Gangs in the United Kingdom are gangs which are or were active in the cities and towns of the United Kingdom.

Almost three quarters of all 'gang' related organised crime in England alone, particularly gun crime is allegedly centred around London in the south, Birmingham in the Midlands, and Manchester and Liverpool in the north. This assertion was affirmed by New Labour Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker in a Q&A interview on the BBC news site on November 15 2007 ^[1]. There has also been media coverage in previous years of gangs active in Leeds, Bristol and Nottingham although to a far lesser extent than the other major cities. These cities featured in a number of sensationalist articles in the earlier part of this decade when stories of turf wars and gang feuds dominated the front-pages of national and local newspapers. Bristol, Leeds,and Nottingham have since received lots of national media attention for their role in British gang involvement. However, police in Leeds reported that there was no such problem anymore and Nottingham has seen large decreases in gun crime despite the media still referring to the city as "Shottingham". Violent gangs are reported to be taking strongholds in smaller towns and cities such as Keighley (outside of Bradford) in West Yorkshire. In 2003 Glasgow officially became the murder capital of Western Europe^[2].

Many researchers have rejected the existence of gangs in the UK because they do not fit the stereotypes of American gangs. However, Klein (2001, 2004, 2005) suggests that many American gangs also do not fit these stereotypes. In 2001 a book The Eurogang Paradox was published. Klein (2001) who coined the term did so in response to this denial of street gangs in Europe.

Manchester street gangs

In the mid 1980s, a growth in violence amongst West Indian youths from the west side of the Alexandra Park Estate in South Manchester and their rivals, West Indians living to the north of the city, in Cheetham Hill began to gain media attention.^[3] Cheetham Hill was populated by West Indians who had moved north of the city (to the spill over estate of Cheetham), from Moss Side in south Manchester. The two estates had loosely agreed not to carry out "business" in one another’s area. A robbery by Cheetham Hill, in what was seen as a Moss Side area in 1984 was followed by a dispute over a woman, which brought the two areas into conflict. Cheetham Hill criminals were the first to show firearms, at a time when gun crime in Manchester was still rare.

Towards the end of the 1980s, another group of young men from the east side of the Alexandra Park estate began dealing drugs from Moss Lane. They used the Pepperhill Pub in Bedwell Close and later became known as the Pepperhill Mob.

The gang wars in Manchester first gained national media attention in the Guardian newspaper on 7 June 1988. In the article, Clive Atkinson, deputy head of Greater Manchester CID said, "We are dealing with a black mafia which is a threat to the whole community, and fear that unless we can apprehend the leaders, it is only a matter of time before an innocent person is killed." This came after concern over eight shootings and a gun related murder in Moss Side and Cheetham Hill when gun crime was still rare.^{[citation needed]}

A report two years later, on 15 December 1990 in the Guardian newspaper described how easy access to drugs and guns was causing unease in some Manchester housing estates. It focused on the growing attraction of violent crime and combat in the "concrete jungle". Throughout the early 1990s, a great deal of national media attention was given to the 'warring gangs' of Manchester. The city was dubbed in the media as 'The Bronx of Britain', 'Gangchester' and 'Gunchester'.^[4]

Whilst the city had become divided between Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, at the end of the 1980s another conflict began. Alexandra Road divided the small estate of Alexandra Park. There were to be no dealings between the north and south of the city. However, youths from the west-side carried on dealing with Cheetham Hill and they began to war with the Pepperhill Mob. The youths on the west-side who lived around Gooch Close later become known as the Gooch Close gang. Gooch Close still exists today but has been changed to Westerling Way.^[5]

The war between the Gooch and Pepperhill saw a surge in violent assaults and drug related murders. At the height of it all, the Pepperhill pub was closed down and the remaining members regrouped around Doddington Close and become known as the Doddington Gang.^[6]

While the 'elders' were a threat to society the 'youngsters' to come up beneath them were even more ruthless in the trade and conflicts between the east and west of Alexandra Park were commonplace into the mid 1990s. In 1994, Andy Nott, crime correspondent for the Manchester Evening News reported that 'Gun gangs call a halt to war in the streets', on 13 August. A truce was agreed and after the initial summit two Los Angeles street gang members who were once deadly rivals with the Bloods and Crips visited Moss Side.

