John Bindon, a renowned actor of the 1960s and 1970s, earned a reputation for portraying violent thugs on screen. However, his off-screen persona was marked by a notorious violent temper and a penchant for instigating fights in pubs, allegedly to demonstrate his supposed "hard man" credentials.
In reality, Bindon was a gangster with ties to the infamous Krays and Richardsons. He operated a protection racket and was involved in drug dealing in West London's Fulham district. Notably, he was a friend of Princess Margaret, whom he met on the Caribbean island of Mustique.
Tragedy struck in November 1978 when fellow gangster Johnny Darke was killed at a club in Fulham. Bindon was subsequently charged with murder, but he was acquitted at the Old Bailey. Despite his acquittal, the notoriety surrounding the case effectively ended his acting career, and he drifted into obscurity.
Bindon's life came to a tragic end in October 1993, when he succumbed to AIDS.
