British Gangsters: Faces of the Underworld

- Season 2

(2023)

The famous port's wealthy history has contributed to the prosperous underworld within, where the likes of Charlie Seiga, Curtis Warren and Shaun Smith thrived.

Looks back at the notorious Peaky Blinders, the flourishing gang culture in the sixties with links to the Krays, and how this culture continues today.

We cross the Irish Sea where the stories take a more political and intense turn. The troubles between Britain and Ireland date back to the 12th Century, when the Catholics sought to sever all ties with Britain but the Protestants were keen to remain under British rule. We explore the infiltration of drugs into Ireland plus the relationship between terrorists, politics and organised crime.

Welcome to Essex, the cradle of rave party culture in the UK. With a huge existing club scene and an entrepreneurial culture, it was the natural environment for the rave culture and new and old criminals could see that there was a fortune to made. In episode 4, Bernard O'Mahoney explores the consequences of crime in what went on to become one of Britain's most notorious crime regions.

In episode 5, Bernard O'Mahoney explores the injustices suffered by those who have somewhat unwittingly surrounded themselves by criminals. Do these people deserve to become victims of a sometimes flawed judicial system because of an association with the wrong people and should society turn its back on them?

In episode 5, Bernard O'Mahoney explores the injustices suffered by those who have somewhat unwittingly surrounded themselves by criminals. Do these people deserve to become victims of a sometimes flawed judicial system because of an association with the wrong people and should society turn its back on them?

Bernard O'Mahoney looks at the effect of time on gangs and their origins in episode 7. Whether it be organised motorcycle groups or Irish travellers, the roots are dying out with every new generation, but how does this affect the older and more traditional members?

In the final episode of the series, Bernard O'Mahoney explores the minefield that is the media and how its influence has been used to build celebrities out of men, without checking facts. Is it possible to create a gangland persona based purely on a false reputation built by the press? Yes, but there are certain to be extremely costly consequences...