A West Country man has admitted faking being the son of Britain's notorious violent criminal Charles Bronson. Bizarrely George Bamby said he made the false claims as part of an arrangement to keep the criminal in the media' spotlight.
George from Paignton, revealed to Talk TV presenter Vanessa Feltz that he has been pretending to be Charles Bronson's son for the last six years to help keep Britain's longest-serving criminal in the public eye, reports Devon Live.
Only two months ago, the freelance photographer launched a Crowdfunding campaign to raise money for his so-called dad to buy a 'dream Devon caravan' for him to enjoy upon his release from prison which Bronson had hoped would be this year.
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He originally claimed to have undergone a DNA test that proved Britain's most notorious criminal was his dad.
Bronson was denied freedom last week after a panel decided it was still unsafe for him to leave prison. Bronson is currently detained at HMP Woodhill where he has spent years 'rehabilitating himself through his artwork' which has raised millions for charities worldwide.
Bronson has spent most of the past 48 years behind bars - apart from two brief periods of freedom during which he reoffended - for a string of thefts, firearms and violent offences, including 11 hostage-takings in nine different sieges. Victims included governors, doctors, staff and, on one occasion, his own solicitor.
Following the decision of the Parole Board, George Bamby told Talk TV that their relationship had all been a con and he is not in fact Bronson's son at all, but colluded with the notorious criminal as part of some sort of PR campaign to 'make sure he [Bronson] wasn't forgotten about'.
The Parole Board concluded he lacks the "skills to manage his risk of future violence". He was also denied a transfer to an open prison.
In his interview on Talk TV on Thursday, he said: "Charles Bronson approached me six years ago when he saw a programme about paparazzi. He realised I was really good with the media and he wanted me to get him on his side, to get him in the papers, and to get publicity for him, and make sure he wasn't forgotten about.
"He was trying to expose what was going through the prison service. So I went to visit him. Then I was banned from visiting him because I was a journalist. So me and Charlie together made up a story that he was my dad. Charles Bronson is not my father. I'm a marketing person and the UK's number one paparazzi. Not telling anyone this for six years has been the absolute bane of my life."
He added: "For the last six years, me and Charlie have had loads of fun and created loads of stories over the most ridiculous things. We have manipulated the media. We manipulated the prison service. I have been into four maximum security prisons as a journalist and not only that but I have phoned him for 12 and a half hours."
Bronson's criminal history
Bronson is a British criminal who is known for his numerous violent and aggressive outbursts while in prison. Born Michael Peterson in 1952, he adopted the name Charles Bronson as a tribute to the actor of the same name.
He was first arrested in 1974 for armed robbery, and has since been imprisoned for various violent crimes, including assaulting fellow prisoners and guards, taking hostages, and causing significant damage to prison property.
He has spent the majority of his adult life in prison, with periods of time in solitary confinement due to his behavior. Bronson has also gained notoriety for his art and has sold many pieces of his work to collectors outside of prison.
Members of the press and public watched the proceedings as he bid to be released – taking place in HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes – on a live stream from the Royal Courts of Justice in central London.
Dubbed one of Britain’s most violent offenders, Bronson – who changed his surname to Salvador in 2014 after the artist Salvador Dali – appeared on camera sat opposite a panel of parole judges wearing a black suit, white shirt and dark glasses.
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