Charles Bronson parole hearing LATEST — Son claims he’s ‘not done himself any favours’ after ‘swearing & cursing’

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Bronson’s personal officer says he is “happy to be around Charlie”

Charles Bronson’s CSC personal officer is described by Bronson’s lawyer as the person who knows him best.

When discussing Bronson, his personal officer said he is “happy to be around Charlie”.

When asked if Bronson has ever been angry or frustrated, he replied: “that’s natural.”

Former jail pal reveals time with Charles Bronson

Former London gangster , 51, bonded with the infamous prisoner, known for his extreme violence, during a series of spells in the late Nineties and early 2000s.

In an exclusive chat, Gillen, who spent almost 12 years inside for crimes including firearms offences, argues Bronson should be freed ahead of a parole hearing next week.

He reveals one incident that showed his friend’s empathetic side, and claims they were driven to madness by horrendous prison conditions.

Gillen said: “He was desperate. We all were. You can’t keep hitting a dog with a stick and be shocked when it eventually bites back.

“I understand that people like Charlie, and me back then, need to be contained, but conditions inside weren’t always engineered to encourage people’s best behaviour.”

What we know about notorious prisoner Charles Bronson

Charles Bronson has spent nearly 50 years of his life behind bars and is now making his latest bid for freedom in front of the Parole Board.

There has been a series of colourful revelations at his high-profile parole hearing this week.

Here are some of the things we now know about the long-term prisoner and his time behind bars, following the two days of public hearings.

• Bronson has spent most of the past 48 years behind bars, apart from two brief stints of freedom where he reoffended.
• His first conviction was in 1974 when he was 21 and was jailed for seven years for robbery, aggravated burglary, assault with intent to rob and possession of a firearm.
• Real name Michael Peterson, he told how he was lured into crime at a young age, attracted by the “excitement” of stealing.
• He changed his name to Charles Bronson in the 1980s as an alias dreamed up when he went into boxing – something he claims he was encouraged to do by notorious east London gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray with whom he said he served time.
• A second name change came in 2014, when he adopted the surname Salvador to represent that he was a man of “peace”.

Does Charles Bronson have children?

Michael Jonathan Peterson is the only known son of the UK’s most violent prisoner Charles Bronson.

He was named after his father, who was then known as Michael Peterson.

He was born in 1972, the same year his parents, Bronson and Irene Dunroe married.

At the time Bronson was working as an industrial painter.

In 2001, the  reported that Irene’s second husband Brian “treated Michael as his own”.

Michael has so far never spoken publicly about his father.

Prison officer says Bronson is one of the easiest prisoners to deal with

A prisoner officer yesterday said Bronson is one of the easiest prisoners to deal with at Woodhill, and has “too much to lose” to break the rules if he were moved to open prison.

“I just think he’s relatively easy to deal with. He’s happy doing his own thing,” the officer said.

“Wherever he goes, as long as they’re open and honest with him and treat him fairly, he’ll be fine.”

Bronson plans to release a tell-all book

Charles Bronson, 70, revealed this week that he plans to write an explosive tell-all book about his life.

He told the court: “No one’s going to stop me from saying what I want to say.

He added: “I’m not proud of my life, but I’m certainly not ashamed of it.”

Charles Bronson reveals why he wears glasses

Speaking in court this week, Charles Bronson revealed why was wearing sunglasses.

“Don’t think I’m wearing these glasses for sinister reasons,” he said.

The infamous criminal said his eyes have been damaged by years in a dimly lit prison cell.

“My eyes are blown away with the light,” he went on to say.

What crimes has Charles Bronson committed?

Bronson has committed a string of crimes which have contributed to his prolonged time behind bars.

He first went to prison in 1974, after he was found guilty of armed robbery and sentenced to seven years.

However, he received additional time for attacking prison guards and fellow inmates, meaning he was not released until 1987.

In 1994 Bronson held a prison librarian hostage, demanding an inflatable doll, a helicopter and a cup of tea as ransom.

In 1999, he held prison art teacher Phil Danielson at knifepoint for 43 hours at HMP Hull.

As a result of this incident, in 2000 he was sentenced to life in prison.

How long is a life sentence in the UK?

Life sentences are dished out to offenders who commit the most heinous crimes, including murder, rape and armed robbery.

Judges decide the minimum number of years a prisoner will serve of their life term on a case-by-case basis.

In many instances, this is a minimum of 15 years without chance of parole.

Unlike whole life orders, inmates have the ability to have their cases reviewed, which ultimately means they could get out of jail.

In pictures: Charles Bronson attends parole hearing

Britain's “hardest man” appeared in court via video link on Monday as he made a plea for his freedom.

Charles Bronson published book full of poems

Charles Branson published a poetry book whilst in prison.

In Words Inside and Out, he writes of jails: “Broadmoor was a gas, Rampton a hole; Parkhurst was a trap, that’s where I lost my soul.”

Another poem brands Soham killer Ian Huntley and Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe “a disgrace to the human race”.

Co-writer Steve Wraith, a pal of 20 years, said: “These poems show a different side to him.”

How long has Charles Bronson been in prison?

Charles Bronson has spent most of the last half-century in jail.

Bronson, 70, was first arrested in 1974 and has spent most of the time since then in prison.

The infamous criminal said he deserved “a good 35 years” of his 40+ year jail sentence but is now reformed.

Bronson’s personal officer says he has never felt threatened

Speaking during the parole hearing earlier today, Charles Bronson’s personal officer – in the close supervision centre (CSC) – was asked whether he has ever felt threatened by him.

He said he hasn’t.

He added that Bronson has told him “he’s moved on” from his violent past & “can’t be bothered” with it anymore.

Where is Charles Bronson from?

Bronson was born in Luton in 1952.