In 1995 the truce broke down following the murder of Raymond Pitt. Pitt's younger brother, Tommy Pitt, broke away from the Doddington Gang to create the Pitt Bull Crew, meanwhile in Longsight, east of Moss Side, Julian Bell formed the Longsight Crew. Conflicts arose between the Longsight Crew and Gooch, Longsight Crew and Pit Bull Crew, Pit Bull Crew and Doddington and the Doddington and Gooch. Tit-for-tat gang shootings increased dramatically toward the end of the 1990s.^{[citation needed]}

The gang culture has spread into many deprived areas in South Manchester in recent years.^[7] Over the past years other gangs such as the Young Longsight Soldiers^[8] have appeared and gangs have splintered into smaller groups such as the Young Gooch. Also newer gangs have formed in districts further south, like Wythenshawe and Benchill. The gang wars that started over 20 years ago are still present in today’s Manchester. In February 2006 five men from Moss Side were jailed in what was thought to be a gang feud between the Gooch and Doddington in Manchester city centre. One recent gang-related crime occurred on 9 September, 2006, in Moss Side, where Jessie James, a 15-year old schoolboy was shot dead in the early hours of the morning. His shooting is said to have been the result of a mistaken identity for a rival gang member. Up to this day his murderer has not been found.^[9]

Liverpool gangs

Street gangs in Liverpool have been in existence since the mid-19th century, with names such as the 'High Rips', 'The Cornermen', 'Logwood Gang', the 'Lemon Street Gang', the Housebreakers', and the Dead Rabbits. There were also various sectarian 'political' gangs based in and around Liverpool during this period.^[10] Dr Michael Macilwee of Liverpool John Moores University and author of The Gangs of Liverpool states, "You can learn lessons from the past and it's fascinating to compare the newspaper headlines of today with those from the late 1800s. The issues are exactly the same. People were worried about rising youth crime and the influence of 'penny dreadfuls' on people's behaviour. Like today, some commentators demanded longer prison sentences and even flogging while others called for better education and more youth clubs."

During World War II the 'Eagle and Child' public house (known locally in Huyton as the Bird & Bastard), became the scene of many gang fights between armed American and British servicemen and also armed groups and local gangs.^[11]

In the early 1980s Liverpool became infamously known as 'Smack City' or 'Skag City' after it experienced an explosion in organised gang crime and heroin abuse, especially within the city's more deprived areas.^{[12] [13]} Liverpool is said to be the main port of entry for illegal firearms and drugs importation. It has also been suggested that distribution networks for illicit drugs within the UK and the Republic of Ireland, even allegedly some Mediterranean holiday resorts are today controlled by various Liverpool gangs.^{[14] [15]}

In the mid-1990s areas of Liverpool erupted into open gang warfare. The 'gang war' allegedly began early in 1995 when tensions had risen over control of the city's nightclubs and the profitable distribution rights of drugs. The incident which is alleged to have ignited this so-called 'gang war', was a dispute over the ownership of a bar. The dispute was between Johnny Philips, (a childhood friend of Curtis Warren), and a gang from the Dingle area of South Liverpool. Philips had taken over a drinking establishment called 'Cheers' after acquiring the deeds from the previous owner as settlement for various gambling debts. However, allegedly, the club's regulars were violently opposed to Phillips' ownership and so to settle the matter, a one-on-one fist fight, between Philips and former amateur boxing champion David Ungi^{[16] [17] [18]} was then arranged. Philips lost the fight due to the alleged use of knuckle dusters by David Ungi.^[19]

Police reacted by mounting operations targeting the two warring factions, namely the Toxteth based gang linked to Curtis Warren and the neighbouring Dingle gang. Before police could intervene David Ungi was shot dead in May 1995. His death sent ripples around the Liverpool underworld. Despite alleged underworld connections, Ungi had no criminal convictions and was not involved in any known criminal activities. Following Ungi's murder, the disputed drinking den was targeted in an arson attack and within 48 hours, six houses just south of Toxteth were raked by gunfire. Ricardo Rowe (Ricky Rowe), one of those questioned over Ungi's murder, was later shot inside a gym in the Kensington area of Liverpool. Further gunshots were reported in Netherley and Dovecot between rival gang members. There were 6 deaths in 7 days.

