But incredibly, gangster Freddie Foreman claims that today's gang members are immoral. "If you want it bad enough, youve got to go and get it.. Part memoir, part documentary, it doesnt shy away from discussing his more callous exploits and explores his relationship with the Krays something he now describes as his "biggest regret. He was acquitted of the killing because of a lack of evidence, including the body, which Foreman says was dumped in the English Channel. Paul Van Carter, director of Fred, a chilling 2018 documentary about Foremans life, calls him the last living legend among the old school London heavy gangsters who came of age on the streets of the British capital after the Second World War. I quit school at 14. Years ago, when you had an argument, it was a matter of a straightener a street fight, bare-knuckle. Blew his ear off, he says of one of the miscreants. How Barbara Windsor set me on the road to stardom. But I could NEVER be angry with my hero. "They're all killing each other for no reason whatsoever, aren't they? But then, he did have a privileged upbringing in Zanzibar before he had to learn to toughen up. View our online Press Pack. In my young eyes, discovering how notorious dad was only strengthened my admiration. Half a century after Jack The Hat McVitie was murdered by Reggie Kray, the man who had the job of disposing of his body is the subject of Fred: the Godfather of British Crime, a new documentary. I lived in a four bedroom villa, he said, between Marbella and Puerto Bans.. By the 1950s, he says, he had graduated to stealing washing machines and televisions. Convicted gangster Freddie Foreman - born on March 5, 1932 - was once known as the Godfather of London, his home. He says the gang tried to recruit him and he regrets not going. Money, says Foreman, a born raconteur who speaks in long paragraphs peppered with Cockney slang. I didnt have an education, he adds. "After Freddies passing, Jer stayed close to us - To Roger, Jim and myself," Brian continued. Dressed in a gray jogging suit, he poured two large glasses of wine. He expressed regret about ever getting involved with the Krays. Brown Bread is cockney rhyming slang for "dead". He recalls how he tried to punch and kick his way out of the police car as it sped by the beach, on the way to the airport, and that he was drugged like an animal before eight police officers bundled him onto a plane. When he finally met them at the family home in Bethnal Green he found them "punching and fighting" in the backyard. It was posh people came from all over London, he says. My father was free. Reminiscing about the episode, Foreman, the self-described Godfather of British crime, now 87 years old, says the break in at Security Express was humane. What he will say was that being sentenced for the murder of McVitie on the same day as learning that he had been charged with Mitchells murder was the worst day of his life. But what is stated clearly and concisely in the film is fact: Freddie Mercury and his family identified as Indian Parsi. We gave the guards tea, and no one went to hospital, and I am proud of that, says Foreman, a stocky man whose grandfatherly demeanour is hard to square with his former incarnation as a freelance enforcer for the Krays, the notorious identical twin gangsters who stalked London in the 1950s and 1960s. She is a drug addict and a all round horrible person, and I have completely cut her out of my life. His story is a fascinating, yet chilling account of life as a freelance enforcer for the Kray twins, and as London's most feared gangster. Jer believed that Freddie would have come out publicly had he lived long enough to see more compassionate times. But they began to run amok, shooting people in broad daylight and they dragged my dads name down with them. I loved films and TV plays and at 15 I decided to become an actor. It was Easter Monday, and five thieves three wearing balaclavas, two in monkey masks and all of them armed and speaking with fake Irish accents had broken into a security company in east London. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. All the money I got out of crime, it doesnt pay off in the long term. In the documentary, he says he was told by the thug twins, to lure "Mad Axeman" Frank Mitchell into his van, where he was shot 12 times, and then dispose of the body. They were strong and dangerous people, but I cant condemn people Ive loved all my life. Two died there last week. Fred is the only gangster who lived through the turbulent history of the British underworld and survived to tell the tale. "I'm a bit of a night owl; I like to stay up late and get up late. When an associate of the Krays, Frank the Mad Axeman Mitchell, became a liability after the brothers helped spring him from prison in 1966, he was lured into a van and shot. I tell Foreman that Im hoping he can shed some light on what would possess a group of geriatric criminals to come out of retirement. But his years on the run came to an end in 1990, when he says he was lured to a Spanish police station and arrested. "He asked, 'Are you all right? Nowadays, it's all so open, isn't it?" Was it his idea? A killer at the centre of the most powerful crime organisation in Britain. Firm member Freddie - now 86 - hasbeen linked to countless murders and bouts of violence, and served a total of 16 years in prison for his underworld activities. FREDDIE MERCURY'S MUM UNVEILS