Claire Reid
Charles Bronson has shared a voice note with Sky News from behind bars saying he hopes to have a date for his public parole hearing soon. You can hear it here:
The 70-year-old is currently banged up in HMP Woodhill in Miton Keynes, where he’s earned himself a reputation as Britain’s most notorious prisoner.
The infamous inmate, who now goes by the name Charles Arthur Salvador, has spent decades behind bars and has now launched a bid for freedom, hoping to have a public parole hearing.
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In the message, sent to Sky News, he said he’s going to ‘expose the system’ and is eager to get out his ‘side of the story’.
He said: “Hopefully I've got a date soon, for my public parole hearing.
“I'm the first man in Britain to have a public one. And the reason that I'm doing that is that I'm going to expose the system for what it's done to me.
“I bet you can't believe I'm still in can you? I'm 70 years old. I've never murdered anyone; I've never raped anyone.
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“What am I in jail for? People don't believe it. They think I'm a serial killer.
“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.
“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.”
His lawyer Dean Kingham has called on Justice Secretary Dominic Raab to grant a pardon.
He wrote: “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.
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“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.
“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.
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“When someone approaches 70 the research shows that the risk drops off to zero. Now, he's at that age bracket.
“The Parole Board regularly releases people that have been convicted of murder. The whole process is based on reduction of risk.”