In 2000, Dan Reed, a documentary film maker, made a short film for Channel 4's Cutting Edge documentary television series entitled Shooters (2001)^[20] in an attempt to illustrate the background which led up to the David Ungi murder and the ensuing 'gang war'. The fictional drama/documentary film was unscripted and was filmed in Liverpool. It used local people with insights into the local 'underworld' to perform the roles. Ricky Rowe and Franny Bennett were two of the lead actors in the 'fictional drama'.^[21] It was first broadcast in December 2000. Another Liverpool local who had appeared in Shooters, Carl Seaton, was later gunned down in 2002 on Martensen Street, Edge Hill, in what was described as an execution in the Liverpool Echo and the Liverpool Daily Post.^[22]

A report in the Observer newspaper written by journalist Peter Beaumont entitled Gangsters put Liverpool top of gun league (28 May 1995), observed that turf wars had erupted within Liverpool. Some gangs were vying for the control of the cities lucrative pubs and club trade, whilst other gangs were more interested and content to battle over personal pride and territory. Beaumont also noted that there were many cross conflicts with all those involved in the 'wars', and in what he described as "Liverpool's biggest open secret". Within an 18-month period beginning in 1995, there were 80 reported shootings resulting in several murders. According to police figures there had been more than 43 gun fatalities on Merseyside. Official Home Office statistics revealed a total of 3,387 offences involving firearms had occurred in the Merseyside region during a four year period between 1997 and 2001.^[23]

In the mid-1990s former enforcer and gangster Paul Grimes^[24] became the Liverpool underworld supergrass, giving evidence which subsequently helped convict Curtis Warren and John Haase.^{[25] [26] [27] [28] [29]}

By the late 1990s guns were being used more frequently to settle even the most minor of disagreements. Tony Lawler was shot dead in one such incident which police believed was linked to the fight to control Merseyside's lucrative club security business. Another victim of this feud was Ian Clarke who pulled up at a set of traffic lights in the Anfield district of North Liverpool and was hit by a hail of bullets, he died five days later, no one has been charged with his murder. As in previous gang wars, many became victims of random gangland shootings. All were to be wounded or killed within a confined area of the city, this time in North Liverpool.

In 2003, Everton, North Liverpool, became the scene for gang violence. A feud between drugs gangs based mainly on the Grizedale Estate^[30] and criminal rivals allegedly based in nearby Kirkdale, (Riverside) had been simmering for years before it publicly hit the headlines. It had begun when Tony Richardson was sprayed with gunfire during a drive-by shooting. Richardson, whose fiancee is actress Jennifer Ellison, was allegedly wrongly accused of taking part in a gun attack on a prominent local crime family who were linked to the Kirkdale gang. The ensuing war resulted in a car and a nail bomb being used in city centre attacks, and Tuebrook police station being targeted by a car bomb. That blast, on May 13, 2004, created by packing industrial fireworks into a petrol container, was the biggest bomb on the British mainland since the IRA ceasefire.^[31] Again more reprisal shootings occurred resulting in more deaths But yet again, there were still very few convictions by the 'Merseyside Constabulary'. ^{[32] [33]} . These events led to some local politicians declaring publicly that the gang wars were "out of control", and that Merseyside Police were unable to combat the gangs.

In January 2005 the British government released a report which stated that the gang wars which were plaguing the city had now spread within Liverpool prison. ^[34]

In February 2005, veteran gang leader and drug baron John Haase was described in a headline published by the New Statesman as, '...one of Britain's most dangerous drug lords. Why did Michael Howard let him out of jail after ten months?'^[35] Haase had received a Royal Pardon from Michael Howard the Conservative Home Secretary. Haase from his prison cell, had allegedly supplied British intelligence services in the mid-1990s with detailed information on the whereabouts of supposed PIRA and Republican Irish dissident arms caches allegedly located around the city in return for his release.^[36]

Also in 2005 Donal MacIntyre had a gun held to his throat while investigating Liverpool's violent drug wars for his documentary television series broadcast on Channel Five.^[37] MacIntyre was later quoted in an interview as saying: "I've been around the block a few times as a journalist and we can all presume we know the way things are, but there were a few things that happened in Liverpool that opened my eyes a bit and took me by surprise".

More recent feuds making media headlines since 2006 have involved the Croxteth based 'Crocky Crew' and the 'Strand Gang', who are based in the Strand shopping area of Norris Green.^[38] The victims and the shooters in the 'wars' are becoming noticeably younger, some gang members involved are as young as 14 years old. The ongoing conflict between the Croxteth and Norris Green gangs first received media attention when shootings occurred in the March of 2006. The first victim of this spat was youth Liam Smith, an IC1 'white caucasian' male, aged 19, a self-proclaimed "soldier" of the Norris Green Strand Gang.^[39] Smith was killed by a shot to the head as he left Altcourse Prison after visiting an inmate.^[40]. ^[41]

In August 2007 the ongoing war between these two rival gangs, driven by bravado, pride, territory, and drug revenues, caused nation-wide outrage, when innocent 11 year old Rhys Jones was shot in the neck and died in his mother's arms in the car park of the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth Liverpool. ^[42]. Police have still to bring the 'teenaged' shooter to justice.

