Paddy Conroy was one of the most influential gang leaders in Newcastle and is at the centre of an on-going battle with rival crime families in the city's
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00:00Newcastle hard man, Paddy Conroy, is back home following over a decade in prison.
00:11Now what's your reputation for?
00:13Failage.
00:14Paddy Conroy hit him so hard on the legs with a stick that it snapped in two.
00:19He said he picked up a chainsaw and threatened to use it on his head.
00:22He was handcuffed and his legs trussed up to his chest with a rope.
00:26Men just defend themselves. If another man comes in aggressively, it doesn't matter what the circumstances, he'll defend himself.
00:35Paddy is on licence for torturing a man, so even a minor offence or associating with other criminals could land him back in jail.
00:43Are you a violent guy?
00:45I don't think I am, but I have been involved in a few scuffles over the years.
00:49If I was his enemy and I knew him, I wouldn't even try to hit him with a bat, because I wouldn't be sure that I would put him down. That's the problem.
00:56Being hard is not enough. If Paddy is to keep his freedom, he needs to learn to hold back.
01:02Not easy for a man with a reputation for settling scores. Especially when his enemies are publicly taunting him.
01:09In one breath, he's saying he's a fucking godfather in Newcastle, and in the other breath, he's fucking covering every cunt.
01:16Who's he fucking kidding? Get that on you fucking documentary, you fucking arsehole.
01:22For the last 15 years, the Conroy family home has been in the leafy suburbs of Newcastle.
01:41We met Paddy after he'd been released early from prison, having served part of his sentence for kidnap, torture and escape.
01:50I had a cataract on my eye, and I went for an operation before the prison.
01:56The prison wouldn't take us for my treatment. My eye hemorrhaged like the surgeon told them. I lost my eye.
02:03Since his release, Paddy has been enjoying his role as dad to his two sons, 11-year-old Buster and 1-year-old Jack.
02:13Pop a little Conroy in here. Look at the size of his eel. That's how you can tell a pot of Conroy by the size of our nut.
02:24I mean, look at our Buster's.
02:28Maureen has stuck by Paddy for 30 years, despite their unconventional courtship.
02:34People always laugh when they find out how we've met. I used to mug her.
02:39Take her pocket money off.
02:42It was a bully.
02:43That's all I met her. I used to...
02:44You wasn't a bully, you know?
02:45She didn't even want to go out with us, did you?
02:47No.
02:48I'd just got her by the hair, and I just took her home one night.
02:52You think I'm joking, don't you?
02:54I was a bully, man. I thought I was a bully.
02:57Never the conformist, Paddy has smoked dope since he was 16.
03:02This is the organic way to smoke dope. It's called a volcano.
03:08Loads of people who grow it just fucking feed them shit, and put sprays on it, and then you smoke it.
03:15It's best if you grow it your own.
03:17You see now, it's fucking organic.
03:19And it just makes all the difference.
03:22What more do you want in life?
03:27I won't take the joint.
03:38It's like smoking fresh air sometimes.
03:40Then you get wrecked.
03:42Just...
03:43That's all I'll do, but if I take them, I just can't get stoned for the rest of the needs.
03:52The organic way.
03:54If you grow it yourself, fucking it's even better.
03:57Paddy Conroy has been at the centre of an ongoing battle with rival crime families in the city's West End.
04:09The gangs trade on violence and fear, and their feuds have seen punishment shootings, petrol bombings, kidnap and torture.
04:16You must be a dangerous man, Paddy Conroy.
04:19I don't think so.
04:20I mean, we're dangerous if you've got problems with us.
04:23If you want to come and attack us, yeah, I'll be a dangerous man.
04:26But other than that, I think I'm okay.
04:29Paddy's problem is with the new breed of criminal.
04:32Those who he believes operate outside the accepted criminal code.
04:36There's loads of families from our sort of backgrounds who are good people.
04:41You know the villains, they're not bad people.
04:43But you do, you have families of villains who are bad.
04:46You get families of villains who've got no morals.
04:49They're not fit to walk this fucking earth.
04:53Paddy's enemies went one step further.
04:55A contract was taken out on him within weeks of his release.
04:59It's still active and his life is in constant danger.
05:03So who's after you now, Paddy? You've got a hitman after you.
05:05Who is it?
05:06I'm not sure.
05:08How would they take you out?
05:10They're not going to take us out.
05:12If they were going to take them...
05:13How would they like to take us out?
05:14How would they like to take us out?
05:15They're like to shoot us.
05:16But then?
05:17Yeah.
05:186-6.
05:19If the contract's out, how much would it cost them to hire somebody to do it?
05:23Oh, nowadays you can get somebody by 2 grand.
05:25Really?
05:26Get a junkie.
05:27Yeah, but a junkie wouldn't be able to pull it off, would he?
05:29And he'd also be caught.
05:30But a professional?
05:31A professional would be 100 grand, 200 grand.
05:34Yeah, to take out a player like you.
05:35Yeah, easy.
05:37Yeah.
05:38But in Portland, everything's quiet.
05:40Yeah.
