Police killer Harry Roberts is to be released from prison after more than 45 years. Roberts was jailed for life for murdering three officers in Shepherd's Bush, west London, in 1966. They were shot in front of children playing in a street after they had pulled over a van containing Roberts and two others after an armed robbery. Would have been a big deal for some old timers....
From Wiki.... Roberts' name has been used for many years to antagonise the police, with chants like "Harry Roberts is our friend, is our friend, is our friend. Harry Roberts is our friend, he kills coppers. Let him out to kill some more, kill some more, kill some more, let him out to kill some more, Harry Roberts" as well as "He shot three down in Shepherd's Bush, Shepherd's Bush, Shepherd's Bush. He shot three down in Shepherd's Bush, our mate Harry" (to the tune of "London Bridge Is Falling Down"),which originated with groups of young people outside Shepherd's Bush police station after Roberts had been arrested. There have been artistic representations of Roberts. The character of Billy Porter in the 2001 novel He Kills Coppers by Jake Arnott, and the 2008 TV adaptation, is based on Harry Roberts,and he features in the lyrics of several songs by the band Chumbawamba, including one in which his name is chanted repeatedly ("Harry Roberts, Harry Roberts, Roberts Roberts, Harry Harry") in parody of the Hare Krishna mantra "Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare". Posted this as a shady part of QPR history...
Lovely looking boy - this article from 2009. If you read the second article, it seems he is still a nasty piece of work that should stay behind bars. By the look of him, seems like he is still up for a bit of trouble. Too bad back then he didn't try a shoot-out with the Krays. Police killer Harry Roberts could be free within months The notorious police killer Harry Roberts could be freed from prison within months after serving 42 years in jail. please log in to view this image Police killer Harry Roberts By Patrick Sawer 9:49AM GMT 28 Feb 2009 Roberts, who was jailed for life for the murder of three unarmed policemen in a west London street, has already completed the first stage of a Parole Board hearing, which he believes will pave the way for his release, it has been reported. The killer hopes a final hearing will find that he is no longer a risk to the public and will order his immediate release. He has already served 12 years more than the minimum sentence recommended by his trial judge. A detailed plan to resettle Roberts in the community will have to be drawn up by the prison and Probation Service, including the provision of housing and benefits. He would have to report at least once a week to a probation officer. Ministers will be powerless to halt his release, even though they remain concerned that any such decision will provoke public fury and that his personal safety could be at risk. Roberts was jailed for a minimum of 30 years at the Old Bailey in December 1966 for murdering three unarmed officers in "cold blood" in Shepherds Bush, west London. In August that year Roberts, a career criminal, had opened fire on the unarmed, plain-clothed police officers after they approached a van in which he was sitting with two accomplices. The judge told Roberts that it was unlikely that any future home secretary would "ever think fit to show mercy by releasing you on licence". The murders were in stark contrast to the widespread optimism of the day - coming barely two weeks after England had won the World Cup at Wembley - and were seen as heralding a new ruthlessness among criminals. A two-week Parole Board hearing held last November to review the "facts" used to keep him in a secure prison is claimed to have dismissed many of the concerns surrounding his release. The next hearing will rule on Roberts's future risk to the public. Roberts' supporters have claimed that successive home secretaries have blocked his release for political reasons because of fears of a public backlash. Roberts himself insists he is no longer a risk to the public and he has been punished sufficiently for the crimes he committed as a 30-year-old man. "I'm not Harry Roberts, police killer. I'm Harry Roberts, old-age pensioner," he said last year at Littlehey Prison, Cambridgeshire. "I want to get out of prison and make something of the last years of my life. I can understand why the families of the three policemen could never forgive me and wouldn't want me released. But I feel I've served my time." But Peter Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said that there would be widespread anger among serving and former officers at his release. He said: "There is no death penalty and we fully accept that but there are some crimes where life should mean life and that includes the murder of a police or prison officer in the course of their duty. "There are some evil acts for which there is no forgiveness. Every police officer still considers these awful murders to be one of the most awful events in our history." The sister of one of his victims, Detective Sergeant Christopher Head, said Roberts would never be suitable for release. Edna Palmer, 85, from Gillingham, Kent, told The Times: "Harry Roberts should never be released. There will never be enough time to make up for the terrible thing that he did. He is a dangerous man and, despite the time, he should remain in jail." Legal sources said they believed that the Parole Board was likely to recommend that Roberts is now eligible for an open prison as a way of preparing him for his eventual release. Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, still retains the power to reject a Parole Board recommendation that Roberts be moved to an open prison. However he cannot block a decision by the board to order his release. A Parole Board spokesman would not discuss individual cases, but said: "With all life sentence prisoners the statutory test that the board must apply when considering whether they are suitable for release is whether it is necessary for the protection of the public that the prisoner be detained." Last year it was revealed that bugging devices planted in a prison telephone were used illegally to record privileged conversation between Roberts and his solicitor. Roberts had first been transferred to an open prison in 2001 in what was thought to be a prelude to his release. He was returned to closed conditions within months after allegations that he was involved in drug dealing and bringing contraband into prison. The Home Office used anti-terrorist legislation to prevent Roberts or his lawyers from seeing the evidence presented to the Parole Board to keep him in a secure jail, on the grounds that the sources of the information would be placed at risk. Roberts lost an appeal to the House of Lords seeking disclosure of the evidence in 2005 and the next year was turned down for parole. However, the confidential letters and statements containing the allegations were leaked and sent to Roberts at his cell in 2007. The case was referred back to the Parole Board. At his trial in December 1966 Roberts admitted firing the shots that killed Detective Sergeant Head, 30, and Detective Constable David Wombwell, 25. He denied murdering PC Geoffrey Fox, 41, as the shot had been fired by an accomplice. John Duddy, who fired the shot that killed PC Fox, died in prison in 1981. The third member of the gang, John Witney, became the first convicted police killer to be freed from jail when he was released in 1991. Eight years later he was beaten to death at his Bristol home. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...arry-Roberts-could-be-free-within-months.html Police killer Harry Roberts's five-year terror campaign to silence woman who kept him behind bars Justice Secretary Jack Straw was last night facing urgent questions about how Britainâs most notorious police killer was able to terrorise a woman whose evidence blocked his release from jail. From his cell, Harry Roberts orchestrated a horrifying five-year campaign of intimidation designed to silence 65-year-old Joan Cartwright and her son James. Mrs Cartwright works at an animal sanctuary where Roberts, who gunned down three unarmed officers in cold blood 42 years ago, worked while on day release from open prison in 2001. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Harry Roberts (left) orchestrated a five-year campaign of intimidation against Joan Cartwright, pictured with her son James Ordeal: Joan Cartwright and her son James (right) feared for their lives after they complained about Harry Roberts's behaviour at their animal sanctuary please log in to view this image Vile Farce: Harry Roberts affectionately pets one of the dogs on the farm - although he would later arrange for the horrific torture of animals once he suspected the Cartwrights had made their complaint please log in to view this image Sickening: Digby's mutilated body was found the day before the Cartwrights were due to give evidence against Roberts http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-terror-campaign-silence-woman-kept-bars.html
I never heard it any more - but when I was young and first standing in the old LOFT - the Harry Roberts chants would be sung almost every match at the police. At the time I never realized who he was........seems the 'local' support as died away as people have got older and maybe aren't the chanting section any more. Wonder why there was such 'support' for him amongst the old timers - interested if any one on here knows the answer.
It was sung at almost every football ground & demo in the '60's & '70's & yes, I was stupid enough to have joined in. For this I unreservedly apologise. Not many of us realised how upsetting this "song" was & regarded it as gentle banter. This does not excuse us but we do many strange things in our youth! Memory is probably wrong but mine tells me that Rangers fans first sang this at Blackpool in '67 at a top of the table game. We won 1-0.
A notorious police killer is to be released from prison in what the Police Federation called a "scandalous, hurtful and abhorrent decision". Harry Roberts, 78, was jailed for life for murdering three unarmed officers in Shepherd's Bush, west London, in 1966. They were shot after approaching a van containing Roberts and two others, after an armed robbery. Home Secretary Theresa May said she strongly believed police murderers should be behind bars for life. The Metropolitan Police Federation said the decision was a "betrayal of policing" by the judicial system. It said Roberts' planned release, approved by a Parole Board panel, was a "scandalous, hurtful and abhorrent decision which opens the door even further for those who have scant regard for law and order". please log in to view this image The men shot dead were (left to right): PC Geoffrey Fox, 41; Det Con David Wombwell, 25; and Sgt Christopher Head, 30 Roberts and two associates - John Duddy and John Witney - had been sitting in a van near Wormwood Scrubs prison when three policemen approached to ask questions. Roberts shot dead Mr Wombwell and Mr Head, while Mr Fox was killed by another member of the gang. The officers were killed in front of children playing in the street. Jungle training - Roberts was on the run for 90 days, using his Army jungle training to camp out in Hertfordshire, where he was eventually arrested. please log in to view this image The officers were shot after approaching the vehicle Harry Roberts was in please log in to view this image The killings provoked outrage among police officers at the time please log in to view this image The funeral of the officers drew crowds to the streets in 1966 http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-29734816
This villain should never be let out. He's quite capable of seeking serious retribution against those against whom he harbours a grudge. The Parole Board will hopefully come in for heavy criticism
In Finland we have a saying which could translate something like this: "Take him behind the sauna building and..." which is well suited for this specific creep.
The old bill aren't no saints themselves, not condoning his actions but they are a corrupt institution.
Like this, but perhaps this was just one of those Terry like family disputes gone wrong - where did you hide the damn money pops? The third member of the gang, John Witney, became the first convicted police killer to be freed from jail when he was released in 1991. Eight years later he was beaten to death at his Bristol home.
Finland would be the right climate to try this out this Fargo type approach using the good old wood chipper! please log in to view this image
Over 300 people have died in custody since 1993 and no charges have been brought against the police. Do you think that's funny?
