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Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs dies aged 84 | Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs dies aged 84 |
(35 minutes later) | |
British criminal Ronnie Biggs, who took part in the 1963 Great Train Robbery, has died aged 84, his spokeswoman has confirmed. | British criminal Ronnie Biggs, who took part in the 1963 Great Train Robbery, has died aged 84, his spokeswoman has confirmed. |
Biggs was part of the gang which escaped with £2.6m from the Glasgow to London mail train on 8 August 1963. | Biggs was part of the gang which escaped with £2.6m from the Glasgow to London mail train on 8 August 1963. |
He was given a 30-year sentence but escaped from Wandsworth prison in 1965. | He was given a 30-year sentence but escaped from Wandsworth prison in 1965. |
In 2001, he returned to the UK seeking medical help but was sent to prison. He was released on compassionate grounds in 2009 after contracting pneumonia. | In 2001, he returned to the UK seeking medical help but was sent to prison. He was released on compassionate grounds in 2009 after contracting pneumonia. |
Biggs, who died early on Wednesday, was being cared for at the Carlton Court Care Home in East Barnet, north London. | Biggs, who died early on Wednesday, was being cared for at the Carlton Court Care Home in East Barnet, north London. |
He could not speak and had difficulty walking after a series of strokes. | He could not speak and had difficulty walking after a series of strokes. |
He was last seen in public at the funeral of his fellow Great Train Robber, Bruce Reynolds, in March. | He was last seen in public at the funeral of his fellow Great Train Robber, Bruce Reynolds, in March. |
Christopher Pickard, ghost writer of Biggs's autobiography, said he should be remembered as "one of the great characters of the last 50 years". | Christopher Pickard, ghost writer of Biggs's autobiography, said he should be remembered as "one of the great characters of the last 50 years". |
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme his friend was "kind and generous" with a great sense of humour, which he retained to the end. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme his friend was "kind and generous" with a great sense of humour, which he retained to the end. |
Biggs was the first product of the "media age" who "inherited fame while running around the world", he said. | Biggs was the first product of the "media age" who "inherited fame while running around the world", he said. |
Rope ladder | Rope ladder |
Biggs, Reynolds, Ronald 'Buster' Edwards and the other gang members wore helmets and ski masks to carry out their crime, which took place near Cheddington, Buckinghamshire. | |
They made off with 120 bags of money totalling £2.6m - the equivalent of £40m in today's money. | They made off with 120 bags of money totalling £2.6m - the equivalent of £40m in today's money. |
Speaking to Nicky Campbell on Radio 1 in 2000 - before his return to the UK - Biggs said his share of the money had been £147,000. | |
"I squandered it totally - within three years it was all gone," he said. | |
Since then he had been "living on my name only," he added. | |
He said it was "totally regrettable" that train driver Jack Mills has been struck over the head during the robbery. | |
"I regret it fully myself - I only wish it would not have happened but there's no way that I can put the clock back." | |
Mr Mills, who never worked again, died in 1970. | |
But Biggs said he did not regret the robbery and, referring to comments made by the judge in the trial, he said: "I'm totally involved in vast greed, I'm afraid." | |
Biggs, who lived in Spain, Australia and Brazil while he was on the run, had been in prison for 15 months when he used a rope ladder to climb over the prison walls. | Biggs, who lived in Spain, Australia and Brazil while he was on the run, had been in prison for 15 months when he used a rope ladder to climb over the prison walls. |
He had initially fled to Paris, with his wife Charmian and two sons, Farley and Chris. | He had initially fled to Paris, with his wife Charmian and two sons, Farley and Chris. |
The BBC said two film dramas about the robbery - A Robber's Tale and A Copper's Tale - scheduled to be broadcast on BBC One on Wednesday and Thursday, would still go ahead. |