05:41Apart from the odd hitman, the 100,000 pound contract and the failed attempted murder attempt
05:47on your life.
05:48Yeah.
05:49Everything's quiet.
05:50It's fine.
05:51Doesn't matter how you're right now.
05:57While he seems to shrug off the threats, there are many people out to get Conroy.
06:04He wears a bulletproof vest in public, and his friends constantly watch his back.
06:09watches back. But when the security lapses, the stress is palpable. Where the fuck are
06:37you? Listen, listen, listen. Never mind fucking talking to you. Get that fucking van, won't
06:43you, will you? Hurry up. There he is. I went. Cunt. You cunt. I'm trying to get him off
07:05the fucking corner. Paddy Conroy is a man living on the edge. And as long as his license
07:13is hanging over him, all he can do is watch his back. Give him that gun to that rope.
07:20One of Britain's most dangerous criminals is facing death threats and an early return
07:24to jail. Try not to fall on the soap, on the gin soap. Hey, the fucking expenses occur when
07:32we've started to get rid of fucking bodies. Paddy Conroy was once charged with threatening
07:37to use a chainsaw on a man's head. But nowadays, he's doing his best to keep busy and stay out
07:43of trouble. It's going against the man. It's going to eventually just push it. He's currently
07:49on license, serving the remaining few months of an 11 and a half year sentence for torture
07:54and kidnap. Any misdemeanours, and he's back inside.
08:00Oh, look at the fucking fence. He's got it over. I saw him. He's going to fix it, you know
08:05him, man.
08:17Paddy considers himself a protector in his local community. In the 80s, his standing in Newcastle
08:23was so high that when he was jailed for violence against the police, people turned out in their
08:27thousands to demand his release, causing a 14-mile tailback.
08:32Keep on moving.
08:34Right-hand man Bullock went to the extreme.
08:38Bullock! Stay in the middle.
08:41There's Bullock, Bullock, you're on the top. Man fucking Bullock, you're on the top.
08:44Let me at the top.
08:47Was it cold?
08:48Jeez, I'm proper cold.
08:50How long did you stay up there?
08:51Four hours, until it started raining.
08:53Yeah, you soft cunt.
08:55Yeah, you'd slip here now.
08:57That would have been fucking you lying in jail, and me on that bridge, I would have stayed
08:59there all night.
09:00I didn't even take a coat, man. I had to stand there with my t-shirt, turn with Roger Rabbit,
09:04two-frame Paddy Conway.
09:04I would have done it fucking naked, you soft cunt.
09:06Well, I didn't plan it. It wasn't planned properly. Next time it will be.
09:10How will he wait you up, man?
09:11Next time I'll take a sleeping bag.
09:13That's the job. Do the job fucking properly.
09:16In a flask.
09:16Before he went to prison, Paddy invested in property. This tranquil spot is 30 miles outside
09:29Newcastle. Paddy has embraced country living.
09:33I can't see you with a tending a vegetable, Paddy.
09:37Me?
09:37I love the gross veg and that.
09:40Are you going to be doing, you know those allotments, growing the biggest turnip and
09:44all that?
09:45Yeah.
09:45Would you do that?
09:46I'll show me trophies at the house. I've got a few trophies where I've won the leek show.
09:50The leek?
09:51Yeah.
09:52Really?
09:52Second and first and that.
09:54The biggest leek?
09:55Yeah, I was in the newspaper before I got nicked.
09:57Did you?
09:58Aye.
09:59I've got a few trophies in the leek.
10:00Really?
10:03Paddy, you're an unusual villain.
10:06How's that like?
10:07Well, most villains spend their night out in the town well-dressed and lashing it in cocaine
10:12and you're growing big leeks.
10:14They're the gangsters, man. They're not the villains.
10:16Now, what's the difference between a villain and a gangster?
10:17A gangster lives in a world of his own. Imaginary world, right? And a villain's just the
10:23ways we brought up.
10:24That's like the difference between a cat and a bounder. It's all subtleties.
10:29I wouldn't think so. That's the big difference.
10:32The farm is a perfect getaway for him and his underworld contacts, but he must be careful.
10:37Not only is he out on license, he is banned from using firearms for life. Even rabbit hunting
10:43could land him back in jail. But he can always find people to shoot for him.
10:49You've handled a gun, but according to the court transcript, you've never pulled
10:54the trigger.
10:55I'm a real gun.
10:56I'm a real gun. Are you a good shot?
10:58I'm a crock shot.
10:59Are you? Are you?
11:01Paddy's right-hand man, Bullock, is also under license and for good reasons.
11:06For example, why are you not allowed to have a gun?
11:08For my license.
11:10License. Now, what offense was that?
11:13Section 80 wound him with intent.
11:14Yeah. And who did you wound?
11:16Billy Thompson.
11:17Billy Thompson, yeah.
11:19His legs fell off.
11:20His legs fell off.
11:21I shot him, unfortunately.
11:23Did you think anything of it at the time or did you think that was business at the time?
11:27It wasn't business. He was threatening to have a shot.
11:29So I said I'd be back to shoot him within 10 minutes.
11:32Yeah.
11:33And unfortunately, I did.
