Latest news with #BrinksMatRobbery
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I had a demon inside me... sex abuse fed the monster and drove my horrific crimes: One of Britain's biggest drug smugglers who was jailed with Reggie Kray comes clean - and reveals miracle that saved him
If there was ever any doubt that the British TV viewer is obsessed with gangland crime drama, a glance at this month's schedules banishes it once and for all. Riding high on BBC One is series two of The Gold, a programme revolving around the hunt to find the bullion lost in the infamous Brink's-Mat robbery.
The Guardian
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Lollipop to Surviving Syria's Prisons: the week in rave reviews
BBC iPlayer; full series available Summed up in a sentence In this chilling documentary, two activist brothers head back to the hellish prisons where they were held for nearly a decade during Assad's regime, then the film-makers go further … and meet their old prison guards. What our reviewer said 'As it's described here, the depravity Syria sunk into might be far beyond human forgiveness. Hussam, a former prison officer who says he hasn't looked in a mirror for three years because he cannot bear to see himself, recalls a tradition he and his colleagues upheld every Wednesday morning: 'execution parties'. At one such event, one of the prisoners who was hanged by the neck didn't die, so Hussam was ordered to finish the job. This put him close enough to hear the man's last words. 'Before he died he said one thing: 'I'm going to tell God what you did.'' Jack Seale Read the full review BBC iPlayer; full series available Summed up in a sentence The rollicking BBC drama about the infamous Brink's-Mat robbery returns with the irresistible realisation that the police were only after half the gold bullion – then imagines what happened to the rest of it! What our reviewer said 'The Gold is still prone to giving its characters lengthy speeches, though that quirk has become as much a part of the series as sweaty detectives shouting 'nick 'im!'. But there is an overwhelming sense that this is Good Quality British Drama.' Rebecca Nicholson Read the full review Now/Sky Documentaries; available now Summed up in a sentence A staggering documentary about the BA flight that stopped for a refuel in Kuwait … just as Saddam Hussein was invading. What our reviewer said 'If it were a work of fiction, the story of Flight 149 would probably be deemed too horrifying – or too unbelievable – for television. Indeed, as a documentary interspersed with dramatic reconstructions, at points it is almost unbearable to watch. But it is a crucial piece of work: a one-off film that goes deep into a bizarre and increasingly hideous ordeal to ask how and why it happened.' Hannah J Davies Read the full review Channel 4 Summed up in a sentence Jamie Oliver hated school and wrote himself off because of undiagnosed dyslexia, so this striking documentary follows the chef/activist as he launches his new campaign: the push for mandatory screening for all children. What our reviewer said 'Oliver has less bounce to him than he did during his school dinners campaign. He looks weary, though still determined. He is doing, on both fronts, still better than the rest of us.' Further reading Jamie Oliver attacks Essex council for not recognising dyslexia as special need Read the full review Disney+; full series available now Summed up in a sentence A cracking case-of-the-week crime drama starring Kaitlin Olson as a lovable genius with an IQ of 160 who is working as a cleaner in a police station when she solves a doozy of a case – then gets brought in as a consultant in the homicide department. What our reviewer said 'It is so much desperately needed, perfectly paced fun that, like Kenneth Tynan before me with Look Back in Anger, I don't believe I could be friends with anyone who doesn't love it.' Lucy Mangan Read the full review Further reading The best TV of 2025 in the UK so far In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Daisy-May Hudson's agonised, head-butting portrait of a woman trying to regain custody of her kids is surprisingly even-handed. What our reviewer said 'It's an impassioned, humane and urgently performed drama, a vivid look at what it's like to be reduced to screaming anguish by the system – as well as what it's like to work for the system, and to be the brick wall getting screamed at.