248:, who said Calvey did it so Cook wouldn't find out she had been spending some of his money. At Calvey's trial, the prosecuting attorney said Cook's motive was to "simplify the rather dangerous and complex” state of her personal affairs — referring to her romance with both Reece and Thorogood. Cook was due for full release from prison at the time and so would soon have discovered how Calvey, on whom he had lavished gifts and money, had cheated on him and become the lover of Reece and Thorogood. He also would have found that she had spent the cash he had entrusted to her. Reece testified to police: "I couldn't kill him. I shot to his side. I froze. Linda took the gun from me. She shot him in the head." The claim that he had shot him to his side first was supported by the fact that Cook was found to have a bullet wound to the arm. Calvey's footprints were also found next to the body, indicating she was present in the room at the shooting. On the day of the murder, Calvey had driven to
33:
326:
Calvey has since changed her story and now claims that when she picked up Cook and arrived home, Reece snuck in and shot him, claiming it was to avenge Mickey (as Cook had been a participant in the botched robbery that resulted in his death and alleged Cook knowingly put him in danger) and to protect
229:
Calvey was introduced to Daniel Reece by a friend of Cook, Brian
Thorogood, who thought he could use the support after his son had been killed in a traffic accident while he was in prison. The friendship between the two then developed into a relationship. She also then cheated on Cook with Thorogood.
191:
Calvey began her criminal career as a lookout after being invited by her cousin to a party for armed robber Mickey Calvey, who at the time was on temporary home leave towards the end of his eight-year prison term, where she fell in love with him. She married him at 22 years old, with him having to be
815:
Taylor, Diane (4 January 2000). "THE ULTIMATE REVENGE; Women who have their love rivals raped and tortured; It sounds like a storyline from a bad soap opera, but a growing number of
British women are hiring professional hit men to 'solve' their relationship problems in the most sinister and sadistic
374:
Calvey has been married three times. Her first husband, Mickey Calvey, was an armed robber who died after being shot by police during a botched robbery on 9 December 1978. She was then briefly married to Danny Reece, the hitman she'd originally hired to kill Ronnie Cook. Their marriage took place at
256:
At trial Calvey denied murder, saying the man she had cheated on and who was supposedly abusive to her had "meant everything to her" and she couldn't have killed him. However, the jury did not believe Calvey's story and found her guilty of murder. She showed no reaction when the jury announced their
225:
Calvey met Ronnie Cook after the death of her husband Mickey. He was one of Mickey's associates before his death, and provided money to Calvey to support herself after Mickey's death. According to Calvey, Cook soon became controlling, having say over what she wore and trailing her when she went out
449:"NATURAL BORN KILLERS: 'She yelled Kneel!... pointed the gun and shot Ronnie in the head' In Part Two of our extracts from author Kate Kray's chilling book, she meets the woman who blasted her lover to death and the man behind a contract killing LINDA CALVEY: THE BLACK WIDOW. - Free Online Library"
295:
Calvey denies murdering Cook despite being found guilty. First she attempted to blame a stranger hitman, saying she ran from the house screaming as she saw this mystery assassin shoot Cook in the kitchen. She claimed that, after they got home, "the door burst open and a man shouted, 'Get down.
196:
and eventually wielded guns herself during robberies. She went on to make £1 million in robberies, saying in 2002: "I loved the buzz of picking up a shotgun, confronting men in armoured vans and forcing them to hand over vast sums of money." She later said she always thought that the money was
243:
range, whilst he knelt in front of her. He suffered horrific injuries to the head on the second shot and the blast also broke his neck. A neighbour had heard Calvey shout "kneel" before a shot rang out. The story that Calvey had killed him was backed by Reece, as well as gangster
366:. Calvey insisted in 2019 she is "different from the woman I was 30 years ago". Around this time she published a book about her life with the support of her family, one of whom – brother Anthony – had himself been imprisoned with her for housing Calvey's robbery gang.