11:35Yeah.
11:36I took the psychiatrist. I was going to end it before I even done it.
11:38I asked for help.
11:39Yeah.
11:39Told him I had access to firearms.
11:41My head was gone and that I'd just threatened to shoot my friend in the leg and that.
11:44Yeah.
11:44And just give his tablets, unfortunately.
11:48Shall we get a cup of tea?
11:49How are you? It's getting a bit warm.
11:51Bullock had been involved in an earlier gun incident.
11:54A game of Russian roulette with Neil Conroy, Paddy's younger brother, went very wrong.
12:00So he went like that with Bullock.
12:01Just a mess about.
12:02And click.
12:03The nose went off.
12:04He's just messing about.
12:04But then Bullock's grabbed the gun.
12:06Fia.
12:06Twisted it.
12:07And there was one in.
12:08And it went off.
12:09And she'd come up there and shot him.
12:12Just an accident, you know.
12:14But they shouldn't have been playing with guns.
12:15And he died?
12:16He died, aye.
12:18That's why he was under the psychiatrist.
12:21Because he was his best mate.
12:22It left Bullock a troubled man.
12:26It wasn't until a year before I got out that I started to feel a bit better on myself, you know.
12:31Lesser men.
12:32Other people, other families in similar circumstances would have taken against you, Bullock, wouldn't they?
12:37No, not for an accident.
12:38I couldn't hold anything against anybody for an accident.
12:41I didn't class myself as killing them.
12:42I grabbed the gun and it went off.
12:45But it's just being there, just losing them, really.
12:47As well as it being tragic the way it happened.
12:51You shouldn't have been playing with the gun.
12:52No, shouldn't have.
12:53Shouldn't have, what?
12:56We did.
12:57Look at that.
12:58You're kidding.
12:59He's kidding them.
13:00Tell you what you can't do, you cut them.
13:02So I've got them now.
13:03I can't get this knife there, just find that door.
13:05I'll leave the board.
13:07Yes.
13:07You two look after them, don't you?
13:11I take care of an attitude of everything that comes around me in my life.
13:14But you know what you are.
13:15I ain't a bad person.
13:16No, okay.
13:16But you know what you are.
13:17I mean, you're a villain, but you're not all bad.
13:20Is that what you're trying to say?
13:21But are you religious then?
13:22No, I'm not religious.
13:23So where are you going?
13:25Is it heaven or hell?
13:26Yeah, I'm not in heaven.
13:29Because some people think you should go to hell.
13:32They can think what they like, can't they?
13:34Between me and the big fella, where I go.
13:38Isn't it?
13:38Country life is a far cry from his upbringing in Newcastle's tight-knit West End community.
13:46The young Paddy was an apprentice to his father's criminal enterprise.
14:11The villain was his part of life in them days.
14:14Especially from more deprived areas.
14:15And it wasn't viewed upon as any bad thing.
14:19Unless you've done bad villainy.
14:21The immoral things, which we've done.
14:24But general everyday villains, no, acceptable.
14:28When his dad died, Paddy inherited the family business.
14:32And long-running feuds with rival crime families.
14:38In 1994, the course of Paddy's life changed forever.
14:42The Conroys were dealt the ultimate insult when a rival gang destroyed the family grave.
14:48His dad and younger brother were buried there.
14:51That's a grave that smashed up.
14:56Deseprated.
14:57Stole a gravestone.
14:59Plus, my dad and my brother were buried there.
15:02A lot of hurt there, yeah.
15:05I see my mother and my sister standing there crying.
15:08Upset over it.
15:09And I'm already walking out of that graveyard.
15:16I feel like fucking killing them all.
15:17That's what I felt like.
15:19If I could get my hands on them that day, I probably would have.
15:24Desecrating the grave also made an enemy of Bullock.
15:27I think they thought by touching the grave, we would be frightened to do anything to them.
15:33But they got it wrong.
15:35Because it had the adverse effect, you know.
15:37There was no way where they were getting let away with that.
15:41I just want to kill them, to tell the truth.
15:44Yeah, I swore revenge, yeah.
15:47And I wasn't going to arrest them to light it.
15:48Conroy then heard rumours that Billy Collier, a criminal who worked for the rival gang, was involved.
16:02The vendetta was about to escalate.
16:05I'd heard he was standing in the Blue Man public house with a shotgun.
16:10We were at the counter.
16:12Posting.
16:13They were getting paid £5,000 to go back to the grave, dig it up.
16:19And chop parts of the body off.
16:21And pull it through my window.
16:24I thought that was the plan.
16:28How fucking that was.
16:33I would have killed the whole family.
16:36All our loved ones.
16:37I would have murdered every one of them.
16:38If anyone had ever done that to my family.
16:43For Conroy, this damaging insult needed dealing with, and quickly.
16:48Within days, he had his chance.
16:51It's alleged Billy Collier, a member of the Harrison family gang, was kidnapped at gunpoint from a shop in the elder camp.
16:57I placed my legs over a low wall, he said.
16:59A gas bottle was dropped on them three times.
17:02It's as if they were trying to break them.
