VIV Graham was one of the most feared men in the North East of England.
The English criminal quickly made a reputation for himself – but it was one that would ultimately cost him his life.
Who was Viv Graham?
Vivian Graham, also known as Viv was an English criminal.
Born in 1959 to Hazel and Eric "Jack" Graham, Viv Graham grew up in Highfield, Rowlands Gill -a village on the outskirts of Gateshead.
In his later life, Graham lived in Walkerville, Newcastle upon Tyne with his fiancee Anna Connelly and her five children from a previous relationship.
Graham acted as a stepfather to the children and they in return viewed him as their father.
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Throughout his life, Graham tried his hand at a number of careers, including amateur boxing and security.
He became a doorman and eventually ended up working with well-known Gateshead hardmen, Billy Robinson and Paddy Leonard.
And it wasn't long before he was operating a small army of doormen himself, protecting various licensed premises in central Newcastle, Byker, and Wallsend.
But his legitimate career soon turned into a criminal one, when Graham became a reputed organised crime figure in the city, involved in extortion and racketeering.
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What happened to Viv Graham?
On New Year's Eve 1993, Viv Graham left a pub on Wallsend High Street to return to his car which he had parked in a side street.
Whilst returning to his car, Graham was ambushed and shot three times by one unidentified gunman.
After being left to bleed to death in the street, Graham was able to drag himself 30 yards up the street to get help, where he was found by fellow bouncer, Terry Scott.
The well-known security boss was then rushed to North Tyneside General Hospital where he received 30 pints of blood in an effort to save his life.
But when his fiancee Anna arrived at the hospital, medics told her that there had been nothing more they could have done to save his life.
Viv Graham died at North Tyneside General Hospital on December 31, 1993, aged 34.
The murder of Viv Graham sparked a huge manhunt in which more than 1,000 people were interviewed over the murder, 500 homes were visited, and hundreds of statements were taken.
Graham's family also offered a £100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killers.
But despite these efforts, to this day no one has ever been brought to justice and the murder remains one of the North East's most notorious unsolved crimes.
The shooting was believed to have been a revenge attack for an earlier unprovoked assault by Graham and a fellow bouncer – which left the victim with permanent injuries.
However, this was never confirmed.
What was Viv Graham known for?
Viv Graham was well known for his role as an English criminal who was engaged in extortion and racketeering.
He was also well known as a 'hardman' with an intimidating presence, who became one of the most feared men in the North East of England, earning himself a huge reputation for violence.
And his reputation only increased further when Graham used his violent reputation to attack several well-known Tyneside hardmen, including a rival doorman.
During 1989, Graham began working with a gang who had been refused access to Hobo's nightclub in Newcastle, by then then-head doorman.
The doorman believed that the gang would show no respect to other revellers and would treat the place as if they owned it – therefore denying the members entry.
Unable to intimidate the doorman, the gang subsequently returned to the club, accompanied by Viv Graham and some of his associates.
A fight soon broke out, with Graham delivering multiple debilitating punches to the victim, and throwing the then 28-year-old, 17-stone doorman around the reception area of the nightclub.
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Graham was later arrested for the attack and convicted – despite the victim refusing to give evidence.
Upon Graham's release, he decided to break all ties with his former gangland associates, and a prolonged, bitter dispute ensued with various adversaries working against Graham – ultimately resulting in his death.
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