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review Further reading 'How much can one person take?': Posy Sterling on her intense portrayal of a mum trapped in custody hell In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Windswept samurai western set in 18th-century Scotland, an almost surreal tale of itinerant martial arts performers and a band of thieves. What our reviewer said 'The pure strangeness of the movie commands attention and there is a charismatic lead performance by Japanese actor-musician Mitsuki Kimura, or Kôki.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Amusing, well-played French comedy with Camille Rutherford endearing as a writer who wins a place on a Jane Austen retreat. What our reviewer said 'It glides along on Rutherford's performance as Agathe – witty, warm, keenly observant, a bit clumsy and Bridget Jones-ish, but never, not even for a moment, cringy.' Cath Clarke Read the full review In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Compassionate Troubles romance from 1984, with Helen Mirren as a Catholic woman who marries across the sectarian divide to John Lynch's Cal. What our reviewer said 'There can't be many movies about love in which the principals don't so much as kiss until an hour and a quarter into the running time. What leads up to the main event is an observant, bleak, sometimes mordantly funny and compassionate account of everyone's melancholy existence.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review True Story; out now Summed up in a sentence Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix is interviewed about his role in the Iraq war, WMD and why his world of diplomacy has disappeared. What our reviewer said 'The result is insightful and a vivid time capsule for the grim and mendacious era of the 'war on terror', during which Blix was tasked with discovering the truth about Saddam's supposed weapons.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review Further reading From Bush to Blix: what happened to the key figures in the Iraq war? Reviewed by Jonathan Jones Summed up in a sentence A dual biography of bohemian painters and siblings Gwen and Augustus John. What our reviewer said 'Biography can be a glib genre, but Mackrell approaches her subjects with an almost novelistic sensibility. What is success, what is failure? This book raises big questions about how we can judge or know others.' Read the full review Further reading Fights, flings and fabulous paintings: how sibling rivals Augustus and Gwen John exasperated each other Reviewed by Huw Green Summed up in a sentence An accessible guide to the most important psychological theory since Freud: predictive processing. What our reviewer said 'One of the most enjoyable things popular science can do is surprise us with a new angle on how the world operates. Yon's book does this often as he draws out the implications of the predictive brain.' Read the full review Reviewed by Mythili Rao Summed up in a sentence What can the animal world tell us about how humans couple up? What our reviewer said 'The story of sexual evolution is one of experimentation and constant improvisation, and that, he says, goes a long way to explaining why human sexual norms seem to be undergoing a transformation.' Read the full review Reviewed by Keshava Guha Summed up in a sentence Descendants of a proscribed intercaste marriage are connected across continents and centuries in an ambitious panorama. What our reviewer said 'Johal is a brilliant observer of romance: of uncertain beginnings and awkward endings.' Read the full review Reviewed by Rachel Seiffert Summed up in a sentence Secrets and sex in post-second world war Europe. What our reviewer said 'Van der Wouden can draw characters with nuance; she creates and sustains atmospheres deftly, and ultimately delivers a thrilling story.' Read the full review Further reading 'I was on the way to a funeral when the idea came to me': 2024's Booker-shortlisted authors on the moment inspiration struck Out now Summed up in a sentence This Zurich duo were torn between focusing on electronics and starting a band – and ended up with a dizzying combination of the two. What our reviewer said 'This is a whirlwind of an album … Anchored by drawn-out loops, each track slowly builds tension to dizzying, near-erotic heights … For all their repetition, the instrumentals are moreish and never dull, thanks also to the ominous sirens and metallic clangs scattered throughout.' Safi Bugel Read the full review Out 20 June Summed up in a sentence The LA sisters reflect at length on a painful and difficult breakup. The results are equally messy, but the highs are high indeed. What our reviewer said 'I Quit peaks, spectacularly, with Relationships. The rest of the album's 15 tracks range from fiercely good and instantly replayable to somewhat bland and instantly forgettable.' Rachel Aroesti Read the full