Albert Dimes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Albert "Italian Al" Dimes was a London criminal and enforcer for gang leader William "Billy" Hill, who was allegedly involved in bookmaking and loansharking during the 1940s and 50s. In August 1955, Dimes was arrested with rival gangster Jack Spot during a knife fight in Soho although neither men were charged. As a result of his arrest, Spot's power in the city's underworld declined. In 1966, Dimes helped arrange a conference between New York mafiosi and the Corcican Francisi Brothers regarding investing in London casinos [1]. An associate of Charlie Richardson, his presence in Soho delayed the Kray Twins from moving into the area for several years.
The character Johnny Bannion, played by Stanley Baker in the 1960 film The Criminal, was reportedly claimed by director Joseph Losey to be partly based on Dimes [2].
[edit] Further reading
- Morton, James and Parker, Jerry. Gangland Bosses: The Lives of Jack Spot and Billy Hill. United Kingdom: Stratford Books. ISBN 0-316-85991-5
[edit] References
- Devito, Carlo. Encyclopedia of International Organized Crime. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. ISBN 0-8160-4848-7