17:03He was later abandoned in a house where he'd allegedly been tortured.
17:07Paddy admits kidnapping Collier and dishing out a beating.
17:11But to this day, he denies the specific charge of torturing him by pulling his teeth out with pliers.
17:16Just beat him up.
17:20Hit him with a stick.
17:22We coke used.
17:23Hit him with a gas bottle.
17:24A colour gas bottle.
17:26He got a beating, but he didn't get a great beating.
17:29Not why he was really seriously injured or nothing.
17:32I think he just had a limp.
17:33And then he just started admitting everything.
17:36We hadn't asked him any questions.
17:37He just, right, I'll tell you as anything.
17:40And then I left him where I dropped him off.
17:43Gun in the raindrover.
17:44And I dropped him off.
17:47Just put a hundred yards away.
17:49That's when he got his teeth pulled out.
17:50Paddy was immediately arrested, leaving the score unsettled.
17:56But he would not be denied his revenge.
17:59The opportunity came when the perpetrators were themselves locked up in the same prison as loyal friend Bullock.
18:06I just went out onto the exercise yard on me own where the three of them were.
18:10And I just went, right, I'll wear you on it.
18:12You know you're going to fucking get it.
18:13And I was pleased to see all the culprits get stabbed up and tomato sauce bottles stuck in our faces and you name it.
18:20They've got it.
18:22Paddy's reputation was reaffirmed as the man who always settled his scores.
18:27This piece is fucking old and we'll get it back on my life, you know.
18:41While Paddy was awaiting trial, he hit the headlines again.
18:45This time as Britain's most wanted.
18:50Conroy and his accomplice in the torture case, David Glover, were travelling to court at high speed in a guarded minibus when the military-style plan kicked in.
19:01Just grabbed the handbrake, pulled the handbrake on, he jumped forward, pulled the handbrake on.
19:06The bus went into a spin on the motorway and we ended up landing a lay-by, facing the wrong way.
19:12And the cars, just the cars were already there.
19:15Glover got a hold of one of the screws, just bashed them.
19:17And he took this handcuff straight off and he jumped off the bus and then he just shouted, come on, come on.
19:24And he said, come on, Paddy, didn't he?
19:26Yeah, come on, Paddy, come on.
19:27And I was sat there and I was thinking, no, at least you can come on.
19:31And I went, oh, fuck it.
19:32We would warn the public not to approach them.
19:38If they are seen, we would ask them to contact any police officer in Northumbria Police and allow the police to take the appropriate action.
19:46For five months, Paddy sunned himself in costable crime, before Interpol finally caught him in an armed ambush.
19:54Now he would have to come home to Newcastle and face trial.
19:58Security was high to prevent another embarrassing escape.
20:01At the time when we were on trial, all these roofs over here were covered in snipers.
20:07We had a gunboat in the middle of the town, yeah.
20:10We were all in police on the gunboat.
20:11That was there for nearly two months during the trial.
20:14A gunboat? I mean, they hardly thought you were going to...
20:16Well, actually, counting the vehicles one day when we were getting took back to prison.
20:20And there was 17 vehicles in the convoy, two, an aeroplane and a helicopter.
20:25Now, why do they think you're such a security risk?
20:28Just because they had that escape when we escaped.
20:32Paddy has always denied using pliers on Collier.
20:36But in the dark, his temper got the better of him.
20:39Now, the prosecution, they know, you know, how do they probe you?
20:43Because they must know that you've got a short fuse and that you've got a couple of pressure points.
20:47As it happens, I felt like he was trying to have a go at us, but I wasn't baiting.
20:53That's when I thought, you know, I don't bait, because that's what he was up to at the time.
20:56And then he just came up with a comment there, do you know the Green Man public house, Mr. Conroy?
21:02I didn't know Green Man public house, but I knew Green Tree public house.
21:06That's where my brother died in an accident.
21:08And then he just shot back at us.
21:10He went, didn't he get his brains blown out?
21:14And looked at us like that.
21:15And I just grabbed the one, I swilled them, got them in the face with.
21:20And there was about four screws behind us.
21:22They had just jumped on us.
21:24And I just remember when I was getting dragged out of the dock looking at the jury.
21:27And the jury were like, just shocked, you know, with what had happened in the court and what had been said.
21:33And I just got dragged downstairs.
21:36But the minute you lost your temper, that was the minute you were definitely guilty, wasn't it?
21:40Well, it didn't help.
21:43Conroy was found guilty on all charges.
21:46But his family continued to accept Paddy's version of events.
21:50He's no angel.
21:52He's not like what they say.
21:55And then my kids have got to, yeah, what does people think that they think he is?
21:58And he's not.
21:59And it takes a lot of explaining.
22:01I know Paddy more than most people.
22:04And we didn't do it.
22:07And that is the difference.
22:09No matter what anybody else thinks.
22:11And if Paddy had done it, he would have told me.
22:13And he didn't do it.
22:15The judge had the power to sentence him to up to 25 years.
22:19And Paddy feared the worst.
22:21The judge sentenced us to nine years for one fence, nine years for another fence,
22:27nine years for another fence, and two and a half years for the escape.
