Tuesday, November 16th, 1999   The Bile Of 'Mr Nasty' Not content with his vile comments on keeping Reggie Kray in prison, the former boxing matchmaker and nasty character Mickey Duff has made a serious incorrect statement on friends of mine Charlie Richardson and his brother. 'Mr. Nasty' Duff has said that the large scrap metal business operated by Charlie Richardson was a front for gangster activities. Duff bases this condemning judgement on the fantasy events that became the 'Torture Trial'. Similar to the Duff opinion that Reggie Kray should remain in prison, 'Mr. Nasty' is wrong again. When Charlie Richardson was barely out of his teens he had worked very hard to build his business to the extent that he was on his way to becoming a millionaire. While he was accomplishing this business feat Micky Duff was hustling a living, of sorts, in sleazy snooker halls and then illegal gambling clubs. Charlie Richardson paid his taxes, gave employment to people, helped the elderly people in Camberwell, South London and was a good son to his parents. Highly respectable people who recognised the drive and ambition of this young dynamic businessman enjoyed his company and were anxious to do business with him. When Mickey Duff rose to the height of a small hall matchmaker at boxing venues like Shoreditch Town Hall and Leyton Baths, Charlie Richardson was doing five figure business deals. As Duff rose to become something of an expert in boxing matters and making a name for himself in boxing, Charlie Richardson became a self-taught expert geologist. It is a revelation to hear Charlie discuss the science of the earth's surfaces, its strata and their relations and changes; the value of obscure precious minerals with University scholars and acknowledged experts. To compare the mental qualities of Mickey Duff with Charlie Richardson would be equivalent to comparing a pub brawler with Muhammad Ali. There is no comparison. Charlie has impressive intellect. Duff has a hustler's mentality. Mickey Duff has obviously chosen to forget that when he was struggling to make a success of the American Sporting Club, a dinner-boxing club, at the Hilton Hotel and needed prestige patrons to boost the image of the club, we helped him by encouraging a director of our substantial juke box and fruit machine business, Sir Noel Dryden, Bart. to give his support as a patron and committee member of the of the club. Sir Noel met Duff and decided he did not want to be involved. Sir Noel was a cultured man and was not appreciative of the hustling personality of Duff. In fact Duff was the only person he met through us that Sir Noel called 'uncouth'. He also believed him to be untrustworthy. Nevertheless, we persevered on behalf of Duff and Sir Noel reluctantly agreed to become an honorary patron. We also contributed to make the club a success by usually taking twenty or thirty people, and sometimes twice this number, to the boxing shows and we became regular supporters. When a boxer we were friendly with appeared on a promotion for which Duff was the matchmaker we would sell hundred of pounds worth of tickets. I should have realised that Duff was an ingrate because never once did he have the courtesy to thank us. He was anxious for our money and patronage but was consumed by snob values and his aim to establish a pretence to be holier than thou. There is nothing wrong with hustling for a living providing you don't rose above your station and pretend you are something to which you have not aspired, and then have the gall sit in uncaring judgement upon people you have no right to judge. To compare the mental capabilities of Mickey Duff and Charlie Richardson it is only necessary to compare words written by Charlie with those written by Duff. There is an enormous quality gap. Even the standard of the handwriting of Charlie if it is compared to that of Duff is another indication of a superior intellect. Yet Duff, who did not personally know Charlie and had never met him at the time he accuses him of being a gangster, seriously believes he is a superior person. Perhaps, in his case boxing may have caused brain damage? If that were true then he could be forgiven but I do not believe it. The true reason is that he is a nasty person. You don't have to be an intellect to be a decent person and neither do you have to be uneducated to automatically be considered a decent person. You are what you make of yourself unless ruthless people intervene and destroy your ambitions. Thank you to those of you who contacted me and registered surprise that Mickey Duff is the son of a rabbi and that his real name is Monek Prager. His father was a respected Jewish religious leader who cast-out his son Monek and disowned him. For a devout Jewish father to do this must have been heart-grieving because it is a historical fact that sons in a Jewish family are the favoured gender. It has to be devastating for any male parent, let alone a religious member of the Jewish faith, to deny a father's love to a son. True religious leaders have to be compassionate and there is no reason to suggest that this religious leader was in any way different. There is no doubt that the father was aware that for him to cast-out his male child would be a terrible indictment on the son, so it may be inferred that it was a very seriously considered judgement. It may also be presumed that the father knew his son better than any other, even with a changed name. Charlie Richardson came from parents who resolutely stood by their son in the darkest hours. When others turned their backs the Richardson family stood tall. They knew the events alleged in the 'Torture Trial' were fantasy - the whole affair was scandalously exaggerated and a fabrication. The Richardson parents love was undenied and they had no cause to close their doors on any one of their children. back