review Out now Summed up in a sentence The adventurous composer cultivated slime mould and used its intricate webs as inspiration for this complex post-classical release. What our reviewer said 'Complicated and dense, Hymnal demands deep listening – no bad thing – but its repetitive, jerking movements and myriad layers often become samey and numbing, with Pramuk's fascinating ideas buried in the murk.' Katie Hawthorne Read the full review Out now Summed up in a sentence Sviatoslav Richter was one of the most recorded pianists of the 20th century but these live recordings from France and Switzerland in 1965 have never been released until now. What our reviewer said 'There are recordings of Richter's performances of all four sonatas already in the catalogue, but the immediacy of these versions is startling … each work was approached afresh each time he played it.' Andrew Clements Read the full review OVO Hydro, Glasgow; touring to 21 June Summed up in a sentence Jarvis Cocker's Britpop legends recently came back for More, their first album since 2001. This accompanying tour features highlights from that alongside the hits. What our reviewer said 'The setlist caters for fans of most Pulp eras, but This Is Hardcore heads are truly spoiled, with Help the Aged and The Fear both played live for the first time in over a decade.' Claire Biddles Read the full review Further reading My cultural awakening: a Pulp song made me realise I was in love with my best friend
The Sun
10-06-2025
- The Sun
Grisly fates of Brink's-Mat robbers – from gangster ‘gunned down by Krays pal' to infamous ‘Goldfinger' murder mystery
Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... IT WAS just after 6.40am on a freezing November morning in 1983 when six masked raiders in fake security uniforms stormed into the Heathrow depot of security firm Brink's-Mat. Armed and dangerous, the gang overpowered guards, doused them in petrol and threatened to set them alight unless they gave up the vault combinations. 16 16 16 Once inside, the robbers got the shock of their lives - stumbling across a hidden treasure trove of gold bullion and diamonds worth a staggering £26million. In total, they made off with 6,800 gold bars - and it took them nearly two hours to load the lot into their getaway van. By the time a guard raised the alarm at 8.30am, the gang had already vanished without a trace. The audacious heist quickly went down in history as one of Britain's biggest-ever - and inspired the gripping BBC crime drama The Gold, which returned to screens this week for a second series. Here, we take a look at the key players behind the notorious robbery - and how many of them later met bloody, violent ends, gunned down as their criminal pasts caught up with them... Micky McAvoy Police believe Brian 'The Nutter' McAvoy was the ringleader of the gang behind the infamous robbery – dubbed the 'crime of the century.' Just 30 at the time and the youngest of the six-man crew, McAvoy was already known as one of Britain's most dangerous and prolific armed robbers. He was arrested just 10 days after the raid and sentenced to 25 years behind bars in 1984. He tried to cut a deal with prosecutors, offering to return his share of the stolen millions – but by then, the money had vanished. In 1995, the courts ordered McAvoy to pay back a staggering £27.5 million, pinning the entire lost fortune on his shoulders. First look at failed Millennium Diamond heist as gang admit to plan to steal £350m jewel in new Netflix's documentary 16 16 But McAvoy did not pay back any of the stolen money. Despite being banged up, McAvoy married his second wife, Kathy, in 1986. The couple stayed together for 36 years until her death in 2022. He was released on parole in 2000 after serving 16 years and later relocated to Spain with Kathy, where he kept a low profile and never spoke publicly about the raid. He was believed to be owed a £3.5 million share from the robbery, but fellow gang members reportedly failed to keep his cut safe. McAvoy died on New Year's Day in 2023, aged 71. A coroner ruled he deliberately overdosed on sleeping pills, six months after his wife Kathleen died from a heart attack. Brian Robinson Brian 'The Colonel' Robinson died penniless in a South East London nursing home, just shy of his 78th birthday. Once a feared figure in the underworld, Robinson passed away after a long illness in February 2021, with not a penny to his name. A close friend said at the time: 'Robbo was a lovely man to his mates and family. But he was f***ed for his money.' Robinson was a career crook who was once on the Flying Squad's list of London's top 20 armed robbers. He was finally nailed in December 