8 Most EVIL People In Wrestling History
2. Gary Cooke
British wrestler Gary Cooke might have made it to the odd living room television via World Of Sport from time to time, but never became a household name like Big Daddy or Giant Haystacks, or famous for his wrestling elsewhere in the world like the Dynamite Kid or William Regal. In fact, the only time his name got bandied around the media, was thanks to the reveal that he'd changed it after being jailed for abhorrent crimes against young boys.
Wrexham's Cooke - who at this point was going by Mark Grainger - was at the centre of a paedophile ring that abused young people within the North Wales care home system. In 2015 he was found guilty of 11 charges of indecent assault, three serious sexual assaults, and two charges of indecency with a child and sentenced to 14 years in prison as a result. He was convicted of additional charges in 2020 following following a National Crime Agency investigation as part of Operation Pallial - a three-year, £13 million investigation into scandalous abuse taking place in care homes that resulted in new victims bravely coming forward with statements about the abuse they experienced.
Per reporting at the time, "There is no doubt Cooke was systematic and devious. He cherry picked his victims and groomed them for his own sexual gratification using treats including alcohol, trips to the cinema and above all, attention. Cooke continued his sexual abuse and manipulated...through fear including the threat of jail, bribery and verbal attacks."
He will be in prison at least until his 80s.