‘I knew Britain’s hardest man and well-known gangsters – all of them shared identical trait’

A former DJ who worked in London nightclubs in the 80s and 90s says she encountered three of the most feared men in Britain – but they all had one thing in common.

Emma Daniels, 54, was pals with ‘Britain’s hardest man’ Lenny McLean, who she described as a “gentle giant” who kept her safe.

But she also revealed that the legendary underground boxer and bouncer introduced her to gangsters ‘Mad’ Frankie Fraser and Charlie Kray – the older brother of the Kray twins who was considered the brains behind the family’s criminal empire.

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And despite being sinister figures, with Fraser famed for ripping out people’s teeth with pliers, Emma said they took her by surprise.

Speaking to the Daily Star, the mum, from West London, said: “I called Lenny my second dad and people saw him as this big and notorious guy.

“I met Frankie Fraser with him and I will be honest with you, Frankie Fraser as well, you talk to him, and he was very polite and courteous.

“People get ideas of gangsters so to speak but Lenny was the kindest man I ever met – absolutely stunning. I even met Charlie Kray at one point. Lenny always had this group of people who would hang around but they were never confrontational, they were always respectful.”

Emma, from West London, had a particularly close bond with Lenny, who she met aged 18, before he later came to her own son’s christening.

She said she was devastated when he died of lung cancer in 1998 aged 49 and reminisced about how he made her feel comfortable as a woman working late nights in the capital.

Lenny – who had a troubled start to life after his cruel stepdad broke his leg aged five – was a towering figure at 6ft 3in and 20 stone.

But despite his size, Emma said his presence alone was enough to deter trouble makers and she told us: “He was never aggressive and he would go over to the person (causing trouble) and say ‘have some respect, she is a woman playing her music, leave her be’. And that was it.

“He was the barrier between me and the people that were there. But he was never confrontational. Just his presence and knowing he was there was enough to put people off.

“I can’t say anything bad about him – he was just a wonderful bloke. I would walk into work and say ‘alright dad’ and he would say ‘alright Em’.” He would literally watch out for me every single moment I was there and I called him my second dad.”

She also had glowing things to say about ‘Mad’ Frankie Fraser who was a brutal enforcer in the Richardson Gang in South London.

However, the bloke once dubbed ‘Britain’s most dangerous man’ left a more intimidating impression on Professor Dick Hobbs.

Prof Hobbs, an expert on violence and crime went to Fraser’s home while researching a documentary about crime during World War 2. And speaking to the Daily Star, he said: “As we walked up the stairs I was faced by the biggest 5ft5 man I had ever seen in my life.

“He was standing there at the top of the stairs and he had the sun shining in behind him. He knew exactly what he was doing. He wore pristine formal trousers and a smart white shirt and he was letting us know he was the boss.”

Fraser further asserted his dominance when he offered the pair coffee. Hobbs accepted the offer whereas the producer politely declined – much to Fraser’s distaste.

Criminologist Hobbs remembered: “He shouted, ‘Have a coffee!’ and my colleague said ‘Yes, alright then’ and that was that, we were having a coffee.”

He added: “He had very dark eyes and he would look right into you. There was just something about him and it is very hard to say what it was… But his eyes for sure and the way he carried himself. He was the only villain I’ve ever met who was full on villain and he was unapologetic.”

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