|Search ON THIS DAY by date|
The brothers, described in court as company directors of the Glenrae Hotel, in Seven Sisters Road, North London, have been charged with demanding money with menaces in the County of London between 1 October 1964 and 6 January 1965.
The twins, who are 31, were distinguishable in court only by their clothes. Ronald wore a dark suit and Reginald a light one.
They have been remanded in custody for a week to give police time to make more arrests in connection with the case.
Officers arrested the brothers at the Glenrae Hotel last night.
Detective Chief Superintendent Frederick Gerrard told Old Street magistrates' court he and a number of other officers had gone to the hotel the previous evening at 2115.
They found the brothers in the basement bar of the hotel, where they were cautioned, before being taken to Highbury Vale police station and later to City Road police station.
When they were told they would be charged, Ronald Kray said: "It's taken you long enough. You have been after us long enough."
Superintendent Gerrard said he objected to bail because there were two other men involved who had not yet been arrested.
He continued: "If they are granted bail I feel sure that we would be impeded in our endeavours to trace these men, and that essential witnesses will be intimidated by these men or friends acting for them."
Victor Durand QC, who is defending the brothers, said they did not know from whom they were supposed to have demanded money - nor how much money was involved.
"One does not know whether the amount is 5s, £5 or £50," he said.
On the direction of magistrate Neil MacElliot, Superintendent Gerrard wrote the name of the person at the centre of the case on a piece of paper and passed it to him.
But Mr MacElliot ruled the sums involved did not need to be disclosed at this stage of proceedings.
Agreeing to the police request to keep the brothers in custody, Mr MacElliot said: "I am satisfied, as far as I can be at this stage, that there are other persons at large who are in a position to, and will perhaps be in a better position to, interfere with witnesses and to impede the investigation were you at large."
The Kray brothers were committed for trial in March with a third man, Edward Smith, described as a self-employed writer.
The case centred round a new Soho club run by Huw Cargill McCowan. He claimed the brothers offered to supply two doormen in return for a percentage of the club's takings.
The brothers' defence denied there had ever been any mention of protection and said they were only interested in securing further investment for a project in Nigeria.
The trial ended with the jury unable to reach agreement. A retrial was ordered which ended in the brothers' acquittal.
Less than a month after the trial ended, the Krays had taken control of the Soho club and had changed its name to El Morocco.
The Krays were arrested again on 8 May 1968 to face a variety of charges including murder. In March 1969 they were found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
|Search ON THIS DAY by date|