13/09/06 - Blackmailer falls foul of ex-bouncer
Ex-Essex Boy foils hush-money plea
By CARL EVE Crime reporter
Essex Evening Echo

Bernard O'Mahoney

A FORMER Basildon bouncer and author of the gangland book Essex Boys has been the victim of an inept blackmailer who demanded £50,000

Bernard O’Mahoney is a former member of the notorious Essex boys gang, some of whom were found shot dead in a Range Rover in Rettendon.

Mr O’Mahoney called in police after receiving a string of abusive phone calls and e-mails.

He said the calls began several weeks ago.

Mr O’Mahoney – who has since cam-paigned for the release of convicted killers Michael Steele and Jack Whomes for the murders of Tony Tucker, Patrick Tate and Craig Rolfe said: “At first this bloke said ‘I want £10,000 off you’.

“He threatened to call the press with information about the Range Rover murders. He knew my address, my home phone number, and eventually my e-mail.

“I told him where to go, but he said he didn’t like my cheek and raised it to £20,000.

“It wasn’t long before he was calling six or seven times a day. He said he was linked with the Conroys, some crime family in Newcastle, and was raising the figure to £50,000.”

Mr O’Mahoney, who now lives in Birmingham, said he called on the assistance of friends who were able to track down the blackmailer before he contacted police. However, he said officers were unwilling to act on his information so he arranged to carry out a “citizen’s arrest” himself.

He said: “Apparently this guy was going to bomb my house, cut me up, do my family. So I told police I was going to Newcastle with some friends to arrest him.

“A detective sergeant called me back pretty quick saying they’d picked this bloke up.”

A West Midlands police spokesman-confirmed officers from County Durham police had arrested a man, 26, from Pelton following allegations of blackmail.

The man was then transferred to the West Midlands area for questioning. However, the Crown Prosecution Service decided to release him without charge after giving him an £80 fine.

Mr O’Mahoney said: “I’m going to complain to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and sue that bloke myself for the trouble he’s caused.”