Richard "Richie" Stringer made his first appearance on 10 April 2001 and last on 12 April 2001. He was portrayed by Gareth Hunt.
Storylines[]
Richie Stringer is a mob boss who knows Phil Mitchell. He first appears in April 2001 when Phil contacts him to request a favour; conspiring with Phil against their mutual acquaintance, Dan Sullivan. It transpires that Dan had worked for Richie in the past, and so he does not suspect anything untoward when Richie provides him with a gun to do a raid on Phil. However, it is all part of Phil's plan, and Dan is caught by the police in the middle of the armed robbery. It soon becomes clear that the gun Ritchie had given Dan is the same gun that was used to shoot Phil, even though Dan never shot Phil and the gun itself had belonged to their common nemesis Steve Owen; earlier on, it was revealed that the shooter was in fact Phil's ex-girlfriend Lisa Shaw. Nonetheless, Dan is consequently blamed for the shooting when Phil confirmed this to the police without exposing Richie's involvement behind the crime. Richie is mentioned during Dan's court case for attempted murder, but he does not make an appearance. On 8 October, Richie sends Andy Pickton to speak to Phil about doing a delivery job as they're a driver short. Phil agrees to do it and returns with a blood stained shirt. He's later arrested for assault on a man, but is released without charge when he's not identified by the suspect during a police ID parade. On 15 October, Richie's car parks up outside The Queen Vic and Phil speaks to him outside, although, Richie is not seen on-screen. Richie later calls Phil to give him the name and address of the man who grassed him up for the assault.
Quotes[]
- "I got shot once. It gives you a whole new outlook. Use it wisely!".' (Richie gives his associate Phil Mitchell a tip-off in the latter's plan to incriminate his own shooting against their mutual acquaintance Dan Sullivan)