RIP Mad Frankie Fraser.

Given that he spent half of his 90 years in jail, RIP could well have meant Rest In Prison. I interviewed him once and despite the fact that he was very small, polite, softly spoken and well into his seventies, he still carried an aura of quiet menace. He said he’d never been frightened of anyone or anything. It was all there in his eyes. Most eyes are blue, green or brown eyes, but Frankie’s were black. Look into them and there wasn’t a trace of remorse, empathy or fear. Apropos of nothing, he said “That Vinnie Jones thinks he’s hard. Put him in a cell with another con, a knife each and no clothes on then we’ll see how hard he is”. Frankie Fraser was not a “bit of a character” or a loveable rogue. Although “decent people” had nothing to fear from him, he really was bad to the bone.