238:
In late 1990, around 18 months after being paroled from her armed robbery sentence, Calvey paid criminal associate Daniel Reece £10,000 to kill Ronnie Cook. However, he lost his nerve at the last minute and Calvey picked up the gun herself, shooting the victim at
983:
Howes, Scarlet (6 July 2019). "'Black widow' who earned 100k as getaway driver turned down Reggie Kray's marriage proposal; EXCLUSIVE: Britain's longest serving female gangster, Linda Calvey, reveals all in a new no-holds barred book".
327:
Calvey's son. She also claimed that police had conducted gunshot residue tests on both her face and hands and eliminated her as a suspect, but returned a few days later, interviewed, and arrested her. In 2022, She was interviewed by
252:
to pick up Cook, who was on day release at the end of his sentence, and took him to her home, knowing a gunman would be there to murder him. He was shot only about half an hour after he had been collected by Calvey from the prison.
834:"Her lover's brains and body were splattered all over the kitchen.. but did Black Widow REALLY pull trigger?; NEW SECRETS OF THE BLACK WIDOW: Part 2 of explosive book reveals killer Linda Calvey's bid to beat life sentence".
604:
Kray, Kate (28 July 2002). "Pregnant blonde pulled out a sawn-off shotgun & screamed: Hand over the money or you DIE!; NEW SECRETS OF THE BLACK WIDOW Explosive book reveals truth about gangland mastermind Linda Calvey".
346:, hardly any convicted gangsters like Calvey regard themselves as guilty, and so it is not surprising that Calvey claims she is innocent. Furthermore, despite claiming that Reece killed Cook, she later married Reece at
212:
This is an amazingly horrifying case. It must be the worst case ever heard in front of a
British court. These robberies were carefully planned and organised, they were skilfully, effectively and ruthlessly carried
302:
newspaper described her story in 2000 as "cynical and self-serving" and said that "no-one" believed her story. In 2002 Calvey repeated this claim while represented legally by controversial lawyer and criminal
226:
with friends. After Calvey declined Cook's marriage proposal, she said he threatened to hurt her son. Cook was sentenced to 16 years in prison for taking part in an armed robbery at some point after.
1064:
331:
and stated the same thing: "I picked him (Cook) up, we went to my home and as we walked into my house, the door got kicked in and a gunman ran in and he (Cook) was shot dead. And when they (
264:, considered Britain's most violent prisoner, with Bronson saying that she was "a true lady, a real east London girl". Calvey herself sent a floral tribute to the funeral of gangster
200:
Her first conviction in 1986 resulted in her being sentenced to 7 years imprisonment, of which she served about three years, half her sentence. Most of her sentence was served at
932:
Campbell, Duncan (14 December 1994). "Society: Should life mean for life? - And should claims of innocence have any bearing on parole, Duncan
Campbell asks / Prison Sentences".
421:
217:
Calvey's brother
Anthony Welford had allowed his house to be used as a base by the gang and was himself jailed for nine years for conspiracy to rob the post offices.
1059:
1049:
1084:
448:
670:
339:." By this time she was no longer married to Reece, who as of 2017 was himself still imprisoned, with Calvey having married for a third time in 2008.
473:
386:
Calvey has two children with her first husband Mickey Calvey named Neil and
Melanie, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
1054:
204:. As part of a criminal gang she had helped in a series of post office robberies, in which staff and customers were sprayed with dangerous
1079:
1039:
1014:
163:
of her lover Ronnie Cook. She was known as the "Black Widow" because all of her lovers ended up either dead or in prison. Her novels are
315:
and who is now banned from working in law in the UK. In 2013 Di
Stefano made headlines for proudly declaring he would have represented
1074:
422:"Myra Hindley's Nightie And Rose West's Embroidery: Convicted Murderer Linda Calvey Donates Mementoes To Crime Museum (PICTURES)"
280:. Calvey and Molloy's tribute read: "To Ron, with love and affection from Linda Calvey, Tina Molloy, and the girls of H-wing".
156:
260:
She spent 18 and a half years in prison before being paroled. During her imprisonment in 1995 a tribute was written to her by
1019:
1029:
1024:
950:
Bell, Matthew; Sengupta, Kim (28 January 1996). "Sex with 'Chucky' killer; Prison boss resigns over his secret affair".