22:33And I wasn't sure what was what.
22:36Even though he'd said consecutive sentencing and concurrent.
22:39But I hadn't worked it out in my head.
22:42And the straw in front of us was working it out on a piece of paper.
22:45Nine years, nine years, nine years, two and a half years.
22:48I said, eleven and a half year, Conroy.
22:52What do you think?
22:54I knew it was eleven and a half year.
22:56I said, what do I think?
22:57I said, I'm out of the fucking mood.
22:59Get me downstairs, quick.
23:00I just wanted to hear that.
23:02I wasn't twenty-odd yet, you know?
23:05I said, what do you think?
23:06I said, what do you think?
23:07I said, what do you think?
23:08I said, what do you think?
23:09I said, what do you think?
23:10When he was eventually freed from prison, he returned to the streets of Newcastle.
23:15There he was to face gang warfare, vendettas and threats on his life.
23:20After serving eight years in prison for torturing a man, Paddy Conroy returned to Newcastle.
23:31In the decade he's been away, his hometown has changed beyond recognition.
23:37A new gang known as The Firm have taken control,
23:41and their godfather is said to be John Henry Sayers, a bitter rival of Paddy's.
23:47This year they were Newcastle.
23:50To a lot of folk, I didn't run me.
23:52Nobody runs me.
23:55But they do say that they run Newcastle, yeah.
24:01Paddy is on license, so if he re-engages with his underworld rivals,
24:05he risks being sent back to prison.
24:09But there are more pressing problems.
24:12He has recently heard there is a contract out on his life.
24:16Friend and minder Bullock is by his side,
24:18but they are still not certain who ordered the hit.
24:21Well, it would be nice to find out who it was, but definite.
24:25And you can sort it out.
24:28I think he's just hitting every day as it comes.
24:31Safety is the first priority.
24:36And just hope for the best.
24:37To survive, Paddy needs to forge new alliances.
24:46With the traditional underworld turning against him,
24:49he has made friends with local triads,
24:51and they have given him a symbolic gift.
24:54I got off Danny, the boss of the triads.
24:57And what do you think it means?
24:58Yes, it's just a friendship.
25:01It's like a connection between us.
25:02They just make friends.
25:04Which I don't mind, because they're good lads.
25:07This friendship would have been unheard of a few years ago.
25:14But as his trust grows,
25:16he invites them into his home
25:17and initiates them into his world.
25:20You're a big long folk.
25:25If only you knew which way they were looking at you.
25:30No, don't go in here.
25:31I'll cook you.
25:33I'll cook you for dinner.
25:35Yeah.
25:38His new friends and possible business partners
25:41return the invitation.
25:43He's going to have to bring you to China.
25:44Take you to China.
25:45Where are you?
25:46Where are you?
25:46You will be treated like a king.
25:49You will be treated like a king.
25:49You will be treated like a king.
25:49You will be treated like a king.
25:49You will be treated like a king.
25:50You will be treated like a king.
25:51You will be treated like a king.
25:58Paddy is determined to re-establish his reputation
26:00in the North East.
26:01His return is being closely watched by the underworld,
26:06particularly new kingpin and rival John Henry Sayers.
26:13With 22 months of his license still to serve,
26:15Paddy came face to face with 14 of the Sayers firm.
26:19If he engaged in a fight with them,
26:21he risked being sent back to prison.
26:23As soon as I got him doing them, I was fucking honest.
26:27He used me head as one of them punch bags.
26:29He was a kick bag.
26:31He kicked us all over the run.
26:33He kicked us unconscious.
26:34He cut us when I was doing it on the road.
26:38I was just coming through.
26:39He was on top of his work, cutting it.
26:43It's not a big score.
26:45Loyal to his criminal code,
26:47Paddy did not report the incident.
26:50Many believe he is biding his time
26:52till the end of his license
26:54before he exacts his revenge.
26:56The feud is on hold for now.
27:00It's not going through a function.
27:02He is no one catcher.
27:03The milj is down to work.
27:16The Hamilton democracies
27:18This means he Khaujids is back itsculoskeletal system.
27:20He goes out to work for an artifact.
27:22Paddy sees the feud as personal and is keen to stop it spreading to the next generation.
27:45He takes it upon himself to keep them in check.
27:49His primary concern, though, is his eldest son, Buster.
27:53He wants to prepare him for his future role.
27:56But someday you will be the boss, man.
28:00You know that.
28:01But I tell you, you haven't even went through your puberty yet, man.
28:04You don't even know what it's about yet.
28:09You ask what I'm doing with being the boss?
28:12It fucking is, though.
28:14Because after you go through your puberty, that's when you start turning into a man, sort of thing.
28:23Paddy is keen to equip his son with the means to fight his own battles.
28:28In keeping with underworld tradition, he funds a local martial arts club.
28:32Buster has learnt what it means to carry the Conroy name.
28:46They tend to try and pick on them.
28:47And I've told them just to hit them back.
28:48He's only 11.
28:49He's big though, you see.
28:50He looks like what he is.
28:51He's just out of the infants.
28:52And he won't.
28:53It's not in him, you're not.
