Britain’s most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson has begged the justice secretary for a free pardon after spending nearly 50 years in jail.
He claims he has made exceptional progress in prison, and for the past five years has not added to the series of violent attacks on staff that have kept him behind bars for so long.
In an audio message to Sky News from his cell at Woodhill jail, Bronson said: “I bet you can’t believe I’m still in, can you?
“It’s an absolute liberty. I’m 70 years old now, 70 years old. I’ve never murdered anyone; I’ve never raped anyone. What am I in jail for? People don’t believe it. They think I’m a serial killer.”
His solicitor Dean Kingham has urged Justice Secretary Dominic Raab to show mercy and grant Bronson, who now calls himself Charles Salvador after his artist-hero Salvador Dali, a free pardon.
Mr Kingham wrote in the letter: “You have the power under the Prerogative of Mercy to grant Mr Salvador’s release without requiring him to go in front of the Parole Board… he has not been violent for a significant number of years and his risk is primarily towards prison governors.
“The evidence in excess of the last five years is clear that his risk of violence has significantly reduced.”
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The solicitor said later: “The argument is that if he’s been able to demonstrate that he’s not violent in very high-risk situations in custody towards staff, governors, etc. then the risk falls away if he’s released into the public because historically, whilst there was a risk to the public, it’s never been as severe as that towards prison staff and governors.
“There is very good psychological research evidence that as someone ages the risk of violence decreases.
“When someone approaches 70 the research shows that the risk drops off to zero. Now, he’s at that age bracket.”
He said he accepted that Bronson may pose some risk to the public, but added: “The Parole Board regularly releases people that have been convicted of murder. The whole process is based on reduction of risk.”
Armed robbery, taking hostages and violent attacks
Bronson was jailed for seven years for armed robbery in 1974.
Except for two brief periods of freedom he’s been in jail ever since, for other robberies and violent attacks on prison guards and governors.
In 1999, he took a terrified art teacher, who had criticised his drawing ability, hostage in Hull Prison and, wielding a homemade spear and a broken bottle, he tugged him along with a skipping rope around his neck for two days.
He was given a life sentence with a minimum term of three years and has been turned down for parole ever since.
Three years ago, Bronson stood trial and was acquitted on a charge of attempted grievous bodily harm on a governor at Wakefield jail.
In a second bid for freedom, Bronson is about to submit a new parole application.
‘They want him to play board games with prison warders’
It’s likely to be the first ever held in public because last year his legal team won a High Court ruling to establish a prisoner’s right to a public parole hearing.
His solicitor said that Bronson had become “a political prisoner” with Ministry of Justice officials blocking his ability to demonstrate his progress and earn the chance of a move to a less restrictive prison by setting “ridiculous” tests.
“For instance,” said Mr Kingham, “they want him to play board games with prison warders, something he refuses to do, so he is kept in the close supervision unit as a Category A prisoner and that must influence the Parole Board.”
Bronson said in his Sky News message: “I’m the first man in Britain to have a public one (parole hearing) and the reason I’m doing that is I’m going to expose the system for what it’s done to me.
“It’s all coming out in the wash, my side of the story, and the truth is mate, it’s going to shock the planet.”
He signed off: “And between you and me I can still do 95 press-ups in 30 seconds, so I’m still the guv’nor. Good luck, your old china Charlie.”
