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19th Mar 2022

Parole date set for Britain’s most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson: ‘I’m coming home’

Simon Bland

Bronson believes his ‘excellent’ reports could see him released after decades behind bars

Notorious prisoner Charles Bronson has set his sights on release following the news that his public parole hearing could take place as early as June or July this year.

The 69-year-old former bare-knuckle boxer and bloke once dubbed “the most violent prisoner in Britain” proudly declared “I’m coming home” during an new interview with The Mirror before revealing that he does daily exercises to ensure he’s as fit as can be when he takes his first steps as a free man.

The prisoner – famously portrayed on screen by star Tom Hardy in Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2009 biopic Bronson – has spent more than four decades banged up in various prisons and is currently housed at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes.

Speaking to The Mirror, Bronson explained: “I’ve got my jam roll [parole] coming up. All my reports are excellent.

“It’s looking good, it really is. I’m closer now to getting out than I have been in 30-odd years. Up to now there’s not a date, but it’s looking like June, July.

“I’m the first man in the British Isles to have a public parole hearing. All these decades I’ve done.”

Bronson – who recently changed his name to Charles Salvador in honour the famous surrealist artist Salvador Dali – was first jailed in 1974 for armed robbery aged just 22.

In the years following, further time was added to his sentence due to a number of high profile incidents including attacks on fellow prisoners and guards, hostages incidents during 10 different sieges and causing a reported £500,000 in damages during rooftop protests.

It is believed that Bronson has attacked at least 20 prison officers over the years and in 2014, he covered himself in Lurpak before going after 12 prison officials at Full Sutton jail. He later admitted he had “lost it” because Arsenal had won the FA cup.

Reports suggest he has moved prisons more than 120 times over his 43-year stretch behind bars.

Still, he’s looking forward to getting out – especially because he currently only gets to spend about an hour a day outside of his cell.

“When I go out on the yard that’s my hour of freedom. I’ve got a big smile, I’m happy. I’m walking out as fit as the day I came in,” he told The Mirror.

“I’m coming home.”

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