Chilling warning from the London underworld over Krays’ book
Fred Dinenage has revealed the chilling warning from the London underworld after agreeing to write the Krays’ autobiography.
The former Meridian Tonight news anchor and exPompey director published Our Story in 1988, in conjunction with Ronnie and Reggie Kray.
Reggie had approached Dinenage with the idea after seeing him on television presenting Coast to Coast.
However, the How 2 stalwart soon realised others were watching.
He told The News: ‘On my first visit to Broadmoor to see Ronnie, I’m walking towards this huge, terrible Victoria building and a white Rolls-Royce with blackened windows pulls up.
‘A window came down and this voice asked if I was Fred Dinenage. When I confirmed, he continued: “I believe you’re going to write a book about my friend? It’s going to be honest, isn’t it?”.
‘I said “Yes, yes, very honest”. To which he responded “I hope so, because I’ll be watching”. With that a puff of cigar smoke came out and the car drove off.
‘I later found out it was Joey Pyle, who ran London’s underworld at the time and a big admirer of the Krays.
‘When the book came out, he called me: “I’ve seen the book. Very nice, well done” and that was it.
‘At Broadmoor, a fellow in a white coat came up to me. This was Ronnie’s butler, another patient, a double murderer.
‘Later he returned carrying a silver tray with a silver coffee pot, some china cups and biscuits. For Ronnie, there were half-a-dozen packs of cigarettes, which he’d light, have one puff and then put it out, and six cans of alcohol-free lager.
‘Before I arrived, the medicaldirectorsaid:“Ronnie’s fine, but he’s a chronic paranoid schizophrenic on strong medication which lasts for about 40 days. Unluckily for you, this is day 39”.
‘I was warned that should there be any subject Ronnie wasn’t happy about, his right leg would start to shake, at which point I should quickly move on.
‘During my interview, I raised the issue of Frank Mitchell,the“MadAxeman” who disappeared. At which point, his right leg started going.
‘Immediately I responded with “Ron, it’s a lovely day outside. Look at that beautiful blue sky”. He replied “Yes, you’re right. It is lovely”. I never asked about Frank Mitchell again!
‘Later Freddie Foreman, their enforcer, admitted to shooting Mitchell in the back of a van and disposing of the body.’
Following the success of Our Story, Dinenage worked with Ronnie Kray on My Story, published five years later in 1993.
He added: ‘Ronnie was on medication but the gentlest, always immaculately dressed, and a pleasure to work with. He wrote poetry and was very easy to talk to, I even took my wife to see him. He loved the company of women.
‘Reggie was the more difficult one, incredibly fit, in the gym every day, as hard as nails, but hyper. He wanted to do things, though, his brain was whirring all the time.’