The Indepedent
Noye's circle of criminal cronies
By Kim Sengupta and Paul Lashmar
14 April 2000
John "Little Legs" Lloyd - jailed for attempting a �1bn scam involving hole in the wall cash machines. He was a key suspect in the Brinks Mat robbery and disappeared for a time. He featured on "America's most wanted" TV programme. He and his wife lived in Noye's former house in Hever Avenue, West Kingsdown. Now 58.
Stephen John Price of West Malling was Noye's right man when Noye ran a transport business in late 1970s. Price had convictions for burglary, theft, stealing motor vehicles.
Keith Hedley A builder who was a close friend of Noye's in the '70s and appears in police surveillance logs of Noye at the time. Long criminal record. Suspected money launderer and had a large home near Sevenoaks, which had been searched during the Brinks Mat inquiry. All the police found was a sawn off shotgun. In Sept 1996 he was shot and fatally wounded by three men on his Yacht in Corfu. He was 57.
Brian Reader. In the early 1980s Reader fled abroad while on trial for burglary after being named by supergrass Mickey "skinny" Gervaise. Returned to England and living under a false name he became a regular visitor at Noye's Hollywood Cottage. Was present on night John Fordham was murdered. Cleared of assisting in Fordham death. Later convicted of handling Brinks Mat gold. He is 56.
Micky Lawson was acquitted of handling the Brinks Mat gold. He made an out-of-court settlement with loss adjusters acting for Brinks Mat. Close friend of Noye. During trial of Det Sgt Donald for corruption, court was told that Noye and Lawson were behind 150 kilo cocaine runs from US to Biggin Hill airfield to "supply the cocaine famine in south east England.' Lawson used to run a Mercedes car dealership franchise and is now running a used vehicle dealership in Dartford.
Pat Tate - 18 stone Essex heavy and weight lifter who became close associate of Noye when both in prison together in late 80s. Tate was shot dead with two other drug dealers in a range Rover in a Essex field in Dec 1995.
Joey Wilkins - now 64, a major figure in London's gangland scene said to be a rival to the Krays. Survived a shooting in 1972. Was jailed for 10 years for smuggling �1.4m of drugs in 1987. In earlier seventies fled Britain while on day release from open prison. Went to Estepona, Spain. Noye stayed with him while on the run.
Tony White - One of London's most prolific and major armed robbers of the 1970s and 80s. Jailed in July 1997 for eleven and a half years for masterminding a cocaine smuggling ring.
"Mad" Micky McAvoy and Brian Robinson - Given a 25 year sentence for the Brinks Mat robbery. MacAvoy considered to be one of South London's top armed robber. Robinson is known as "The Colonel". Both have been sued for the return of the Brinks Mat money.
Tommy Adams - One of the notorious Islington crime gang, the Adams family. Noye and Adams were filmed by police investigating the handling of the Brinks Mat gold. Adams was jailed for seven and half year in 1998 for smuggling huge quantities of cannabis.
Nicky Whiting. Car dealer friend of Noye who in 1990 disappeared from his office in West Kingsdown. Found dead on Rainham Marshes, stabbed nine times and then shot twice with a 9mm pistol.
Det Sgt John Donald of the South East Regional Crime Squad. In return for a bribe, told Noye and Micky Lawson that they were being watched by American Drugs Enforcement Agency over a planned drugs importation. In 1996 DS Donald was jailed for 11 years for corruption.
Asil Nadir - Once considered a top businessmen with his company Polly Peck, he fled from Britain in 1993 over a �31m fraud. Nadir's contributions to the Tories caused the Party huge embarassment. Noye went to visit Nadir in Northern Cyprus on a number of occasions. Nadir is said to have offered Noye a job as head of security.
Further Reading:
UK Freemasonry in the News, have the 'Brethren' finally met their Waterloo?
