Albert Donoghue - Kray Enforcer

Big Albert Donoghue was an integral member of the Kray gang.  He was the minder to Reg Kray, being very tough and turned against them when he was expected to take the responsibility for a murder committed by somebody else, but he witnessed.  Donoghue was a known young tough and after a friend was badly hurt by the Krays, a remark was reputedly misconstrued and Donoghue was shot in the leg by Reg Kray.  Donoghue said nothing to Police and this earned him recruitment to the Kray mob.

    When Frank "The Mad Axeman" Mitchell escaped from Dartmoor Prison, Donoghue was one who went to take supplies to the house where Mitchell was hiding out.  A woman named Lisa was supplied to keep Mitchell happy, but unfortunately, Mitchell, it is said, fell for her.  But Mitchell became very restless and wanted to get out and about.  Despite his tough reputation, Donoghue knew he would never stop Mitchell, as he had unusually phenomenal strength.  The Krays decided that Mitchell was too much trouble, and asked Freddie Foreman to "sort out" the problem.  A van arrived with Foreman, Alf Gerrard.  When Mitchell climbed into the van, Foreman & Gerrard opened fire, killing Mitchell.  They drove off and let Donoghue out later.  The problem of the girl, Lisa, was sorted out later.  Donoghue took her away from the house, and took her some place where they spent the night together.

    When Reg Kray killed Jack McVitie, Donoghue redecorated the room that the murder occurred in.  When the arrests went down, Donoghue was expected to take the rap for Mitchell but refused to.  He went to the Police.  Even the killer of Mitchell, Foreman, said that the Krays put Donoghue in a difficult situation but he handled it badly.  Foreman later admitted that the evidence Donoghue gave in court was true.  This being the murder of Mitchell.  Yet, when you read his memoirs, yes, there are the exaggerations or lies, but he never made excuses for what he did, and made it clear that they were all thugs.  Kray ass kisser Tony "Gang Boss" Lambrianou liked to paint Donoghue black as black whilst excusing and justifying the actions of his heroes.  "All the men wore three piece suits" said the "Gang Boss".  "Yes" said Donoghue "But we were still thugs!"   In the case of Lisa, when asked if he would have killed her if ordered to, he said that, yes, eventually he would have.  Brutal honesty I call that.  He readily admitted he could kill.  The "Gang Boss" made much of how violent Donoghue was, whilst conveniently ignoring the violence and murder committed by his heroes. 

    Donoghue never hid from anybody, staying in his home area.  According to a book involving Foreman & Lambrianou, Donoghue received a severe beating late on in his life.  Obviously his assailant had to wait until he was old and getting infirm before daring to do something.  Does this indicate how dangerous he was?  Still able to mix it so we will avoid him until he gets really old?  Donoghue was a criminal, a thug who could easily kill, but it made a change to hear somebody say "We were thugs.  We would do anything to anybody!"