His family then moved to Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, when Bronson was a teenager.

However, he later returned to Luton – which he refers to as his hometown.

When was Charles Bronson first arrested?

His campaign of crimes include holding 11 people hostage across nine sieges with victims being governors, doctors and even his own solicitor.

He has also spent time in solitary confinement and specialist units for his violent outbursts towards other inmates.

In 1974 he was jailed for seven years after being convicted of armed robbery – which was extended by nine months after he attacked a fellow prisoner with a glass jug.

Charles Bronson ‘should be moved to low security jail’ parole showdown hears

During the public parole hearing of Charles Bronson, a psychologist told the panel that the long-serving prisoner should be moved to a low security prison facility.

An independent psychologist told the panel, at the Royal Courts Of Justice, he would be less of a risk free than banged up.

She said: "He would be less of a risk in a community environment than a prison environment.

“I stand by that assessment."

She suggested the “perfect environment would be open conditions”.

She added: “It would have to be stepped and gradual.

“The ideal world would be in a CSE centre where he can have greater contact with other inmates.

“He is most at risk on a normal prison wing.”

She said “serious considerations” should be given to move him to a lower security lock up.

How much does Charles Bronson’s artwork cost?

The artwork created by Charles Bronson varies in price.

He has reportedly been churning out dozens of paintings and drawings and selling prints of them online for £24.95 each.

Their titles include Bronson’s Dead, No More, Keep On Dreaming, and Please Don’t Leave Me Here.

He is also reportedly selling 10 prints together as part of an A4 collection for £125.

Each print claims to be ”Limited Edition Artwork’.’

Some of his other creations have also sold – and for much higher sums.

In July 2022, Bronson raised thousands of pounds for charity after dozens of pieces of his artwork went up for auction.

The designs fetched £2,655 even though only half the 30 lots presented were snapped up.

Other sales include a painting showing Bronson on a beach, called Fantasy Impression, sold for £1,000.

Another two, titled Broadmoor Lunatic Asylum and Self Portrait, sold for £950 each.

A third painting called Impression of Bedlam fetched £680.

Bronson says he smeared himself with Lurpak before the ‘rumble of his life’

Bronson appeared in court via a live stream link on Monday morning and told a parole board of the “rumble of his life”.

He was wearing a black suit, white shirt and round dark tinted sunglasses.

The hearing questioned the notorious lag about his behaviour behind bars.

One they took note of was a period where Bronson had stripped naked and “greased up”, in a rumble that he described as one of the best experiences.

Speaking about the prison brawl in 2018, Bronson said he “had the rumble of my life”, adding: “I f*****g loved it.”

He went on: “I was born to have a rumble, I love to have a rumble.

“But I’m 70 now. It can become embarrassing. You have to grow up sooner or later.”

Asked if he would “rumble” again if released, he said: “Wouldn’t happen. There would be no more rumbles.”

Charles Bronson said he was ‘bored’ during parole hearing

Charles Bronson made his feelings clear during his parole hearing this week.

He said: “I’m getting bored of this” after his solicitor asked for a comfort break.

Bronson could be heard asking the lawyer “Can’t you just go yourself?”, before telling the chairman: “He just wants the toilet.”

Bronson's mother's 'last dream on this planet' is to see him released from prison 

In a plea to the Parole Board this week, Bronson said it is his 95-year-old mother's "last dream on this planet" to see him released from prison.

He also said his mother want's to see him "making an honest living with my art".

What we know about notorious prisoner Charles Bronson (3/3)

• Bronson told how he went through a "phase" where he "couldn't stop taking hostages" and it was his way of "getting back" while "battling against the system - he took 11 people hostage on nine different occasions.
• He said he felt remorse for taking art teacher Phil Danielson hostage, but not the governor of Hull prison Adrian Wallace, or three Iraqi inmates he held at Belmarsh.
• Bronson also said he was not ashamed of his protests when he climbed on to prison roofs.
• He loves a catchphrase - his testimony was full of analogies and anecdotes, delivered in cockney-style patter, including: "I have had more porridge than Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and I'm sick of it. I've had enough of it, I want to go home."
• Bronson happily discusses his hard-man image, claiming he once fought a Rottweiler and that prison was now "full of fairies" and run by "namby-pamby people".
• Claiming he had been "betting for 50 years" while behind bars, Bronson said won £1,500 last year but was not an "addict" - The Ministry of Justice said gambling is against prison rules.
• He now professes to be "anti-crime" and no longer violent.
• While he used to find violence "cathartic", he has since sought solace in his art and practises "deep breathing" to cope with negative feelings.
• Describing himself as "almost an angel now", Bronson said his violent ways were over.

What we know about notorious prisoner Charles Bronson (2/3)

• The 70-year-old is now locked in his cell for 23 hours a day, where he receives hundreds of letters.
• Having spent much of his time behind bars in solitary confinement, Bronson passes the time by listening to the radio and creating art.
• He was previously diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder.
• He now has mild symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, partly due to some "brutal and unacceptable treatment" while in the prison system, according to an independent psychologist.
• He also has hearing difficulties.
• Bronson has never used a cash machine.
• He has been described as "anti-authoritarian", "suspicious" of other people's motives and as someone who romanticises his past violent offences.
• He is prone to outbursts of swearing, being rude to people and becoming "loud and belligerent", a psychologist told the hearing.
• Bronson told the parole panel he was "born to rumble" and spoke fondly of times where he became involved in brawls in jail.
• The long-serving prisoner described one incident, where he covered his naked body in Lurpak before facing prison guards, as the "rumble of my life", adding: "It was f****** brilliant."
• The Parole Board heard in 2015 he threw his own faeces at a prisoner and threatened to stab him because he called him an old-age pensioner and a nobody.