Charles Bronson has expressed his anger at the delay of his parole hearing until 2023 because he expected that he might be able to spend Christmas at home with his mum.
The man who has been described in the past as ‘Britain’s most violent prisoner’ has been drawing closer to release in recent times, with a parole hearing being granted not too long ago.
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However, the date that had been set for December 12 has now been pushed back until next year at the earliest, meaning that his dreams of Christmas with his family – his first in a long time – are now in tatters.
The 69-year-old who has spent the majority of his life behind bars recently won a battle to have his parole hearing in public – the first time that has been granted.
He thought that the hearing might have gone ahead in the summer, before it was then reportedly shoved back to December, and now all the way back to next year at the earliest.
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Bronson wrote a handwritten letter from his prison cell at HMP Woodhill near Milton Keynes to Wales Online in which he claimed the decision to move the date back was a ‘disgrace’.
Bronson’s mother Eira Peterson hails from Aberystwyth and he was clearly looking forward to spending some time with her, writing: "I always say: 'Never plan anything in prison unless it's an escape'.
“Because you're just not in control of your own life.
“This Xmas I was lookin [sic] forward to dinner with my mother.
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“I believed I had a good chance of squeezing out some jam roll [parole] on December 12 - but now that won't happen 'til 2023.
“That's how this system 'works' – they couldn't run a p***-up in a brewery.
“That's why there are so many suicides inside and why the women left on the outside lose hope."
Bronson was initially incarcerated for his part in an armed raid on a post office in Cheshire back in 1974.
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He bagged only £26.18 from that raid, but also managed to land himself a seven-year prison sentence.
However, he’s upped that sentence on several occasions since then because of various violent episodes whilst on the inside including assaults on fellow prisoners and taking members of prison staff hostage.
Still, in recent times he claims he is a reformed character, having taken to art and planning for a release.
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He changed his name to Charles Salvador back in 2014 – a tribute to surrealist artist Salvador Dali – and has raised money for charities with his work, as well as writing books and attempting to encourage kids away from a life of crime.
In his letter, he continued: "I've given these hypocrites years of good behaviour and they've given me nothing back. It's a disgrace and I'm sick of it,
"'Jingle f***ing b*****s', I say. But it is Xmas after all, so one must not be angry."
He concluded: "Will I make it out for Christmas next year, who knows? But there's one sure thing – I'll get out of here one day and it won't be in a body bag."
Topics: Charles Bronson, UK News, Crime
Tom Wood