Charlie Sargent

Paul David Sargent, known as Charlie Sargent, is the former leader and founder of Combat 18, a British neo-Nazi group. He was initially a supporter of the British National Party but split from them in 1996. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2001/bnp_special/roots/1996.stm BNP: UNder the skin] , BBC, 2001]

Sargent had convictions for drug running [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2001/bnp_special/roots/1992.stm "BNP Under the skin"] , BBC, 2001] and was convicted in 1998 of the murder of another member of Combat 18, and sentenced to life imprisonment. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/323366.stm "Combat 18's hardline racism"] , BBC News, 1999]

Murder of Christopher Castle : 10 February 1997

Sargent had split with his former colleagues in Combat 18 over allegations that he was an informer for British security services. The rival faction, led by Wilf "The Beast" Browning wanted Sargent to return to them the C18 membership list, for which they were to return his plastering tools and £1,000. However such was the animosity and fear between them that a mutually acceptable go-between, 28 year-old C18 member, "Catford Chris" Castle, was driven to Sargent's mobile home in Harlow, Essex, by Browning, who waited in the car, whilst Castle went to visit Sargent. He was met at the door by Charlie Sargent and his political associate, Martin Cross. Cross plunged a nine-inch (22cm) blade into Castle's back. Browning took Castle to hospital in a taxi, but doctors were unable to save him and he died shortly after arriving in hospital.

Despite his attempting to implicate Browning, Sargent was convicted of murder at Chelmsford Crown Court the following year. He and Cross were sentenced to life imprisonment and remain in prison to this day. [Nick Ryan, [http://www.nickryan.net/articles/c18.html 'Memoirs of a Street Fighting Man'] ]

Popular Culture

* Charlie Sargent is the subject of a tribute by the group, "The Blackshirts" entitled "It Ain't Over Till the Fatman Swings".
*"Billy Bright" (played by Frank Harper) in the film "The Football Factory" has a physical resemblance to Charlie Sargent, directed by Nick Love.

ee also

*British National Party
*British National Front
*White supremacy
*Clerkenwell crime syndicate
*White tide

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2001/bnp_special/roots/1996.stm "Charlie Sargent believed in violence, not democracy"] (BBC's "BNP: Under the Skin")
* [http://nickryan.net/articles/c18.html Article on Sargent]

References