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| Paul Massey death: Who was Salford's 'Mr Big'? | Paul Massey death: Who was Salford's 'Mr Big'? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The death of Paul Massey - once dubbed "Mr Big" in light of his criminal past - has prompted a flood of tributes. But how did the businessman earn the fearsome moniker? | The death of Paul Massey - once dubbed "Mr Big" in light of his criminal past - has prompted a flood of tributes. But how did the businessman earn the fearsome moniker? |
| Floral tributes and social media posts remember Salford-born Massey - shot dead in a suspected "targeted attack" - as a "top man" and "true gent". | |
| But he was also a convicted criminal, having been sentenced to 14 years in 1999 for stabbing a man in the groin outside a nightclub. | But he was also a convicted criminal, having been sentenced to 14 years in 1999 for stabbing a man in the groin outside a nightclub. |
| Despite this, Massey, who once stood for mayor, was well-liked and respected by many in Salford. | Despite this, Massey, who once stood for mayor, was well-liked and respected by many in Salford. |
| But how did a man with a criminal record convince people to vote for him? | But how did a man with a criminal record convince people to vote for him? |
| According to author Peter Walsh, who described Massey as "a Salford lad to the end", part of his appeal lay in his loyalty to his roots. | According to author Peter Walsh, who described Massey as "a Salford lad to the end", part of his appeal lay in his loyalty to his roots. |
| "He wasn't one of these guys who made a lot of money, moved out of the area, changed the way he dressed or the people he associated with," he said. | "He wasn't one of these guys who made a lot of money, moved out of the area, changed the way he dressed or the people he associated with," he said. |
| "Part of his thing really was he always stayed loyal to his area. His friends were very loyal to him and thought very highly of him." | "Part of his thing really was he always stayed loyal to his area. His friends were very loyal to him and thought very highly of him." |
| Rave scene | Rave scene |
| Massey grew up in Ordsall in the 60s, a part of Salford where slum clearance was taking place. | Massey grew up in Ordsall in the 60s, a part of Salford where slum clearance was taking place. |
| When he was 12 he was arrested for criminal damage to an empty house and sent to approved school. | When he was 12 he was arrested for criminal damage to an empty house and sent to approved school. |
| He claimed his "bitterness against the system" stemmed from being "dragged away from his mother and father". | He claimed his "bitterness against the system" stemmed from being "dragged away from his mother and father". |
| "He had a strong anti-authority streak", said Mr Walsh, who wrote Gang War: The Inside Story of the Manchester Gangs. | "He had a strong anti-authority streak", said Mr Walsh, who wrote Gang War: The Inside Story of the Manchester Gangs. |
| "He wasn't the biggest, he wasn't the toughest, but he was quite charismatic and very principled in his own way. | "He wasn't the biggest, he wasn't the toughest, but he was quite charismatic and very principled in his own way. |
| "He always looked like an overgrown street kid really, dressed in jeans and trainers." | "He always looked like an overgrown street kid really, dressed in jeans and trainers." |
| "He was unusual because he defied expectations. He didn't look like a gangster, he didn't lord it over people. He wasn't someone who saw himself sitting at the top of a pyramid as the boss." | "He was unusual because he defied expectations. He didn't look like a gangster, he didn't lord it over people. He wasn't someone who saw himself sitting at the top of a pyramid as the boss." |
| It was the arrival of the rave scene in Manchester, and his gang's forced closure of the famous Hacienda nightclub, which helped build his reputation further. | It was the arrival of the rave scene in Manchester, and his gang's forced closure of the famous Hacienda nightclub, which helped build his reputation further. |
| "They would run what you could jokingly call security at the event, and they started smuggling ecstasy in from Holland and selling that," Mr Walsh said. | "They would run what you could jokingly call security at the event, and they started smuggling ecstasy in from Holland and selling that," Mr Walsh said. |
| "By then they were well on the way to becoming one of the city's recognised gangs." | "By then they were well on the way to becoming one of the city's recognised gangs." |
| He was given the title "Mr Big" by the late Salford councillor Joe Burrows at a town hall meeting to discuss civil disturbances in 1992. | He was given the title "Mr Big" by the late Salford councillor Joe Burrows at a town hall meeting to discuss civil disturbances in 1992. |
| Massey denied having anything to do with the unrest. | |
| Mayoral campaign | Mayoral campaign |
| He declared he wanted to keep heroin off the streets of Salford and stickers appeared on lampposts warning: "Don't deal smack or you'll get a crack." | He declared he wanted to keep heroin off the streets of Salford and stickers appeared on lampposts warning: "Don't deal smack or you'll get a crack." |
| Massey stood unsuccessfully to be mayor of Salford in 2012. | Massey stood unsuccessfully to be mayor of Salford in 2012. |
| His political ambition wasn't surprising, as he had often acted as a "conciliator" between warring factions, and became a senior figure in the city's gangland. | His political ambition wasn't surprising, as he had often acted as a "conciliator" between warring factions, and became a senior figure in the city's gangland. |
| Dr David Holmes, a criminal psychologist at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: "Going for mayor when you have that kind of history and that kind of past is sticking your neck out quite a bit. | Dr David Holmes, a criminal psychologist at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: "Going for mayor when you have that kind of history and that kind of past is sticking your neck out quite a bit. |
| "They don't want to be in constant conflict with the police - they want to be kind of accepted and his level of control over a community produces respect from people. | "They don't want to be in constant conflict with the police - they want to be kind of accepted and his level of control over a community produces respect from people. |
| "This is the basic mechanism of how gangland culture becomes accepted for communities and you get this outpouring of grief if something like this happens. | "This is the basic mechanism of how gangland culture becomes accepted for communities and you get this outpouring of grief if something like this happens. |
| "If you're one of their mates, friends, if you are ok with them you no longer have to fear them. That's why these guys will project themselves as kind of a community leader." | "If you're one of their mates, friends, if you are ok with them you no longer have to fear them. That's why these guys will project themselves as kind of a community leader." |
| Massey received 1,995 votes - 4.45% of the poll - and came seventh out of 10 candidates. | |
| But how did a man with a criminal past convince people to vote for him? | But how did a man with a criminal past convince people to vote for him? |
| "He had a great deal of name recognition. Within his own community he was a mini celebrity really", said Mr Walsh. | "He had a great deal of name recognition. Within his own community he was a mini celebrity really", said Mr Walsh. |
| "He was generally good at talking to people but if you crossed him or his friends there would be trouble. | "He was generally good at talking to people but if you crossed him or his friends there would be trouble. |
| "Although he achieved Robin Hood status there was a dark, troubling side. He might say that was a product of the area he came from. | "Although he achieved Robin Hood status there was a dark, troubling side. He might say that was a product of the area he came from. |
| "I am surprised he has been killed at the age of 55, when you would expect him to have this senior status. If it had happened in his mid-twenties I wouldn't have been surprised." | "I am surprised he has been killed at the age of 55, when you would expect him to have this senior status. If it had happened in his mid-twenties I wouldn't have been surprised." |