In the June of 2007 Curtis Warren was released early from his Dutch prison after winning a court appeal.^[43] On the 21 July 2007, Warren was arrested at the harbour of St Helier, Jersey. He appeared in court on 23 July 2007 on suspicion of importing drugs and was further remanded in custody. On 4 October 2007 Warren appeared in Jersey's Royal Court were he pleaded not guilty to conspiring to import cannabis on to the Island. Warren and his 3 co-accused all pleaded not guilty and were remanded to appear in court again on 13th December 2007.^[44]

In late 2007 Stephen French's biography penned by Graham Johnson, entitled The Devil: Britain's Most Feared Underworld Taxman was published. It detailed French's past role in the Liverpool underworld. He is now known as an active anti-gang/anti-gun campaigner, and an ambassador for the 'Increase the Peace' program. ^{[45] [46]} French claimed that he was responsible for "pushing Curtis Warren into a life of crime" in a report published by the Liverpool Echo in October 2007 ^[47]

On 13 November 2007, Colin Smith was shot as he left an establishment known locally in Speke, Liverpool as 'Nels Gym'. Smith was allegedly Curtis Warrens 'right hand man' within the Granby gang.^[48] Alleged gang sources stated Smith's execution could provoke a major gangland backlash. Smiths murder was described as the biggest slaying since David Ungi was shot dead in November 1995.^[49]

On 14 November 2007 it was announced that Knowsley on the outskirts of Liverpool would receive up to £1 million in funding to combat local gun and gang crime. ^[50]

On 16 November 2007, it was announced that a Croxteth community centre named in memory of murdered schoolboy Rhys Jones, could possibly also become a permanent police base to aide in efforts to "reclaim the streets" from the gangs. ^[51]

On 17 November 2007 David Ungi's son Michael, aged 20 was shot and wounded during a 'drive-by' shooting in South Liverpool, in what Police believe was a targeted shooting. ^[52]

Bristol

During the 1990s the Bristol illegal drug trade was predominantly run by a local gang known as the Aggi Crew. Towards the end of the century Jamaican criminals had been moving in on Bristol, as well as many other British towns and cities. In 1998, six members of the Aggi Crew were imprisoned after being found in possession of over £1 million worth of crack-cocaine.^[53]

Following the Aggi Crew imprisonment so-called Yardie dealers began using new methods of dealing to ensure they evaded the police. Drug dealing around St Pauls Grosvenor Road area and the Black and White Cafe (now closed) rapidly reached epidemic proportions. Drug dealing and intimidation, joined by drug addicts, muggers and prostitutes, began to plague the St Pauls district of the city.^{[citation needed]}

When the Aggi Crew members were released from prison they were eager to take back their territory and made an offer to the Jamaicans. The Jamaicans were an alliance of several smaller gangs including the Hype Crew, Mountain View Posse, Back to Back Gang and the Gucci. The Aggi Crew suggested they could operate St Pauls as long as they paid a tax. The Jamaicans refused and the Aggi Crew stormed the Black and White Café robbing everyone at gunpoint.^{[citation needed]} The first incident involved a Hype Crew member being shot followed by a shooting on an Aggi Crew member. A series of tit-for-tat shootings and violent incidents took place. Armed police were drawn in to mount patrols around the St Pauls district following the release of the Aggi Crew amid fears of the growing gang violence. The patrols began in January 2003.

