User:Jack The Hat
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Jack The Hat is both the nickname of notorious London gangster Jack McVitie (famously murdered by the Kray Twins in October 1967), and the name of an artistic media company based in the United Kingdom.
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[edit] The Kray Twins
McVitie had been an associate of the twins for some time, and although he never actually belonged to the Firm, he was regularly employed by the twins to commit various jobs for them. Ronnie Kray had paid McVitie in advance to kill ex-friend Leslie Payne, whom he believed was going to inform on him to the police, but McVitie never carried out the execution. Instead, his notorious drink and drug addictions caused him to simply keep the money, and to begin threatening several bar owners who were under the protection of the Krays.
[edit] Death
On October 29th 1967, Jack was invited to a party with some of his underworld associates and their families. What he didn't know was that the twins had arrived at the party first, and had spent an hour clearing away guests. When McVitie walked in, Reggie put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Fortunately for McVitie, the gun jammed. But this caused Ronnie Kray to lose his temper, and a brief but violent scuffle ensued. Encouraged by his more violent twin, Reggie threw down the gun and turned on McVitie with a knife, eventually stabbing him multiple times in the face, chest and stomach.
[edit] Justice
The Krays were finally arrested by the same Scotland Yard officials who had been trailing their exploits for years, and along with other members of their gang, including Charlie Kray, they appeared at the Old Bailey in 1969. Charlie received seven years for various offences, whilst his brothers received life sentences with a minimum of 30 years recommended. But despite the obvious restriction on their freedom, prison seemed to do more to encourage the myth and legend surrounding the Krays. Both twins wrote best selling books about their lives and, in 1990, a full-length film was made chronicling the brothers' exploits and the famous murder of Jack The Hat himself.