1983 - a month after the heist - when security guard Tony Black, who turned out to be his own brother-in-law, spilled the beans. Dubbed the 'inside man,' Black's tip-off led to Robinson's arrest and conviction for armed robbery. He was sentenced to 25 years but walked free in 2000 after serving 16. Despite his criminal past, pals say Robinson, who had two kids, tried to turn his life around after prison but the big payday never came. John Palmer 16 Jeweller and bullion dealer John 'Goldfinger' Palmer was arrested for his part in the heist, but argued in court that he was unaware that the gold he was handling was linked to the Brink's-Mat robbery. He was cleared of all charges against him but met a grisly end in 2015 when he was brutally gunned down in his garden - shot SIX times by a hitman who had been spying on him through a hole in his fence. Cops say the professional assassin leapt over a 5ft fence and opened fire with a .32 revolver fitted with a silencer. Palmer was hit three times from just six feet away and as he lay collapsed, the killer pumped three more 8mm bullets into him. Three years after the 65-year-old's murder police released chilling photos of the peephole used to stalk him from the fence surrounding his Essex home. Essex Police said the killing bore 'all the hallmarks' of a professional hit. Officers believe up to 16,000 victims of Palmer's scams may have had a motive to want him dead. 16 The convicted fraudster, who earned his nickname through his links to the Brink's-Mat robbery, was jailed in 2001 over a £20million timeshare scam. According to a BBC investigation, Palmer had been under secret surveillance by a police intelligence unit for 16 years — with the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca), now the NCA, monitoring his every move. His family have doubled the reward for information leading to the killer — now offering £100,000. Palmer's long-term partner Christina Ketley, 58, revealed her son and his then-girlfriend were inside the house at the time of the attack but escaped unharmed. She said: 'It haunts us that whoever was responsible was stalking John like an animal before so brutally and callously ending his life.' Crimestoppers said: 'There is a contract killer out there who needs to be caught. "It's hard to get the underworld to talk - but anyone who comes to us will be guaranteed anonymity.' Despite detectives pursuing more than 700 lines of enquiry, Palmer's killer has never been found. Kenneth Noye 16 Dubbed 'Britain's most dangerous man', Kenneth Noye built a sprawling mock-Tudor mansion in Kent using proceeds from the infamous heist. The gangster used the luxury pad to stash some of the stolen gold bullion - and stunned neighbours by strutting around the 20-acre estate with a pet LION. Noye, considered one of the most violent members of the gang, was accused of murdering undercover officer DC John Fordham, who was investigating the £26million robbery. In January 1985, two plain-clothes cops crept into Noye's vast garden - but were met by his three snarling rottweilers. 16 16 One officer managed to escape over a wall, but DC Fordham wasn't so lucky. He was brutally stabbed by Noye, the blade piercing his heart and snapping a rib in half. The detective died from six savage knife wounds. Noye was later acquitted of murder, convincing a jury he acted in self-defence. However, he was later convicted for conspiring to handle stolen gold from the Brink's-Mat raid and sentenced to 14 years - serving just seven before being released in 1994. But his violence didn't stop there. In 1996, he stabbed 21-year-old Stephen Cameron to death in a road-rage attack on an M25 slip road. He went on the run for two years before finally being caught and caged for 21 years for murder. Noye was released in 2019 after serving the full sentence. Brian Perry 16 Perry was convicted for his role in the Brink's-Mat heist, charged with helping to dispose of the stolen gold bullion. At the Old Bailey in 1992, he was sentenced to nine years behind bars for handling stolen goods. The court heard how Perry had been trusted to look after the interests of fellow gang members McAvoy and Robinson on the outside - but instead set about feathering his own nest. After serving his time, he appeared to go straight - setting up a minicab firm in South London and becoming a landlord. To the outside world, Perry looked like just another friendly, silver-haired businessman. His tenants had no idea he'd once been part of Britain's most notorious gang. But in 2001, Perry's past caught up with him. In a chilling act of violence, he was gunned down outside his minicab office in Bermondsey - shot three times