On 6th December 1995 Tony Tucker, Pat Tate & Craig Rolfe were murdered in Workhouse Lane, Rettendon, Essex. This is the story of the man who was left behind. Rise of the Footsoldier II 2015 starring Charlie Heaton & Daniel Adegboyega & Steven Berkoff & Luke Mably & Kiera Bell & Craig Fairbrass & Terry Stone & Chris Brazier & Ricci Harnett et al, director Ricci Harnett
When an execution is carried out in my world there’s no military parade, no music, no march past. It’s just a hideous death. No guilt. No remorse. That’s the way it’s always been. ibid.
People are starting to take fucking liberties. ibid. gangster
My name is Carlton Leach. Born and raised in the East End of London … One especially is my best mate Tony Tucker … Essex Boys: Law of Survival 2015 starring Jesse Birdstall & Chris & Ross Boatman & Megan Lockhurst & Mark Sears & Abbie Steele & James Hodcroft & Jake Francis et al, director Steven M Smith
There’s a new generation of Essex boys that have come through. ibid.
It was the start of an era. But before the murders, before the the doors, the pills and all the ag & Tony, before all of that, there was Marbella. Rise of the Foot Soldier III 2017 starring Craig Fairbrass & Larry Lamb & Terry Stone & Roland Manookian & Jamie Foreman & Josh Myers & Eddie Webber & Ian Virgo & Andy Beckwith & Shaun Ryder et al, director Zackary Adler
Pills got me up but I needed the charlie to stay sharp. ibid.
The world was changing. Essex was changing. And drugs were changing. Punters wanted a buzz that would keep them up all night … Charlie and pills were the order of the day. ibid.
It’s the violence that’s the problem. ibid. brief
We are going to take over this fucking town. ibid. Pat
I’ll take on the fucking world if I have to. ibid.
Essex 1995: What the fuck’s he doing in the motor with Tony and Pat? The Hooligan Factory 2014 starring Jason Maza & Nick Nevern & Tom Burke & Ray Fearon & Steven O’Donnell & Morgan Watkins & Josef Altin & Leo Gregory & Keith-Lee Castle & Ronnie Fox & Ian Lavender & Danny Dyer et al, director Nick Nevern, opening scene
Rettendon, Essex, 7th December 1995: ‘Police have launched a murder inquiry after three men were found shot dead in Essex. A farmer discovered the bodies this morning in a Range Rover parked on a farm track near Chelmsford.’ The Essex Murders I: Ecstasy & Agony, TV news, Sky Showcase 2023
‘Are the real killers behind bars?’ ibid. rozzer
By 1989 Rave is revolutionising the British music scene. And making ecstasy the fastest growing drug in the UK. ibid. captions
‘I’d discovered a complete new universe.’ ibid. Carlton Leach
Tony Tucker: ‘He had power, money, drugs, and a feeling of being invincible.’ ibid. dude
‘Paul [Leah Betts’ father] was ruled out of any involvement.’ ibid.
‘We’ve got somebody from the underworld who is talking to us and saying I can tell you who did it. It was huge.’ ibid.
‘Nicholls offered to become a supergrass and give evidence about what happened on the night of the murders.’ ibid.
Jack Whomes and Michael Steele always protested their innocence. They say they have spent over twenty-five years in prison for a murder they didn’t commit. The Essex Murders II: Secrets and Lies, ex-rozzer
Could a petty criminal with no previous history of firearms really have carried out one of the biggest gangland murders in UK history? ibid.
The vehicle had no fingerprints, no fibres, no blood that linked either Steele or Whomes to this scene. ibid.
Darren Nicholls told police that he drove Steele and Whomes on the night of the murders. ibid.
We found evidence that raises serious doubts about what he [Nicholls] said on the witness stand. The Essex Murders III: Truth & Justice
I never had the bloody chance … I said, Dad, what the hell have you done? Don’t worry, nobody knows. He told me he killed them. He did it for his family. ibid. Steve Nipper Ellis
In 2014, a leaked police report suggested a crime boss was secretly taped discussing killing the Essex boys just before their deaths. The conversation was logged by a surveillance officer. The report added to growing evidence the Essex boys had upset a number of major London crime groups. ibid. captions
Investigating the links with organised crime, TM Eye has discovered a series of police interviews with a defence witness. He claimed a major crime syndicate ordered the murders after the Essex Boys stole money from them. ibid.
On 6th December 1995, Tony Tucker, Pat Tate & Craig Rolfe were brutally executed in one of the most notorious gangland murders in British history. Controversially, police used a member of the gang that murdered the men as a supergrass witness in the trial, and although Darren Nicholls’ evidence was crucial in the conviction of the suspects, it also opened the door to conspiracy theories, press stories and movies, few of which were based on fact. Murder of the Essex Boys: Blood & Betrayal I, Amazon 2023
Craig was the main person but Tony was the muscle. ibid. associate
Once he [Pat Tate] started taking steroids there was a change in his personality. ibid.
Him [Craig] and Pate would just sit for hours and hours doing crack. ibid.
August 1995: The start of the drug importations. ibid. caption
There was a lot of people queuing to waste them. ibid. associate
You discover all sorts of things not necessarily related … Through our intelligence-led operations I discovered unfortunately that we had two police officers who were engaging with Darren Nicholls and his local drugs dealing. Murder of the Essex Boys: Blood & Betrayal II, rozzer
Darren Nicholls: He’s going to talk to save himself. ibid. associate
Halfway House Pub 6.03 p.m.: Steele calls Whomes from the car park to ask where they are … Nicholls and Whome leave; Tucker, Tate and Wolfe arrive … Approx 6.35 p.m. Car enters narrow lane; Whomes gets out; Nicholls drives off … ‘One of the first cases ever they used phone evidence’. ibid.
It’s not [just] Nicholls’ word … They were guilty. ibid.
Welcome to Essex: Britain’s gangland frontier. Two of the county’s more infamous villains are Eddie and Billy Blundell. British Gangsters: Faces of the Underworld s2e4: Essex, Amazon 2024
In 1993 I formed a partnership with Tony Tucker. With the rave music came drugs, and with Tony Tucker came Pat Tate. ibid.