1044:
1034:
578:
674:
320:
404:– British man who protested his innocence of a crime and was released after a campaign, but went on to kill a man
304:
644:
1069:
151:, 8 April 1948) is an English author. Before becoming an author she was principally known for committing
707:
Clancy, Ray (13 November 1991). "Black Widow who executed her lover is jailed for life; Linda Calvey".
516:
261:
865:"London's Most Notorious Female Gangster on Her Life of Crime | Minutes with | @LADbible TV"
568:
477:
312:
273:
1004:
277:
645:"'Black widow' who earned £100k as getaway driver turned down Reggie Kray's marriage proposal"
570:
The Black Widow: The Life and Crimes of Linda Calvey - Kate Kray, Chester Stern - Google Books
359:
968:
Alleyne, Richard (20 November 2000). "Smiles in high-security jail as Black Widow marries".
1009:
8:
355:
249:
193:
917:
Chapman, Chloe (31 January 2017). "'Black Widow' will not be attending art exhibition".
201:
574:
298:
782:
Burrell, Ian (30 April 1995). "Terror prisoner turns storyteller; Charles
Bronson".
376:
363:
347:
319:
if he had had the chance. Under Di
Stefano's representation Calvey appealed to the
351:
308:
245:
864:
998:
401:
395:
130:
Mickey Calvey (died 1978); Daniel Reece (divorced); George Caeser (died 2015)
152:
192:
brought to the wedding from his prison by armed guard. She later became a
343:
269:
265:
240:
350:
in 1995. Reece's best man at the wedding was Mike Martin, the lover of
114:
Seven years imprisonment (for robbery); life imprisonment (for murder)
549:
Gilbride, Frank (13 November 1991). "From
Housewife to Executioner".
380:
323:, but they were unconvinced by her defence and rejected her appeal.
284:
183:
Calvey worked as a receptionist at a paint factory while a teenager.
32:
342:
However, according to Kate Kray, the partner of infamous gangster
869:
205:
197:"rightfully hers". She was known to keep guns under her doormat.
379:. Her third marriage, to millionaire George Caesar, occurred in
336:
332:
328:
316:
160:
63:
1065:
Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by England and Wales
671:"Black Widow in freedom bid - News - London Evening Standard"
67:
398:– English female murderer also nicknamed "The Black Widow"
220:
71:
673:. Thisislondon.co.uk. 7 October 2003. Archived from
443:
441:
439:
268:alongside her fellow inmate and criminal associate
287:detailing Calvey's life and crimes was published.
208:. The judge commented in his sentencing remarks:
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622:
620:
618:
616:
436:
98:Crime; all her lovers ending up dead or in prison
1060:English prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
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335:) knew who I was, They then charged me with the
1050:People convicted of murder by England and Wales
945:
943:
637:
106:Multiple robbery offences (1986); murder (1991)
963:
961:
892:
762:
760:
613:
517:"The Black Widow Bank Robber's Web of Secrets"
912:
910:
949:
940:
849:"Di Stefano trial is told of Hitler boast".
729:"Court hears of plot to kill jailed lover".
383:on 4 April 2009. He died in September 2015.
958:
808:
757:
749:"Life for Black Widow who executed lover".
476:. Metro.co.uk. 5 April 2009. Archived from
186:
1085:Violence against men in the United Kingdom
907:
829:
827:
724:
722:
720:
718:
31:
884:"Black widow killer and her hubby No.3".
877:
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931:
548:
233:
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916:
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744:
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629:"Gang jailed after post office raids".
599:
597:
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16:British author and murderer (born 1948)
997:
925:
842:
814:
790:
706:
689:
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424:. Huffingtonpost.co.uk. 23 April 2012
272:, who was imprisoned aged 17 for the
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221:Meeting Ronnie Cook and Daniel Reece
1055:British people convicted of robbery
767:"Life for woman who killed lover".
