Train robber Biggs' parole hope

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/norfolk/7474733.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs could be freed from prison in one year's time, after his case was submitted to the Parole Board.

Biggs, who is 78, was jailed for 30 years for the 1963 robbery, but escaped after 15 months.

He was imprisoned again in 2001, and his lawyer says he has served more than a third of his sentence - making him eligible for parole.

The Parole Board said it does not comment on individual cases.

However, Biggs's lawyer, Giovanni Di Stefano, said the ministry had sent Biggs's case to the Parole Board for consideration of a July 2009 release.

'Nightmare'

He has previously pressed for a December 2008 release, taking into account the time Biggs spent in custody in Brazil and Barbados before his return to the UK.

"Ronnie has spoken a few words to his son Michael and said that he can now see the end of this nightmare," Mr Di Stefano said.

"Common sense has prevailed."

Biggs - who is being held in Norwich Prison - was sentenced before the parole scheme was introduced in 1967, but Mr Di Stefano said despite that, Biggs's co-defendants had all been released on parole.

Biggs was part of a gang which held up a Glasgow-to-London night train in August 1963 and escaped with a then record haul in cash.