Son of a murdered notorious North East hardman speaks out more than 30 years on from his death

Viv Graham was shot dead on New Year’s Eve, in 1993, after he left The Queen’s Head pub, on High Street West, in Wallsend.

It was reported that the 34-year-old had left the pub, got into his Ford Sierra Cosworth, and then was shot three times at point-blank range with a Magnum handgun.

Viv, who was a dad-of-four, managed to drag himself 30 yards to get help before collapsing - he was rushed to North Tyneside General Hospital and died around four hours later.

Now his son, Viv Graham Jr, 34, has taken part in a BBC 5 Live podcast named Gangster: The Story of Viv Graham - which tells the story of one of the North East’s most notorious gangland killings.

Viv Jr has given an insight into how he felt hearing stories about his dad, as well as visiting the scene where he was shot for the BBC podcast.

He said: “I was only four-years-old when my dad died so I didn’t really know him like how other people knew him - but now that I am 34, I’ve heard pretty much every story under the sun.

“It was good to hear the stories from other people in a way, it made my realise how deep my dad actually was.

“He was described as ‘untouchable’ by some people and then there were stories that didn’t put him in a good light.

“There were stories about him being a bully and a brute who would fight anyone.

“Being at the scene where he died was hard to describe, it definitely wasn’t a comfortable feeling at all, especially knowing that was where my dad’s life was taken away.”

Viv Jr, who lives in Westerhope, also touched on how his dad’s death impacted his whole family, including his older brother, Dean, who died after taking an overdose.

He commented: “Obviously I was very young when it happened so I didn’t really understand but it was quite hard growing up and hearing the stories.

“I didn’t really know anything until I was much older but it impacted my brother Dean because he understood a lot more than I did.

“Dean always wanted revenge for my dad’s death in some way and it really impacted his life.

“He wouldn’t often say a lot about it but when he did open up, it was always a question of ‘why?’ and ‘what were they going to get out of it?’ by killing my dad.

“It was a cowardly act and there was definitely other ways around it. This could have been taken up in a different way rather than blasting him three times.

“It was overly extreme.”

A huge murder inquiry into Viv’s death has seen more than 1,000 people questioned but no one has ever been convicted of killing the former pub and club doorman.

Following the podcast, Viv Jr has appealed to the public for help in trying to bring his dad’s killer (or killers) to justice.

He added: “If anyone has information then I would like them to come out and give us that final nail in the coffin.

“More than anything, I want justice for my grandma who is 86, coming up to 87.

“She isn’t in the best of health so if she could get justice while she is alive then it would mean everything for her and the rest of our family.”

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Northumbria Police have urged anyone with information relating to Viv’s killing to come forward and speak to them.

Detective Superintendent Jane Fairlamb, of Northumbria Police, said: "This tragic incident took place more than 30 years ago but the investigation into Viv’s death is not closed.

"We remain committed to establishing the circumstances behind Viv’s death and will continue to act on any new lines of enquiry or information.

"Unsolved murders are never closed and are all subject to periodic reviews.

“If any new information comes to light about a case, our detectives make sure that it is fully investigated.

"If you have information that could help with any of our unsolved cases then please use the ‘Report’ page of our website, call us on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”

You can listen to the BBC’s ‘Gangster: The Story of Viv Graham’ by visiting: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0hypcy9.