Britain’s most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson, 70, will stay behind bars after he lost his Parole Board bid to be freed from jail.
He argued that after nearly 50 years in jail, most of it in solitary confinement, he was safe to be released. But the Parole Board review of one of the UK’s longest-serving prisoners decided that he should remain behind bars.
In a document detailing the decision published on Thursday, the Parole Board said: “After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress that Mr Salvador [Bronson’s new name] has made while in custody and the evidence presented at the hearings, the panel was not satisfied that [he] was suitable for release.
“Nor did the panel recommend to the Secretary of State that he should be transferred to an open prison.”
Bronson was first jailed in 1968 and has held 11 hostages in nine different sieges. His victims included governors, doctors, staff, and, on one occasion, his own solicitor.
Here’s what we know about Bronson’s life and crimes.
Who is Charles Bronson?
Charles Bronson was born Michael Gordon Peterson in Luton, in 1952. He was one of three sons of Eira and Joe Peterson. His aunt, Eileen Parry, referred to him as a “lovely lad” in a 2000 interview with the BBC.
“He was obviously bright and always good with children. He was gentle and mild-mannered, never a bully; he would defend the weak,” she said.
Bronson started to get into trouble when his family moved to Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. By the age of 13, he was part of a gang of four robbers and was reprimanded in juvenile court after he was caught stealing.
He also used to get into fights from an early age and was often absent from school.
His first job was at Tesco, which lasted a fortnight before he was dismissed for attacking his manager.
Why did Charles Bronson go to jail?
Bronson was first jailed in 1974, at the age of 22, after being convicted of armed robbery. He was sent to HM Prison Liverpool, where he attacked two prisoners.
After later attacking fellow prisoner, John Henry Gallagher, with a glass jug, the 69-year-old’s seven-year sentence was extended and he was given an extra nine months.
He was moved to Broadmoor Hospital, a high-security psychiatric hospital in Crowthorne, Berkshire, because of psychiatric concerns but didn’t cope well. He strangled child rapist and murderer John White, and later attempted to strangle another inmate, Gordon Robinson. He then caused £250,000 worth of damage when he staged a three-day protest on a rooftop about conditions at the infamous jail.
Bronson was later transferred to several other prisons, and quickly built up a reputation as a violent and highly dangerous inmate.
While at Wandsworth Prison, he even attempted to poison a prisoner in the cell next to him, and strangled the governor of Wormwood Scrubs.
Writing in his 2000 book, Bronson, he said: “I’m a nice guy, but sometimes I lose all my senses and become nasty.
“That doesn’t make me evil, just confused.”
He is currently in HM Prison Woodhill, Milton Keynes, where he has been since 2018.
Bronson’s name changes
Bronson has changed his name several times, with his different titles defining certain periods in his life. Born Michael Gordon Peterson, he changed his name to Charles Bronson, after the Hollywood actor, during a short stint of freedom in 1987.
He used his new persona to launch an illegal bare-knuckle fighting career, but returned to jail in 1988, keeping his new name.
The criminal converted briefly to Islam in 2001 and became known as Charles Ali Ahmed. This followed his marriage to Fatema Saira Rehman, a woman who had started to write to him during his time behind bars.
In August 2014, Bronson announced he was legally changing his name to Charles Salvador, in tribute to the artist Salvador Dali. He took up art and even started a charity art foundation in that name. His artwork has also been displayed on the Tube but was eventually taken down.
More than 100 pieces were sold in 2014, in an attempt to “renounce violence” that plagued his past.
He has been married three times. In February 2022, Gemma Fernandez reportedly built up a friendship with Bronson and spoke about her visit to HMP Woodhill on her YouTube channel. The former model, who is in her 30s, decided to contact Bronson after watching Tom Hardy play him in the 2008 movie, Bronson.
