I was Charles Bronson’s prison governor – the notorious lag was locked in ‘cages and boxes’…but for good reason
AN EX-prison governor who looked after Charles Bronson has said the notorious lag was locked up in “cages and boxes” – but for good reason.
Bronson, now 70, today told a Parole Board panel he spent “40 years of his life in solitary”.
The lag is hoping he will finally be released from prison after 50 years – but his offender manager has raised concerns about him fitting into society.
Bronson whinged he spent much of his time living in “cages boxes locked up” as he appeared in court via video link.
An ex-prison governor who was responsible for Bronson at one point during his time in prison told The Sun: “He did live in a cage – if you want to call it that – because we had to remove everything in his cell because he’d use everything as a weapon.
The hearing has been told the prisoner was first sent to jail in 1974 at the age of 21 – and it’s been his lifestyle ever since.
They heard one of Bronson’s recent prison adjudications was on April 10, 2018, at HMP Frankland when he “attempted to commit an assault against a governor” over a “withheld photo of his mother”.
As he waited for further details to be read out, he said:
he said: “We’re gonna be here all f**g day, aren’t we?
He then turned to his solicitor, Dean Kingham, and said: “Crack on, Dean!”
His campaign of crimes include holding 11 people hostage across nine sieges with victims being governors, doctors and even his own solicitor.
Describing how in the past he had ended up on prison roofs in protest, he said: “I enjoyed every fing one of them.”
Bronson spent time in solitary confinement and specialist units for his violent outbursts towards other inmates.
In 1974 he was jailed for seven years after being convicted of armed robbery – which was extended by nine months after he attacked a fellow prisoner with a glass jug.
He later attempted to strangle Gordon Robinson while at Broadmoor, before causing £250,000 worth of damage when he staged a three-day protest on a rooftop.
He 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 lad saw another seven years added to his sentence – although this was cut to five on appeal.
Following further incidents, he was finally given a life sentence after kidnapping prison teacher Phil Danielson in 1999, causing destruction to the prison.
Today, Bronson admitted he did regret his actions towards Mr Danielson.
Bronson told the hearing he is “almost an angel now” compared with his old self.
“I have not walked on grass for over 30 years and I dream of walking on grass,” he said.
The 70-year-old said he has changed his ways and there would be no more “rumbles” behind bars.
He is in a unit of eight inmates, and has time out of his cell with three others, one of whom he does not like and avoids.
But he said on a larger wing he would be able to handle any conflict should it arise.
The Parole Board panel will decide whether Bronson still poses a risk of safety to the public.