter them.
“I know Ronnie would not have wanted to change anything as well.”
He added: "It does not mean to say that I enjoy the fact that I committed a murder but you can't select the parts of life that you do and don't want.
"Ron and myself wrought some violence on different people, but we lived in a violent world and violence has been perpetrated on us as well.
“That was the way of life in the East End of London then.”
Ronnie died in 1995, with Reggie living for another five years before his death in 2000.