28:54Buster feels less than prepared for his role.
28:55I think I might have to have a fight with one of them.
28:57If they want to fight with his, then I'm going to have to do it instead of telling them no.
29:14Because if people ask us for a fight, I'll say no.
29:18But no, I'm just going to...
29:20Like, if they ask us, I'm just going to try my best.
29:23Buster has got it all ahead of him.
29:25But at the age of 22, nephew Dylan has already been in prison four times.
29:30All right, all right, lad?
29:32All right.
29:33Paddy is keen he doesn't go alone in the family feud.
29:36How many have you been out of jail?
29:38Seven weeks.
29:39Seven weeks?
29:40All right.
29:41When are you back on the court?
29:43March.
29:44What's that for?
29:45Trial.
29:46Section 18 wounded.
29:47Yeah.
29:48Wasn't you though, was it?
29:49No, I'm not kidding.
29:50I'm not kidding.
29:51I'm not kidding.
29:52I'm not kidding.
29:53He's a good lad in general.
29:54They're just bored, you know?
29:55That's how kids get nothing I told them most for these days.
29:56They're just bored a minute.
29:57But Paddy's concerns fall on deaf ears.
30:10Just four days later, Dylan is back behind bars.
30:14Dylan was arrested brandishing two sawn-off shotguns.
30:18Police also want to question him about a stabbing.
30:21I don't know about history repeating itself like, but you can see them doing the same track as yourself sometimes, you know?
30:29Bits being weird, you know?
30:31I'm not his dad.
30:32I'm just his uncle, you see?
30:34I'll just tell him and talk to him.
30:36Once he's fucking done, I'll be fucking hitting him.
30:39Until he's fucking seen sense.
30:41If Paddy himself is going to keep out of prison, he must keep his temper in check.
30:50Three days after Dylan's arrest, he is tested.
30:53Paddy's bitter rivals, the Sayers firm, hold a party in the pub opposite the Conroy family home.
31:01Paddy believes this is a direct threat to his reputation and possibly his life.
31:07What is he having a week there for?
31:11What are they having a birthday party there for?
31:14We're in the pub across the road from Paddy Conroy.
31:17We're not scared of him.
31:19That's all, basically, that's the message they're putting on there.
31:22That's all they're trying to eat.
31:24That's the message they're trying to put out and that's what it's all about.
31:27Long-suffering partner, Maureen, finds these threats an additional strain.
31:32It's like watching your back all the time.
31:34I couldn't imagine it.
31:36I couldn't imagine it.
31:37I couldn't watch every move, where you go.
31:40Who's that car or this, whatever.
31:43It's all to you.
31:45I don't know why I'd rather go outside.
31:48Paddy struggles to deal with the situation.
31:58This is where I come when I come and get out of the way of the messes.
32:04Which is every fucking night.
32:09Soon as I'm finished from the fucking day, get my fucking back.
32:12Get me into this fucking world.
32:16It's been here all our time.
32:20We should be doing things with kids.
32:21You know what, the makeup for last time.
32:23We should be doing different things, like.
32:25But we're not.
32:26We just seem to be stuck in this rut.
32:32For a man used to exacting revenge,
32:34it's not easy to ignore what he sees as taunts by the Sayers.
32:38But he must if he is to stay out of prison.
32:43I'm telling you.
32:44It's fucking do or fucking die with this situation.
32:49I'm fucking here at the fucking end.
32:52As per usual.
32:57There's plenty of wars in this fucking tune.
32:59I've been involved in all of them.
33:01I've never lost one.
33:02You've got to go up, haven't you?
33:04You've got to make the best of it.
33:06But it's not fun.
33:07Definitely not.
33:08So if anybody thinks it is, come and live it.
33:12That's what I see.
33:13Come and live it.
33:14You know what I mean?
33:15Both.
33:16Yeah.
33:23The night passes uneventfully.
33:25But the threat on Paddy's life and his freedom are ever-present.
33:28Durham.
33:29This is where Paddy will be imprisoned if he breaches his license conditions.
33:45He has forced himself back to check on nephew Dylan, who's been locked up here.
33:54What can you do?
33:55Didn't they know?
33:56We've just got to get on with it.
33:59For a man who's spent over a decade behind bars, it's a haunting experience.
34:05It depresses me every time I come to the prison.
34:07It used to them feel nice, you know.
34:09It's just one that I'm feeling it's a good day without.
34:11I didn't try to analyse it, but I didn't like it.
34:15Everybody in there is depressed, you know.
34:16You can feel it off them as soon as you've gone in.
34:18The whole prison suffer from depression.
34:20As soon as you've gone in the prison, it fetches everybody doing.
34:23First you're okay, you're up ahead, and then everybody draws you into you like a disease.
34:27That's where I feel it.
34:29You feel it, and it drags you down to the whiff of them.
34:32But the whole, that's where everybody on the wing being down.
34:36It's a funny feeling, you know.
34:38It's like it travels, that feeling travels in that space.
34:43And even if you're not feeling it, it just seems to, you can feel it overlapping you.
34:48It's funny, it's strange.
