06 March 2023 , 20:51
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Charles Bronson has revealed how his life of notoriety began, as he explained he got "excitement" from breaking the law as a young man.
The 70-year-old, now known as Charles Salvador after artist Salvador Dali, today made his latest bid for freedom in front of a Parole Board.
Dubbed one of Britain's most violent offenders, Bronson has been in prison for much of the last 50 years, spending the majority in solitary confinement or specialist units.
Bronson previously told how he was first sent to jail in 1968 and has held 11 hostages in nine different sieges - with victims including governors, doctors, staff and, on one occasion, his own solicitor.
Speaking during today's proceedings, Bronson revealed he was "born to have a rumble".
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Giving evidence at the parole hearing, he explained he had a “beautiful childhood” but enjoyed the “excitement” he got from crime.
He said: “I just went wrong, I don’t know how, I don’t know why. I just enjoyed the excitement.”
Bronson has admitted he has taken 11 hostages in his criminal life (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)He added he behaves like a “gentleman” and plans to go and live in the country if released.
Bronson made a number of bizarre comments during today's hearing, including that he is an "angel".
During his opening remarks he said: ""First of all, it's no secret I've had more porridge than Goldilocks and the three bears.
"I'm sick of it. I've had enough and I want to go home.
"You've got hundreds and hundreds of pages, statements, security, call it what you will, half of it is cr*p, absolute rubbish.
He said that he is now sick of being in prison (PA)"There's one statement I believe and that's from .... the psychologists. When she told me this, I said to her straight away, 'That would make a beautiful title of a book'.
"She called me a retired prison activist. She's so spot on, it's unbelievable. That's exactly what I am, I'm a retired prison activist.
"I put my hands up, out of the 50 years I've been in prison, I've probably deserved 35 years of it. I've been very naughty, not naughty naughty, just naughty.
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"I was a prison activist when I went on the prison roofs - I've been on nine prison roofs and I enjoyed every f****** one of them."
Bronson said that he would now handle things differently (Sunday Mirror)
Bronson said that he is now "chilled out" (PA)Bronson was the first prisoner to formally ask for a public hearing after rules changed last year to allow the public and press to observe proceedings in a bid to remove the secrecy around the parole process.
Russell Causley, who murdered his wife, Carole Packman, in the 1980s and never disclosed where he hid her body, made legal history in December when he became the first prisoner to face a public hearing.
The Parole Board has since ruled he can be freed from jail after breaching his licence conditions in 2021 following his initial release a year earlier.
The Parole Board will decide whether he should remain behind bars after the hearing, which is taking place over three days this week.
A decision is due at a later date.