In October 1974, body parts of William “Billy” Moseley, a small-time criminal from North London, began washing up along the River Thames, leading police to suspect foul play. Moseley had connections to a cast of notorious characters, including Mickey Cornwall, a fellow criminal and childhood friend. In 1975, Cornwall’s body was also discovered, shot and buried in a shallow grave. Both murders seemed to point toward gangland revenge.
Detectives, led by Commander Bert Wickstead, focused on Reginald Dudley and Robert Maynard, both rumored to be part of a crime gang dubbed “Legal & General.” Police alleged that Moseley’s murder stemmed from his affair with another gangster’s wife and rumors that he had labeled Dudley and Maynard as “grassers” (informants). They argued that Cornwall’s murder was linked to his own search for Moseley’s killers.
The trial in 1976 became the longest murder trial in British history, relying on two key pieces of evidence: police-recorded “confessions” and testimonies from jailhouse informant Tony Wild, who later admitted fabricating his statements. Although Dudley and Maynard were convicted, a severed head believed to be Moseley’s was mysteriously discovered in 1977, while they were in prison, casting doubt on the verdict.
Despite Tony Wild’s retraction in 1980 and mounting evidence of police misconduct, the convictions were upheld until 2002. A case review finally led to overturned convictions for Dudley, Maynard, and their alleged accomplices, acknowledging the lack of physical evidence and reliance on dubious testimonies. The murders of Moseley and Cornwall remain officially unsolved, clouded by gang rivalry, betrayal, and injustice.
Click the image to enlarge it for easy reading.
Leave a Reply