34:50Paddy has kept his nose clean for over three and a half years.
34:59But with just weeks left to serve, he has gambled with his freedom.
35:06He has been charged with a public order offence following a careless run-in with the police.
35:11If found guilty, he risks being returned to jail.
35:14You've got a minor offence. What's the problem?
35:17The problem is, I came out of my house last week.
35:19My sister lives next door to us.
35:21And our house was getting raided off the police for a stolen property.
35:24And I go look at the car and I went, yay, fucking come here.
35:28You weren't what? I went, fucking come here. What's your fucking game?
35:31I get him out the wall.
35:33He said, shut your fucking mouth.
35:35I said, I won't shut me fucking mouth.
35:37I went, what's your fucking job?
35:39I said, I've just fucking seen what you've fucking done.
35:41Trying to fucking provoke people.
35:43Stand there with your fucking stripes on your fucking arm.
35:46Where is that to fucking behave?
35:48And he just ordered them out of the wall.
35:50On top of us.
35:51There was 12 of them on top of us.
35:55But I just went with them, you know, and I've been done for.
35:57Section 5, public order offence.
35:59News and threatening and abusive behaviour in a public place.
36:03It's not a public place. It's my property.
36:05It's my sister's property.
36:06And it wasn't in view of any public.
36:08So in law, I don't even know how they've charged us.
36:10But that's not the problem.
36:12I've still got a seven weeks licence left off me living in an obvious sentence.
36:15And that's what I'm worried about.
36:17I'm out of court tomorrow.
36:19And I think they might just implement them last seven weeks.
36:23Because I've got another charge.
36:25And what does that mean?
36:26Seven weeks in jail.
36:28The following morning, Paddy Conroy, once Britain's most wanted, goes on the run again.
36:37He is due in court to face the public order charge.
36:39He is due in court to face the public order charge.
36:42He's risking a heavier sentence by his absence.
37:04Partner Maureen knows the script.
37:06He put his coat on.
37:07And obviously somebody come for him because he was getting dropped off or whatever.
37:11And then he just said, give us a kiss and just said, don't worry.
37:15It could be anywhere.
37:16You know what I mean?
37:17It could be a different country.
37:18I don't know.
37:19I don't know.
37:20I don't know.
37:21I'm just saying.
37:22It could be anyways.
37:23Buster struggles to come to terms with his dad's notoriety.
37:43Inside Britain's deadliest gangs, meet the men who run your manor.
37:56I don't know how they've got that information about me, Dad.
37:59Because I know he's not a bad person, but I think some people must think he's a bad person.
38:08Where did he say he was going?
38:09He didn't.
38:13The last time Paddy was on the run, he hid for 14 months.
38:17How long will he be away this time?
38:20And will he return under his own free will or under lock and key?
38:25Paddy Conroy failed to appear in court when summoned.
38:29He went on the run rather than face prison.
38:33In his absence, the court heard the case against him.
38:36His worst fears were not realised.
38:39The punishment was a penalty charge.
38:41Loyal partner, Maureen, got the good news to him.
38:46Convinced the coast was clear, Paddy came home.
38:49He'd been away for three days.
38:51My phone is just saying this letter had come.
38:54She thought it was a bank statement.
38:56This was on Tuesday.
38:58I dealt with it in my absence.
39:02130 quid fine.
39:04So I was out of the moon, you know.
39:06So, I'm back.
39:07Right, my walkie-talkies.
39:10You know what I mean?
39:13Four.
39:15Don't get used to ring anybody.
39:17At all.
39:18Other than each other.
39:19These phones will ring just them other phones.
39:22Just for safety.
39:23Yeah, I'm either just getting back for Christmas Day.
39:26Yeah.
39:27So I wasn't far anyway.
39:28Not this time.
39:2911 and a half years to the day.
39:57And Paddy is a free man.
40:00The threat of prison has been lifted.
40:03The only prison license for us today.
40:06Uh-huh.
40:07Free.
40:08Free from probation off.
40:11He marks the occasion by cooking for the family.
40:14I thought I'd treat him more.
40:1511 quid a bottle of this.
40:17Nearly four years of hell left to have been released from prison.
40:21But I'm quite happy.
40:22I've cooked my wife a curry.
40:23Keep her fucking happy.
40:24Which isn't very often.
40:25The punishment may be over, but Paddy still seems imprisoned in his past.
40:40His future will be determined by whether he can let unfinished business lie.
40:44Oh.
40:45As he celebrates, Conroy finds it hard to forget the feud that's been eating away at him.
40:51You know what happened yesterday?
40:52There's a strange one.
40:53Somebody come along, right?
40:54Somebody come along to me, whose brother talks to the fucking enemy sort of thing, you
41:06know?
41:07And he says, you know, Paddy, you know.
41:08He says, what if, er, what if, you know, for me a police sort of, like, arranged to fight
41:19between you and John Sears, er, would you do it?
41:22I said, wait, you're on the week, you're deaf, God.
41:24Fuck with no formula police, arranged a fucking fight, which we mean John Sears.
41:26He went to sort of stop any gang wars and they were, like, oh, I look at it and all
41:30that.
