Kenneth Noye: where is The Gold’s Brink’s-Mat smuggler now - is he still in prison, crimes explained

Kenneth Noye is a notorious British gangster and thief who features in the BBC true crime drama series The Gold, which follows the 1983 Brink’s-Mat heist. Jack Lowden plays the charismatic career criminal in the show, but Noye’s real victims have criticised the performance for glamourising the gangster.

The series was condemned by Gary Cameron, the uncle of Stephen Cameron, who Noye killed years after his involvement in the robbery. Cameron hit out at the BBC for portraying Noye as “some kind of a good guy when he is a cold-blooded murderer”.

Because of his lengthy rap sheet, Noye has spent nearly one third of his life locked up, but relatives of his victims believe that his treatment in The Gold doesn’t reflect the real man, and they see it as a further insult after what Noye has put them through.

Cornwall Live reported that one of the gangster’s friends claimed Noye was ‘over the moon’ with Lowden’s performance, and that following the show people appraoch Noye in the street and ask to shake his hand.

Who is Kenneth Noye?

Kenneth Noye was one of the gangsters involved in the Brink’s-Mat robbery featured in new BBC drama The Gold, The 1983 heist, which remains the largest robbery committed in the UK, resulted in the theft of more than £26 million (equivalent to £85 million today) in gold, cash, and diamonds.

Despite the success in the extraordinary robbery, many of those involved were later brought to justice. Noye was convicted of handling some of the stolen gold and conspiracy to evade VAT.

In 1985, Noye stabbed undercover police officer DC John Fordham ten times after finding him hiding at his Kent estate - Fordham has been watching Noye as he was suspected of being involved in the heist.

Noye and Brian Reader, who later became known for masterminding the Hatton Garden heist, were charged with Fordham’s murder but acquitted as they claimed they had acted in self defence and had feared for their own safety.

For his role in the Brink’s-Mat robbery, Noye was fined £500,000, with an additional £200,000 in costs and sentenced to 14 years in prison in 1986 - after being convicted he told the jury he hoped they “die of cancer”.

What happened to Kenneth Noye?

Noye was released after serving half his sentence but went on to commit an even more serious crime.

In 1996 while out on licence from prison he was involved in a road rage incident and killed 21 year old Stephen Cameron, the passenger of a car that he had cut up. Noye stabbed Cameron in the heart and liver and then continued to a gathering that he had been travelling to.

He later fled to Spain but was apprehended by police and extradited to the UK where he received a life sentence for the killing in 2000 and ordered to serve a minimum of 16 years.  Noye was released on parole in 2019 - Cameron’s parents had campaigned for him to stay in prison for the rest of his life.

Where is Kenneth Noye now?

According to the Mail Online, Noye is now living in a one-bed flat in Sevenoaks, Kent. In a book published this month, A Million Ways to Stay on the Run by Donal MacIntyre and Karl Howman, Noye told the woman who helped get him convicted that she has nothing to fear from him.

Danielle Cable, who now lives under an assumed name due to fear of reprisals, was Cameron’s girlfriend and gave evidence at Noye’s trial that led to his conviction. In the book, Noye said: “She gave honest evidence at the trial. I am truly sorry for her loss, and I am glad she has moved on with her life.

“She may not believe me, but I do want to say this. I am not a danger to her in any respect. I was never a danger to her, and there was never a million-pound price on her head, as the police suggested.

“She should be able to fully enjoy her family and friends because there are no threats to her from me. I am devastated at Stephen’s death and the circumstances around it.”