MEMORIAL TO ICONIC SINGER, Baby Freddie Mercury and his mother Jer Bulsara, Freddie Mercury and his Mother, Jer Bulsara, Freddie's mum Jer and sister Kashmira, who protected his legacy after he died, Freddie performing at Wembley with Queen in July 1986, Freddie's father Bomi with Jer and Kashmari at the unveiling of the Queen star's statue in Montreux, Jer died in 2016, with Brian May paying a sweet tribute to her. Foreman, 86, who was convicted of helping the notorious twins dispose A . "I don't want to glamourise or crime, far from it. He says it was a perilous but glamorous world; Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland visited the brothers nightclubs in Londons West End. Today its hard to reconcile the old man who sits across from me with someone who was once one of Londons most feared hard men. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Sign up for the Mirror's daily newsletter for all the juiciest news, Freddie Mercury's heartbreaking final request in the last days before his death, Freddie Mercury's two words to Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious that 'started fight', Freddie Mercury's heartbreaking final note for pal Elton John days before he died, a brave and defiant statement about his HIV status, Freddie Mercury's final act to 'control his AIDS' just two weeks before he died, Freddie Mercury's mum's heartbreaking response to hearing of Queen star's death, Freddie Mercury's friends explain why Mary Austin was 'so important to his life', 'FINAL AND CRUEL PUNISHMENT': Harry and Meghan 'stunned' and two other royals 'appalled' by Frogmore eviction, says pal, Ed Sheeran reveals wife Cherry had 'inoperable' tumour during pregnancy, Great British Bake Off to undergo huge revamp after flurry of viewer complaints, GMB's Susanna Reid forced to change outfit after fears it was too 'racy' for morning TV, Phil Foden makes Pep Guardiola point as Man City crush Bristol City, Matt Hancock IGNORED Chris Whitty's advice to test people entering care homes for Covid at the start of pandemic, bombshell leaked messages claim, Constance Marten baby search teams cordon off parts of wood in hunt for missing infant - LATEST UPDATES, BREAKING: Love Island gets hundreds of Ofcom complaints over 'toxic' Olivia and Tanya bullying, Teary GMB guest calls late dad 'lamb to slaughter' amid Matt Hancock Covid WhatsApp claims, Amy Nuttall 'rumbled' husband Andrew Buchan's 'affair' over detail in new lingerie, Olly Murs' bitter 14-year feud with twin brother who cut him off after X Factor snub, Martin Lewis issues warning to anyone thinking about getting a credit card, Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. "I'm not happy about this, Paul," he says at one stage as he revisits the scene in. After participating in the robbery in 1983, Foreman escaped to the Costa del Sol in Spain, known at the time as the Costa del Crime, because the tourist region had attracted so many criminals. Violence, he stressed, had been a sometimes necessary and unfortunate occupational hazard, but it was never an end in itself. She constantly bugs my wife on facebook with friend requests, but we ignore them, because she demands to see pictures of her grandson. For a large part of the 60s the Krays and their associates - The Firm as it was known - ruled the streets of East London. He was Britains Al Capone. and also to protect me from his dangerous world. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Freddie, now 86 had the nickname"Brown Bread" Cockney rhyming slang for dead, Freddie the enforcer - whose 1960s nickname was 'Brown Bread', Freddie used to be a ruthless criminal and is still feared and revered to this day, Ronnie, right, and Reggie Kray were pals of Foreman's and The Firm, as their gang was known, ruled the dark streets of East London, Freddie was born in poverty in Battersea, London, and insists he experienced hard labour before turning to a life of crime, The Great Train Robbery of 1963 saw the theft of 2.3million from a travelling post office train headed to London from Glasgow, Freddie's son Jamie Foreman played Derek Branning in EastEnders between 2011 and 2012, Freddie was proud to provide his family with all the trappings of a luxurious life, Freddie says that the Kray twins had sympathetic sides to them and could be very generous with money, The Kray brothers were charged with engineering the jail escape of Frank "Mad Axe" Mitchell before murdering him, something Freddie still finds difficult to talk about, Freddie Foreman with Barbara Windsor in 1996, "I can't stand what's happening with the younger generation now with the knives," says Freddie, who insists he doesn't want to glamorise crime, Freddie admitted to shooting fellow Kray henchman Frank Mitchell in his 1996 autobiography, Respect, Former East End criminals Tony Lambriano, left and Freddie Foreman attend the funeral of Charlie Kray in 2000, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Did I hate my father for the things hed done? But ask him what he thinks of himself today and his reply is"caring and loving". Whatever his misgivings, the trio became friends. But the lure of crime cut short his American dream. Tragically, Freddie died on November 24 - just a day after putting out a brave and defiant statement about his HIV status. I've got seven grandsons and two granddaughters, Ive got great-granddaughters and I hope they never fall foul of the