Featured Image Credit: World History Archive/Alamy
Topics: Charles Bronson, UK News, Crime
Anish Vij
Charles Bronson's public parole hearing kicked off today, and it has offered insights into the man once dubbed 'Britain's most violent prisoner'.
After spending most of the past 48 years behind bars, the notorious inmate becomes the second person in UK legal history to have his parole case heard in public.
The Parole Board review which began on Monday morning (6 March) saw members of the press and public watching on via live stream from HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes.
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Bronson was first sent to jail in 1968 and has held 11 hostages in nine different sieges.
Victims have included governors, doctors, staff and, on one occasion, his own solicitor.
He was then sentenced in 2000 to a discretionary life term with a minimum of four years for taking a prison teacher at HMP Hull hostage for 44 hours.
Up until now, the Parole Board has repeatedly refused to direct his release.
Bronson is usually seen sporting a pair of sunglasses, and during the parole hearing he explained the sad reason why he's forced to wear them.
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After sleeping in 'cages' and 'boxes' and spending '40 years of my life in solitary', Bronson says his eyes have become sensitive to sunlight.
He said: “Don’t think I’m wearing these glasses for sinister reasons. My eyes are blown away with the light.”
Bronson discussed how being in solitary confinement made his eyes sensitive to light.
When questioned about several incidents behind bars from a few years ago, Bronson said: “I love a rumble. What man doesn’t?”
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Describing one bizarre scene, he said: “I took half a tub of Lurpak with me, stripped off and had the rumble of my life. It was f**king brilliant.”
He was also questioned about an incident in 2015 when he threw his own faeces at another prisoner.
Bronson claimed the inmate had killed four people and had insulted him, calling him an OAP and threatened to stab him.
He also said that the prisoner had asked him to do it so that he could claim compensation.
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Bronson also revealed how he now has ways of managing negative feelings after being behind bars for so long.
“When I’m in my cell and I’ve got a bad letter, or something’s happened, or someone has been nasty or whatever, I can sit in my cell now and switch off, and go into myself with deep breathing,” he said.
“Sometimes people push, push, push, take the piss, it’s blatant piss-taking, and some people need a slap, it’s as simple as that.”