Bloggs 19
Tony Thompson

An account of a triple-murder case in Essex, by the man who was its "supergrass". In December 1995, the bodies of three men were discovered in a Range Rover in a country lane.

All three were well-known villains and each had been blasted with a shotgun at point-blank range. One member of the gang decided to break ranks and tell all.

The story Dareen Nicholls told, at first, seemed too incredible to be believed. But as the evidence to support his version of events began to mount up, the motives behind the brual murder became increasingly clear.

The plot Nicholls eventually uncovered involved everything from Irish terror groups and European smuggling rings to prostitution and police corruption.

This book chronicles the rise of some of Britain's most powerful and notorious villains and of the man whose betrayal led to their downfall.

The author, Tony Thompson
(tony.thompson@observer.co.uk) , 11 February, 2000

Why Bloggs 19? The title comes from a top secret prison unit that is used to house 'supergrasses' and other top criminals who have decided to turn on their former colleagues and help the police.

All the occupants of the unit have contracts out on their lives so, in order to keep their identities secret from one another and the prison staff, they are all known as Joe Bloggs, followed by a number.

Bloggs 19 was the name given to Darren Nicholls, the supergrass in the case of three drug dealers who were found blasted to death in the back of a Range Rover down a quiet country lane in Essex a couple of years ago.

The book details why the murder happened, how it was planned and what happens when you become a supergrass. Goodfellas, Essex style, is how one reviewer describes it. And who am I to disagree.