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Charles Bronson to stay in prison as panel denies him parole Charles Bronson to stay in prison as panel denies him parole
(about 2 hours later)
Parole Board decides Bronson, who has spent most of past 48 years behind bars, should not be releasedParole Board decides Bronson, who has spent most of past 48 years behind bars, should not be released
Prisoner Charles Bronson has lost a Parole Board bid to be freed fromjail. Charles Bronson, one of the UK’s longest-serving prisoners, will remain behind bars after being denied release by the Parole Board.
The decision comes after one of the UK’s longest-serving prisoners – who changed his surname to Salvador in 2014 – took part in one of the country’s first public parole hearings earlier this month. The decision comes as Bronson, who changed his surname to Salvador in 2014, took part in one of the country’s first public parole hearings earlier this month. As well as being denied parole, Bronson was also unsuccessful in his request to be transferred to an open prison.
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 has made while in custody and the evidence presented at the hearings, the panel was not satisfied that Mr Salvador was suitable for release. Nor did the panel recommend to the secretary of state that he should be transferred to an open prison.”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 has made while in custody and the evidence presented at the hearings, the panel was not satisfied that Mr Salvador was suitable for release. Nor did the panel recommend to the secretary of state that he should be transferred to an open prison.”
Once described as one of Britain’s most violent offenders, 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-taking incidents in nine different sieges. The document added that despite the fact that Salvador has spent most of the past 48 years in custody and that he had showed some “evidence of improved self-control and better emotional management”, ultimately the panel concluded that they were not confident that he would not be violent when released.
Victims included governors, doctors, staff and, on one occasion, his own solicitor. The panel concluded that they “could not be satisfied that Mr Salvador has the skills to manage his risk of future violence until he has been extensively tested outside of his current highly restricted environment”.
Bronson was handed a discretionary life sentence with a minimum term of four years in 2000 for taking a prison teacher at HMP Hull hostage for 44 hours. Since then, the Parole Board has repeatedly refused to direct his release. Bronson has been imprisoned because of multiple thefts, firearms and violent offences, which included taking 11 people hostage during nine separate incidents. Now 70, he was originally jailed on armed robbery charges in 1974.
Bronson was then handed a discretionary life sentence with a minimum term of four years in 2000, for taking a prison teacher at HMP Hull hostage for 44 hours. Since then, the Parole Board has repeatedly refused to direct his release.
Three parole judges considered his case during a hearing at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, while members of the press and public watched part of the proceedings on a live stream from the Royal Courts of Justice in central London.Three parole judges considered his case during a hearing at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, while members of the press and public watched part of the proceedings on a live stream from the Royal Courts of Justice in central London.
Bronson – whose real name is Michael Peterson and who has previously been diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder – told parole judges he loved a “rumble” and enjoyed mass brawls in prison, but insisted he was now a reformed prisoner, had found solace in art and was a man of peace. Bronson – whose real name is Michael Peterson and who has previously been diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder – told parole judges he loved a “rumble” and enjoyed mass brawls in prison, but insisted he was now a reformed prisoner, had found solace in art and was a man of peace. He then went on to compare his experience in front of the Parole Board to being on the BBC programme The Apprentice.
He likened his experience in front of the Parole Board to being on the BBC programme The Apprentice.
A psychologist told the panel Bronson had post-traumatic stress disorder after facing some “brutal and unacceptable” treatment behind bars. He has been held in solitary confinement for much of his time in jail.A psychologist told the panel Bronson had post-traumatic stress disorder after facing some “brutal and unacceptable” treatment behind bars. He has been held in solitary confinement for much of his time in jail.
During the hearing he was described as holding “anti-authoritarian views” and being suspicious of the motives of others, as well as having a romanticised view of violent incidents in the past. None of the prison and probation officials who gave evidence at the parole hearing said he was ready to be released.During the hearing he was described as holding “anti-authoritarian views” and being suspicious of the motives of others, as well as having a romanticised view of violent incidents in the past. None of the prison and probation officials who gave evidence at the parole hearing said he was ready to be released.
Bronson is the second inmate in UK legal history to have his case heard in public after rules were changed last year in a bid to remove the secrecy around the process. Bronson is the second inmate in UK legal history to have his case heard in public after rules were changed last year in an attempt to remove the secrecy around the process.