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13:
1080:1990 murders in the United Kingdom
1040:English people convicted of murder
1015:20th-century English women writers
290:
14:
1096:
492:
474:"'Black Widow' killer weds again"
463:
369:
321:Criminal Cases Review Commission
276:in 1992 soon after the infamous
857:
663:
358:. Some of Calvey's guests were
296:Police!'" before shooting him.
1075:20th-century English criminals
800:"Gangland hails 'king' Kray".
771:. 13 November 1991. p. 7.
753:. 13 November 1991. p. 2.
414:
1:
853:. 1 February 2013. p. 7.
733:. 12 October 1991. p. 9.
408:
178:
1020:20th-century English writers
903:. 12 April 2009. p. 11.
838:. 4 August 2002. p. 30.
567:Kray, Kate (4 August 2003).
362:terrorists Ella O'Dwyer and
7:
1030:21st-century English people
888:. 6 April 2009. p. 29.
804:. 29 March 1995. p. 7.
389:
10:
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1025:21st-century English women
633:. 18 July 1986. p. 9.
307:, who infamously defended
134:
126:
118:
110:
102:
94:
86:
78:
42:
30:
23:
1045:English female criminals
1035:British female murderers
187:Previous criminal career
802:Nottingham Evening Post
274:murder of Edna Phillips
899:"Quotes of the week".
354:torturer and murderer
278:murder of James Bulger
215:
234:Murder of Ronnie Cook
210:
677:on 18 September 2012
451:. Thefreelibrary.com
356:Bernadette McNeilly
305:Giovanni Di Stefano
283:In 2002, a book by
250:HM Prison Maidstone
1070:People from Ilford
313:Slobodan Milošević
202:HM Prison Holloway
103:Criminal charge(s)
631:Brentwood Gazette
149:Linda E P Welford
142:
141:
47:Linda E P Welford
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377:HM Prison Durham
364:Martina Anderson
348:HM Prison Durham
257:guilty verdict.
111:Criminal penalty
79:Other names
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480:on 3 March 2016
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291:Calvey's claims
262:Charles Bronson
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165:The Black Widow
153:armed robberies
119:Criminal status
82:The Black Widow
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523:. 8 April 2020
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352:Suzanne Capper
309:Saddam Hussein
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246:Frankie Fraser
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194:getaway driver
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155:and serving a
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95:Known for
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37:Calvey in 2021
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970:The Telegraph
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919:Southend Echo
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820:. p. 16.
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651:. 6 July 2019
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609:. p. 30.
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402:Ernest Barrie
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59:(age 76)
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936:. p. 7.
934:The Guardian
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901:Sunday Times
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784:Sunday Times
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751:The Guardian
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679:. Retrieved
675:the original
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655:16 September
653:. Retrieved
649:Daily Mirror
648:
639:
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584:. Retrieved
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551:Daily Mirror
550:
525:. Retrieved
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482:. Retrieved
478:the original
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145:Linda Calvey
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57:8 April 1948
25:Linda Calvey
18:
1010:1948 births
521:Narratively
344:Ronnie Kray
270:Tina Molloy
266:Ronnie Kray
241:point blank
171:(2021) and
999:Categories
851:The Herald
836:The People
816:ways...".
607:The People
409:References
299:The People
179:Early life
122:On licence
87:Occupation
53:1948-04-08
709:The Times
527:29 August
381:Dymchurch
285:Kate Kray
127:Spouse(s)
681:29 April
586:29 April
484:29 April
455:29 April
428:29 April
390:See also
175:(2022).
173:The Game
167:(2019),
159:for the
135:Children
870:YouTube
206:ammonia
986:Mirror
952:Mirror
886:Mirror
818:Mirror
577:
337:murder
333:police
329:UNILAD
317:Hitler
161:murder
147:(born
90:Author
64:Ilford
68:Essex
683:2015
657:2022
588:2015
575:ISBN
529:2022
486:2015
457:2015
430:2015
311:and
213:out.
43:Born
360:IRA
1001::
960:^
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72:UK
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51:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