law.". He said it was a perilous but glamorous world; Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland visited the brothers nightclubs in the West End of the capital. Take Fred Foreman, who was a notorious London gangster in the 60s, known for his associations with the famed crime duo, the Kray Twins - and now also the subject of his very own doc. "We always consulted her in our work that continued after we lost Freddie - the tribute concert at Wembley Stadium; the Made In Heaven album, which encapsulated Freddies last gifts of vocals and was a two-year labour of love for us; the single No-one But You, our tribute to Freddie, which I wrote at the inauguration of the Freddie statue in Montreux, an occasion we shared with Jer. He was just my dad. "I can't stand what's happening with the younger generation now with the knives. ", Brian added: "She was with us all the way. He does it again when asked about it today. My dad wasnt innocent. I was devastated, but I had to be strong for Mum. When I was 18 and my mother discovered my revolver in my bedroom closet, he adds, she knew what kind of boy I was. He said of his Glasgow. My dad was a gangland boss. Love celebrity gossip? Dad never got nicked for it. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. If I had, my life couldve turned out differently.. Much to his indignation, as there was then no extradition treaty between Spain and the UK, he was hoisted back to England still in his shorts and flip-flops. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Obviously I needed a bit of cash, so I went for it. Born into poverty in Battersea, London, Foremans criminal career started early. Fred is the only gangster who lived through the turbulent history of the British underworld and survived to tell the tale.". Freddie is now 86 years old and he is one of last surviving old-school London gangsters. He was going to shoot six coppers; I should get a medal, Foreman says of Mitchell. Dads firm also congregated there. the 6m Security Express robbery in Shoreditch. I consider him a businessman who operated in the criminal world, Van Carter says. Foreman was involved in the disposal of the body of Jack "the Hat" McVitie (murdered by Reggie Kray). Harry and Meghan evicted from Frogmore Cottage by King Charles after Spare memoir, Amy Nuttall caught cheating hubby when he bought sexy lingerie, Constance Marten and lover arrested over manslaughter, Woman found murdered is missing mum who had not been seen since before Xmas, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Put simply, family estrangement is a continuum where it is more accurate to characterize people as more or less estranged, as opposed to estranged or not estranged. To me, it was just the world I was born into. "Charlie was a great friend of mine," Freddie recalls. He also reveals a secret: he nearly went on the Hatton Garden job himself. Dad's exploits let us. Now, Foreman lives a quiet life, sharing roast beef dinners with the other older residents in his building. I sensed that dad had connections. Freddie says of his father's hard-living ways: "He smoked too much, drank too much and he did too much weed. Freddie Foreman didnt want his son to follow in his footsteps. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. And the thrill of once again being part of the game.. If you're not sure what to write in a sympathy card, just focus on kindness. 'FINAL AND CRUEL PUNISHMENT': Harry and Meghan 'stunned' and two other royals 'appalled' by Frogmore eviction, says pal, Ed Sheeran reveals wife Cherry had 'inoperable' tumour during pregnancy, Great British Bake Off to undergo huge revamp after flurry of viewer complaints, GMB's Susanna Reid forced to change outfit after fears it was too 'racy' for morning TV, Phil Foden makes Pep Guardiola point as Man City crush Bristol City, Matt Hancock IGNORED Chris Whitty's advice to test people entering care homes for Covid at the start of pandemic, bombshell leaked messages claim, Constance Marten baby search teams cordon off parts of wood in hunt for missing infant - LATEST UPDATES, BREAKING: Love Island gets hundreds of Ofcom complaints over 'toxic' Olivia and Tanya bullying, Teary GMB guest calls late dad 'lamb to slaughter' amid Matt Hancock Covid WhatsApp claims, Amy Nuttall 'rumbled' husband Andrew Buchan's 'affair' over detail in new lingerie, Olly Murs' bitter 14-year feud with twin brother who cut him off after X Factor snub, Martin Lewis issues warning to anyone thinking about getting a credit card, Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. F****** hell! My dad was one of Londons most successful gangsters involved in Britains most audacious armed robberies with the most dangerous criminals. I thought it was all the twins fault my dad was in prison and the very mention of their names made me livid. The family business and criminal lore: The unlovable truth about these, After participating in the robbery in 1983, Foreman escaped to the, I lived in a four bedroom villa, he says, between. Money, said Mr. Foreman, a born raconteur who speaks in long paragraphs peppered with Cockney slang. I couldnt thank her enough. I lived in a four bedroom villa, he says, between Marbella and Puerto Bans.. But nobody will help you in this business. ", "They were the curse of my life," he says. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. 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