41:31I'm serious, you know.
41:32I'm serious.
41:33I went, listen.
41:34He said, would you have a straight fight with him?
41:36I said, listen, let's just stop you there and just get that out of the equation.
41:40There's no fucking straight fights with John fucking Sears.
41:43I said, the last fight I had with him, I said, it was fucking fucking handed.
41:46And he used weapons.
41:47I said, no, no, nothing.
41:48No, nothing.
41:49The police doesn't arrange fucking, er, fights for me.
41:53So I just nipped him at the bud.
41:55Where he was coming from, I'd have been fucking that.
41:58I've been talking the day at the whole, but where the fuck did he get that from?
42:02Come up with such a fucking...
42:05But I remember after that fight with him on the hill, I sent a message to them.
42:12I said, I went, we'll fucking sort it out.
42:15I says, er, at the time I thought there was only 10 of them, but it's not.
42:19There was 14, 16 of them there.
42:21I thought there was 10 at the time.
42:22I says, er, I'll fight the fucking 10 years.
42:25I says, me and me fucking mate.
42:27I says, we'll set a ring up.
42:28Listen, I had a range, man.
42:30I said, we'll set a fucking ring up.
42:31Nelswick fucking park.
42:32I said, we'll sell tickets for this cunt.
42:34You know what I mean?
42:35I ordered one.
42:37I said, we'll fight the fucking 10 years, two of the fucking time.
42:40Just hold them in the fucking ring, boss.
42:42And I sent a message back, half a grain.
42:45It says, as long as you've got that big cunt that you had with you on the day of the fight.
42:49I went, what?
42:52Fucking Tommy fucking Cohen.
42:5510 stone Tom.
42:56Fucking straight businessman who's never been in trouble in his life.
42:59And never had a fight in his life.
43:01I says, fuck off.
43:04It's me and fucking Dave.
43:06A no cunt.
43:07Fucking, they wouldn't even have a fucking, you know when that was in.
43:12Fucking.
43:14Anyway, the license is finished now.
43:17No.
43:25Do you know our probation officer?
43:27The probation dragged me doing that fucking probation officer.
43:29I went, here are the license and people are thinking about having you back in on your license.
43:33I said, what for?
43:34I said, there's trouble between you and the Cias.
43:36I went, yeah.
43:37Let us fucking stop you there.
43:38I've got any trouble with the fucking Cias, yeah.
43:40They said, well, he's in blaming you.
43:42Well, with his murderers, he's blaming your phone court and all this.
43:44I said, listen, hold on.
43:46That's the fucking Cias family.
43:48Blaming the Conroy family for these murders.
43:50We ain't blaming anybody for anything.
43:52So where am I fucking doing anything fucking wrong here?
43:54But they're trying to have us in.
43:56Me and on for me fucking license.
43:58Because that cunt stand in the fucking dock.
44:00Fucking blaming us for this and blaming us for fucking that.
44:03In one breath he's saying he's a fucking godfather in Newcastle.
44:07And in the other fucking breath he's fucking covering every cunt.
44:11Who's he fucking kidding?
44:13Get that on you fucking documentary.
44:15You fucking arsehole.
44:17And when you think they'd have their solicitor representing them.
44:21Who they got in between the Northumbia Police and him.
44:25Regarding this fight.
44:26They've got the fucking murder squad representing them.
44:29Defending them.
44:33For the fight.
44:35Everyone in Newcastle is scratching their fucking heads.
44:43Fucking got the murder squad in defending them.
44:45And they're blaming us for murders.
44:47I'll tell you what.
44:48This puts us in a fucking funny predicament.
44:50I'll tell you.
44:51It's a predicament I've never been in in my fucking life.
44:53You know what he's after there.
44:55He's probably is arranging a fucking.
44:57Trying to arrange a fucking fight.
44:59With me from Northumbia fucking police.
45:01You know why?
45:02Because he wants them there watching his fucking back.
45:04He had the men fucking defend them.
45:06When we're fucking nicked for this.
45:08You know why should he fucking have the protection.
45:10In Northumbia fucking police.
45:11And any fight I have with him.
45:12I didn't have any fucking protection on that fucking hill.
45:14When I was fighting fucking 14 of them.
45:16So he's not having any fucking police protection yet.
45:18So no.
45:19These straight fucking fights.
45:20It's not a fucking cock.
45:22It's just nice straight fights.
45:23Where fucking off all your police is involved.
45:25You're coming on your fucking own you arsehole.
45:33And it's fucking coming shortly.
45:35Believe you and me.
45:36Unable to turn his back on the past.
45:53Paddy Conroy is now free to face the future.
45:57Newcastle's underworld.
45:58Braces itself.
46:00And when it's good.
46:02Newcastle and the underworld.
46:03Braces itself.
46:04Newcastle and the underworld.
46:05Braces itself.
46:06Newcastle and the underworld.
46:07What's this?
46:08Newcastle And what's this?
46:09Yeah.
46:10Newcastle and it just makes up for it.
46:11Newcastle bring the time helped me.
46:12Newcastle.
46:13The underworld squared.
46:14Newcastle's underworld.