in the head and body. His killer has never been caught. George Francis 16 George Francis, the man suspected of helping to handle the stolen Brink's-Mat gold, was gunned down outside his courier business in Bermondsey in 2003 — aged 63. His killer is believed to have lain in wait, watching for Francis's green Rover 75. As he stepped out of the car, the hitman struck — blasting him in the head and chest at point-blank range with at least four bullets. According to evidence heard at the Old Bailey, Francis was killed after trying to collect a £70,000 debt from a shady business contact. The man suspected of pulling the trigger was John O'Flynn, a feared underworld figure and one-time associate of the Kray twins. He was also believed to have played a part in laundering the loot from the heist. 16
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Gold fans make desperate plea to BBC bosses as crime drama's second series kicks off
The multi-award-nominated series The Gold returned to BBC One last night, after two years of waiting. The crime drama takes the viewer on an expedition through the 80s- retelling the story of the notorious Brink's-Mat Robbery- one of the largest robberies, and most expensive Met investigations in British history. On 26th December 1983, six criminals broke into the Brink's-Mat warehouse on the Heathrow International trading estate in West London to undertake an dastardly scheme. They successfully heisted £26m in gold bullion, cash and diamonds (equivalent to £111m today) in a plot dubbed the crime of the century. But overshadowing the complexity of the heist was the operation that was set into effect following it - of smelting down and vanishing the gold, across the world, into the assets of a global network of criminals. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The crime drama takes the viewer on an expedition through the 80s- retelling the story of the notorious Brink's-Mat Robbery- one of the largest robberies, and most expensive Met investigations in British history The story was transformed into a captivating comedy-thriller on the small screen with the help of some 'diamonds' of the acting world, starring Hugh Bonneville, Dominic Cooper, Charlotte Spencer, Sean Harris, Jack Lowden and Tom Cullen. One fan describes it as' A beautifully written limited series about a heist - actually post-heist - of likeable smaller-time crooks stumbling onto the biggest gold theft in history: 26 million; and how they try to get rid of it as equally likeable cops chase them.' It achieved great acclaim following its first season, which concluded in March 2023, getting a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Series one ended with luckless Met detective Brian Boyce's (Hugh Bonneville) gut-wrenching realisation that only half of the Gold had been accounted for by the investigation, and there was still a whopping £13 million left to locate. Whilst season 1 followed the movement of the gold that was stolen and distributed by Kenneth Noye, the second season delves into the mystery of the elusive other half of the money. Following last night's riveting episode, fans took to social media, demanding a third series from the BBC. 'Loved this series (hoping for series three). Series two of #TheGold starts tonight. So excited' 'It was brilliant again. I was nervous it wouldn't live up to series one but it was great #TheGold' 'I'm ten minutes in and loving the nostalgia plus it's a cracking drama with first class actors.' 'The writing in #TheGold is so good. Just binge watched the whole thing to reward myself for doing admin!' 'I loved the first series of The Gold and have been looking forward to seeing series 2! However, in conversation with Radio Times, stars of the show Charlotte Spencer and Emun Elliot suggested that the series would be limited to a two-parter, to keep the show focused on the source story: the gold. Spencer said: 'I think people don't realise that, even when I've spoken to friends and family who are like, 'Oh my God, it's got a second season?', and it's like, 'Yeah, because they only ever found half [of the gold]'. So there's, like, a whole other storyline that people don't know about which I think they're gonna like.' Meanwhile, Elliott added: 'The way Neil writes often, because I've worked with him a couple of times, he always seems to know whether something's going to be a standalone thing, a two-parter, a three-parter. 'So he has that kind of entire story arc in his head from episode 1, season 1. And obviously if the first season had been a disaster, there would be no season two, but luckily, there was such a great response, that we got to continue chasing this gold.'