The patrols were in response to fears of a turf war between the gangs of drug dealers known to be armed and willing to use violence against each other. However, the threat of violence lessened and patrols were withdrawn in February 2003.^[54] In September 2003, Stephen Henry, a drugs dealer's "protector" was shot dead by a rival gang during a Bristol turf war. He was shot three times as he got into his car after leaving the Level Nightclub in the city centre.^{[citation needed]}

Hundreds of armed police arrested 36 alleged crack dealers and seized drugs and firearms in a series of raids carried out over eight days in Bristol. Of the 36 people arrested, 29 were charged with drugs and firearms offences – 27 of them were Jamaican. Seven others were referred to the immigration service for deportation. The raids were the latest phase of Operation Atrium, launched in 2001 to clamp down on drug-related crime in Bristol by disrupting organised gangs. More than 960 people have been arrested in the past 18 months.^[55]

Birmingham

The 1980s saw gang culture grow in Birmingham, which came about mainly in the late 1970s. Most of the gangs in Birmingham are ethnic gangs which came about to protect their communities against far-right parties such as the National Front, but as multiculturalism in the city grew rapidly and far-right parties subsided the gangs turned to crime and deviance^{[citation needed]}. Although the Birmingham gangs have a history dating back to the 1970s, most were not brought to the public's attention until New Years Eve, 2003, when a high-profile drive-by shooting in the Birchfield area (in the Aston ward of Birmingham) claimed the lives of two teenage girls, Letisha Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis. Several gangs operate in the Birmingham area, the most well known being those involved in the shootings of Ellis and Shakespeare. New younger gangs too are appearing and also prominent Yardie gangs. The violent crime rate in Birmingham has risen dramatically in recent years to the growth of gangs in the city, in 2006 six out of the ten most gun crime affected area's in the UK were in Birmingham^{[citation needed]}.

Asian gangs in Birmingham have now mainly disbanded due to educational and economic success of many in the Indian-British community, particularly in Birmingham^{[citation needed]}.

The riot in Lozells October 2005 saw black and Asian gangs clash on a large scale. This was due to an unfounded rumour that several Asian men had gang raped a black girl which sparked the violence. The violent clashes in the volatile area of Lozells claimed three lives and scores of injuries, the riots brought about alliances between gangs of the same ethnicity which were previously unthinkable.^[56] The weeks after the riots saw a massive rise of gun crime in that area of the city mainly between Asian and Black gangsters. The riots were later accredited to a power struggle of drug turf between Asian and black gangsters mainly of Kashmiri-British and Jamaican-British origin and underlying social and economic deprivation in Lozells and of those two particular communities^{[citation needed]}.

Modern London street gangs

The ruthlessness of young gang members in the capital making a living in drug-dealing and using violence so freely are often making headlines due to tit-for-tat reprisal shootings and murders. Whilst gun deaths have decreased in the past year the number of shootings has increased. There are many street gangs in London, such as black, white, Asian gangs and even more defined groups of Jamaican Yardies, black British, Somalians, Tamils, Bengalis, Sikhs, Turkish and Chinese street gangs. Religion is also a defining factor, with some gangs comprising solely Muslim or Catholic members, for example.[[5]] It is claimed that so called 'Chinese' street gangs are not Chinese at all, but other Asians such as Filipinos (as in the case of the murder of London headmaster Philip Lawrence) and Vietnamese. Currently the Vietnamese are said to be some groups behind the growth of 'cannabis factories' set up in ordinary houses in the UK.^[57]

In Camden, North London January 2006 Somalian Mahir Osman was filmed being beaten to death by a rival gang of Somalians.^[58]

The Metropolitan Police have reportedly broken up more than 170 gangs in London in a crackdown on illegal gang activity in recent years.^[59]

On 21 February 2007, the BBC reported on an unpublished Metropolitan Police report on London's gang culture, identifying 169 separate groups, with more than a quarter said to have been involved in murders ^[60]. The report stated that "the largest number of gangs are in Hackney, east London (22 gangs); Enfield in north London (13); Lambeth and Merton in south London (12 gangs each); Waltham Forest in north east London (11) and Brent in north west London (11). Criminologist Dr John Pitts, from the University of Bedfordshire, said: "There are probably no more than 1,500 to 2,000 young people in gangs in all of London, but their impact is enormous."

See also

• Specialist Crime Directorate - The team in charge of national organised crime prevention.
• Operation Trident - deals with black gun crime.
• SOCA

References

Notes:

References:

External links

• Discussion for England Gangs and archived news reports on all major gangs in England
• Gang Website
• BBC guide to gangs in Manchester
• Online archive of newspaper articles for local and national newspapers within Britain Subscription to service required
• Public meeting over turf war
• Residents react to armed patrols
• rmed police patrols withdrawn
• Shootings were gang related
• Man shot in contract killing
• Keighley Gangland Threat
• T&A Bradford Gangland feuding
• Merseyside Police Forces anti-gun/anti crime, Matrix Unit
• Police to hold talks with gangs
• Liverpool gang kids told: You are wasting your life