He was also involved in pornography and may have been associated with criminal Jimmy Humphreys, whose arrest led to the exposure of corrupt police officials in 1971, including Commander Ken Drury of the Flying Squad.
Cornell was originally a member of an East End gang called "The Watney Streeters" and later became involved with the Krays.
Cornell was unstable and unpredictable, and nearly caused an all-out war between the two gangs before his death when Ronnie Kray shot and killed him in 1966.
Other members of the gang included the hitman Jimmy Moody, Derek "Del" Peterman, Roy Hall (who operated the electric generator[clarification needed]), Bartholomew (Barry) Harris (was a getaway driver for the gang), Albert Longman, Ron Lawrence (was a getaway driver and enforcer for the gang) Harry Rawlins, Alan Morse/Rigby, Frank Bailey, Harry Banks, Tommy Clark, Ron Large (Ronnie), Tommy Quinlan, James Kemmery and Mick O'Brien.
He was nailed to the floor of a warehouse near Tower Bridge for nearly two days, during which time gang members (for example, driver Harry Beard) frequently urinated on him.
During a Christmas party at the Astor Club in December 1965, Cornell called Ronnie Kray a "fat poof" and a fight ensued.
On 7 or 8 March 1966, Richard Hart, one of the Krays' associates, was shot dead, intentionally or otherwise, during a brawl involving the Richardson Gang at Mr Smith's Club in Rushey Green, Catford.
Mr Smith's was owned by Manchester-based businessmen Dougie Flood (a club/hotel/leisure business owner and alleged member of the Quality Street Gang)[8][9] and Bill Benny.
Members of another South London gang led by Billy Hayward were present that night including Peter Hennessey.
Apparently, a Hayward associate named Henry Botton saw Fraser kicking Hart in the head and shouted, "You're fucking mad, Frank.
A member of the Richardson gang, Jimmy Andrews, was injured in the affray and went for treatment at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel the day after.
Bradbury was convicted of murdering a business associate named Waldeck in South Africa, allegedly on orders from Charlie Richardson.
With the assistance of the Home Office, which arranged different identities and passports, several witnesses fled the country immediately after the trial.
[citation needed] Charlie Richardson was arrested for grievous bodily harm on 30 July 1966, the World Cup final day.
There were also stories of Charlie being connected to the South African Bureau of State Security and an attempt to tap then-Prime Minister Harold Wilson's telephone.
[2] In July 1966, police arrested the remaining members of the Richardson gang following a series of raids in South London.
He went "on the trot" for almost a year, even dressing as Santa Claus and giving out presents to children to publicise his requests for release.
He openly drank with friends and old associates (including police officers) at several pubs on the Old Kent Road before fleeing to Paris, where he gave an interview to a journalist.
[2] He was arrested with five other men in Earl's Court on suspicion of possession of drugs, having just been seen coming out of a sex shop which was known to be controlled by the Richardson family.