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Charles Bronson DENIED parole after showdownrules he must stay behind bars

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Charles Bronson DENIED parole after showdownrules he must stay behind bars
Charles Bronson DENIED parole after showdownrules he must stay behind bars

CHARLES Bronson has been DENIED his freedom after the parole board ruled he must stay behind bars.

Britain's most notorious lag, 70, launched his eighth bid to finally be released after serving 50 years in prison.

Charles Bronson will not be freed from prison eiqehiqddikxprw
Charles Bronson will not be freed from prison
The notorious lag during his parole hearing
The notorious lag during his parole hearingCredit: PA

But the Parole Board panel rejected the appeal today following a public hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice.

They ruled Bronson lacks the "skills to manage his risk of future violence" as the body also denied a move to an open prison.

The summary added: "The panel accepted that Mr Salvador genuinely wants to progress and that he is motivated to work towards his release.

Gangsters ‘call for ceasefire’ after deadly Christmas Eve pub shootingGangsters ‘call for ceasefire’ after deadly Christmas Eve pub shooting

"It thought that there was evidence of improved self-control and better emotional management.

"However, the panel was mindful of his history of persistent rule breaking and that Mr Salvador sees little wrong with this.

"He lives his life rigidly by his own rules and code of conduct and is quick to judge others by his own standards. His positive progress has to be assessed in the context of him being held in a highly restrictive environment.

"In the panel's view, it is unknown exactly what is containing Mr Salvador's risk. It is unclear whether the strong external controls of custody are mainly responsible or whether his attitudes have genuinely changed."

Currently, the inmate, who claims he now "hates violence", is only allowed out of his cell for 90 minutes a day.

Responding to the judgment, his son George Bamby said: "I would have loved Charlie to have been released but completely respect the decision of the Parole Board."

During his public hearing earlier this month, Bronson - now known as Charles Salvador - admitted he had no remorse about taking a governor hostage.

He also revealed he had won £1,500 placing football bets behind bars and loved fighting in jail house brawls.

Bronson said: "I was born to have a rumble, I love to have a rumble.

"But I'm 70 now. It can become embarrassing. You have to grow up sooner or later."

Four human skulls wrapped in tin foil found in package going from Mexico to USFour human skulls wrapped in tin foil found in package going from Mexico to US

However, the elderly lag has vowed never to fight again if he walks free and said that he plans to live like a "gentleman" in the country.

FREEDOM BID

Bronson was first jailed, aged 21, for seven years in 1974 after being convicted of armed robbery - and it's been his lifestyle ever since.

He later attempted to strangle inmate Gordon Robinson while at secure psychiatric hospital Broadmoor, before causing £250,000 worth of damage when he staged a three-day protest on a rooftop.

The lag was released in 1987 but soon returned a year later for intent to commit robbery.

After holding three men hostage in his cell, the Luton criminal saw another five years added to his sentence.

Following further acts of violence behind bars, he was finally given a life sentence after kidnapping prison teacher Phil Danielson in 1999.

Bronson - who changed his name to Charles Salvador in 2014 - told the board he did feel remorse for attacking Mr Danielson.

But did not have the same sympathy for a governor he took hostage - resulting in the victim suffering rom PTSD.

Bronson said: "That was 30 years ago and I've moved on from that long ago.

"Governor Adrian Wallace was an a***hole, is an a***hole and will die an a***hole."

UK'S MOST NOTORIOUS LAG

Bronson's campaign of crimes include holding 11 people hostage across nine sieges with victims being governors, doctors and even his own solicitor.

He has also spent numerous spells in solitary confinement and specialist units for his violent outbursts towards other inmates.

In a recent Channel 4 documentary, the lag insisted he had reformed and is now "anti-crime, anti-violent".

He also said he can "taste freedom" ahead of the hearing.

Bronson added: “I’ve got a horrible, violent, nasty past, but I've never killed anybody and I’ve never hurt a woman.

"I’m focused, I’m settled, I can actually smell and taste freedom like I’ve never, ever done in me life

“I’m now anti-crime and anti-violence. So why the f*** am I still in prison?”

Bronson was 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.

His offender manager told the parole board she raised concerns about him fitting into society after so long behind bars.

When asked what her worries are about him being released, she said: "That he would struggle in the community, that he would not have the skills to cope with such a vast change."

She was not supportive of his release from prison and added: "I think Mr Salvador has come a long way, but he still has a long way to go."

But an independent psychologist told the panel, at the Royal Courts Of Justice, he would be less of a risk free than banged up.

She said: "He would be less of a risk in a community environment than a prison environment.

“I stand by that assessment."

She suggested the “perfect environment would be open conditions”.

When he was quizzed about difficult situations he might face if released, Bronson - wearing a black suit, white shirt and round dark-tinted sunglasses - told the board via video link: "If some muppet wants to fight me or cause me problems I will handle it in a different way."

He added: "Give a man a break. We could be sitting around this table until the cow jumps over the moon talking the same old crap.

"I'm just a normal geezer wanting to get on with his life."

In a recent Channel 4 documentary, the lag insisted he had reformed and is now "anti-crime, anti-violent"
In a recent Channel 4 documentary, the lag insisted he had reformed and is now "anti-crime, anti-violent"Credit: Channel 4
Bronson was first jailed, aged 21, for seven years in 1974
Bronson was first jailed, aged 21, for seven years in 1974

Harry Goodwin

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