Piece of Putney 1970’s ‘dark side’ history- Bindon V Darke.
I have considered long and hard about commenting on some of the extraneous articles I have read both in the Putney Forum and other sources regarding the final ending of ‘Johnny Darke’(JD), which has depressed me and finally brought me to the point of elucidating on what I know and that now being in my 80’s think ‘so what the hell’ lets look at this case in a more open context than the versions broadcast by ‘luvy’- Hoskins, ‘s---’- Hodges and those that know nothing of the real truth- they’re just glory hunters or ‘suppresses of truth’.In 1978 there was a pub called the ‘Prince of Wales’ in Union Rd (now ‘Feeleys) off the Wandsworth Rd around the corner was the Clapham ‘Police station’ the clientele of the Pub were 1/Police 2/ Villains3/ local businessmen and people, where it was common for the ‘distribution’ of !! whatever!! A real 1970’s pub- no harm done-a great ‘Crack’ under close observation and acceptance by the ‘Bill’-everybody was happy. The ‘Landlord’ was Bertie Cochrane (Bertie) who was the salt of the earth- typical of the time –as were the Police/ Villains. I was representative of the ‘Business’ faction along with the MD of Utd Guarantees Hldgs etc. I was drinking in the ‘Snug’ bar along with JD and ‘friends’ – Brandy and milk on the bar was common- JD, mid afternoon asked whether I fancied a drink at Putney I declined. What I was unaware of was that JD and crew were ‘tooled-up’ and going to sort out a ‘problem’ who had been expected to come to the Pub but had not.The problem was ‘Bindon’(JB), a North London sort living off his reputation of ‘1/2 pint’ glasses on his member attractive to women of both ‘Aristocracy and Luvies’ and ‘owing’ JD. JD and friends realizing that JB was not going to turn up left the pub.Next day at midday I went to the Pub, ‘Bertie’ told me that I was lucky not to have gone with JD to the ‘Ranelagh Yacht Club’-, it had all ‘gone off’ JD had stabbed Bindon several times- Bindon pleaded for his life’ JD told one of his crew ‘G’ to ‘sit on him’ while he sorted another of Bindons ‘friends’, ‘G’ thinking JD was as good as---! left him to ‘sort-out’ others. JB crawled to Vicki Hodge a society ‘spare’, recovered a knife and stabbed JD in the back, from there on Bindon, amazingly bleeding like a ‘stuck pig’, escaped to Southern Ireland, through the Customs of both the UK and Eire – it is said with the collusion of the ‘Police’ and ‘forces’ in Ireland, I would say highly probable! in the light that I have travelled to Eire and found the checks for ordinary souls of a high standard and anyone in the state Bindon was would have attracted a lot of interest! But not only that he underwent surgery and recovered there.This is not so unbelievable an outcome- as many would say, but then few are aware of the coverup of ‘Countryman’ an investigation into the ‘Sweeney’ police('Dark’ side). JD had become an embarrassment to the Police –he had been, apparently, directly involved in murder and violence against others so as ,also apparently, a ‘supergrass’(though I have no evidence of this other than various conversational mentions that at the time did the rounds), he was best ‘removed’ in the light of ‘Countryman’ without further ado- common knowledge amongst that element of society- the Bindon action was their ‘let out.’ Very convenient!! Certainly timely !Sometime later I was playing .’Kalooki’ in a Conservative Club in Eltham with friends when the Club Chairman came round from the ‘Ladies’ lounge and told me, as a courtesy, that there was a ‘Guest’ who was asking questions of me- a Police Superintendent from Clapham (there was a clear view across the joining bar to the Ladies lounge)- I recogonised him from the ‘Prince of Wales’ days- my friends left telling me I was ‘---Hot’.Subsequently having wasted £4 Mln and 6 years of obfuscation there has never been a public conclusion to the ‘Countryman’ investigation or the implications of Johnny Darke’s death, only a superficial glorification of a celluloid stud as a ‘gangland’ incident. JD was certainly an embarrassment to the Police investigation and indirectly to certain members of society who wanted closure.
John Simmons ● 2741d3 Comments ● 2741d