Charles Bronson's ruined plans for first day of freedom including barefoot walk

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Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson's ruined plans for first day of freedom including barefoot walk

Charles Bronson has failed in his bid for freedom after not being granted parole - and now his plans are ruined.

Britain's most notorious prisoner has spent most of the past 48 years behind bars, apart from two brief periods of freedom during which he reoffended.

Despite this, Bronson insists that he's "never been a danger" and has claimed he is a "man of peace".

His ex-wife, Irene Dunroe, revealed this morning that plans had been made ahead of the famous lag's release - but they will now be put on hold.

Today, the Parole Board concluded he lacks the "skills to manage his risk of future violence". He was also denied a transfer to an open prison.

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Charles Bronson's ruined plans for first day of freedom including barefoot walkCharles Bronson is the UK's most notorious prisoners (PA)
Charles Bronson's ruined plans for first day of freedom including barefoot walkHe's spent most of his life behind bars (PA)

Do you think Bronson should be free? Let us know in the comments...

The news was broken to Bronson via a letter in an envelope at about 11.30am.

Bronson's former wife, Irene Dunroe spoke to GB News this morning and said she had plans for her ex's release - but they will all be cancelled now.

She said: "A friend's already arranged for a nice car to pick him up and take him to a greasy spoon cafe with fried eggs, chips, everything you can think of.

"And then he's going to go for a walk with bare feet along grass. He can't wait to walk on grass, it has been over - God knows how long it's been.

"And then he's going to go to an art shop. And he's going to have a good look at all the paints and the oils and everything, because he's never used anything like that before.

"If he doesn't get this and he's downgraded into another category, I mean, that's going to be at least another two or three years in prison before he even gets a chance for parole again.

"They let somebody like Gary Glitter out, he didn't even have parole and all those things he did to all those different children. I mean, where is the morality in this?"

Charles Bronson's ruined plans for first day of freedom including barefoot walkMany think he should be released (PA)

Bronson has claimed he now "hates violence" and says he has been a "model prisoner" for the last decade.

He also claimed he has "never been a danger to the public", adding, "I love the world".

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Bronson admitted he was not hopeful at being let out, adding in a voice note to Sky News: "I want to go home, I'm an artist born again.

"I hate violence, I despise it and that's all I've done for the last 10 years, sit in my cell, a model prisoner, polite, respectful but they still won't let me out".

Bronson has spent most of his life behind bars, after joining a gang of robbers at the age of 13. He ended up in a juvenile detention centre after being caught stealing, and things went downhill from there.

In 1974, at the age of 22, he was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Charles Bronson's ruined plans for first day of freedom including barefoot walkHe's barely been out of prison for the past 50 years (REX/Shutterstock)
Charles Bronson's ruined plans for first day of freedom including barefoot walkBronson was once a bare-knuckle boxer (Sunday Mirror)

While he was behind bars, he attacked fellow prisoners and prison guards and more time was added to his sentence.

He was eventually released in 1987, 13 years later, and started a career as a bare-knuckle boxer in London, but it wasn't long until he found himself standing in front of a judge again.

The next year, in 1988, he robbed a jewellery shop and pleaded guilty to armed robbery when his partner became the prosecution's main witness.

He was sentenced to another seven years, was released in 1992, then 50 days later he was locked up again - this time for conspiracy to rob.

The charges were dismissed in 1993 and he was released, but then he was arrested again for conspiracy to rob and possession of a sawn-off shotgun and handed an eight-year sentence.

Charles Bronson's ruined plans for first day of freedom including barefoot walkHe went through a public parole hearing (PA)

He's been behind bars ever since, as he's had years added onto his sentence for taking hostages, causing millions of pounds worth of damage in prison, and staging protests.

One of his Bronson's prison chums, reformed gangster Stephen Gillen, previously spoke to The Mirror and said that the infamous inmate "should be free! "

He said: "He has to pay for his crimes and be accountable - we know that to keep a society progressive and healthy, there needs to be boundaries to keep people safe.

"But when you talk about Charlie, apart from the usual uproar about him being the most dangerous, about all this stuff that he's done, you have to look at how he's been treated and the crimes for which he was sentenced for.

"The way he was held and punished through that sentence was very detrimental for everyone.

Charles Bronson's ruined plans for first day of freedom including barefoot walkBronson will have to spend a few more years behind bars yet (Sunday Mirror)

"The most prudent way to look at this case is to take Charlie the personality out of it. This is indicative, the first-ever public parole hearing - it's never been done before. There's an indication that this is a special case, and needs to be looked at - because of the circumstances."

Bronson has held 11 hostages in nine different sieges during his time in jail - with victims including governors, doctors, staff and, on one occasion, his own solicitor.

In 1999, he held an art teacher hostage for two days in Hull prison and, although he didn't physically attack him, the victim was left so traumatised he never returned to work.

John Bett

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