Charles Bronson is known as ‘Britain’s most notorious inmate’, and with good reason.
The 71-year-old has spent the best part of 50 years behind bars due to his violent past.
He was originally jailed for seven years on armed robbery charges in 1974, but continuously had time added to his sentence due to attacks on fellow inmates and guards.
Bronson was released from prison in 1987 but landed himself back in the slammer just a year later after being convicted of another armed robbery.
Then, in 1999, he was slapped with a discretionary life sentence with a minimum term of four years after he held a prison teacher hostage for 44 hours.
The notorious criminal has applied for parole on multiple occasions during the past five decades but has been denied time and time again due to him lacking the ‘skills to manage his risk of future violence.’
With the haunting words Bronson said to one of his victims, it’s easy to understand why authorities are so reluctant to release him.
Charles Bronson was handed a discretionary life sentence in 1999 after he held a prison art teacher hostage for 44 hours. (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
In 1999, the prisoner held art teacher Phil Danielson hostage for two days in Hull prison.
This came after Mr. Danielson criticised one of his illustrations in class.
Although Bronson didn’t physically harm him, Mr. Danielson was left so traumatised, he never returned to work.
A bare-chested Bronson tied a skipping rope around the teacher’s neck and held him at knifepoint with a homemade spear made out of broken beer bottle.
Then, the prisoner issued Mr. Danielson with a terrifying warning that’ll send a shiver down your spine.
The former art teacher recalled the incident in the Channel 4 documentary Bronson: Fit to be Free?
He said: “I remember him telling me: ‘Take your last breath because this knife is going in you’. I was terrified out of my mind.”
The warning Bronson issued his victim were so haunting, he never returned to work. (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Following the ordeal, Mr. Danielson returned to work for Hull City Council, but later suffered a nervous breakdown.
In 2001, he won a £65,000 payout from the Home Office. At the time, he said: “The experience has left my career prospects in ruins. You assume prison managers are paid and trained to protect you. That clearly wasn’t the case.”
Just last week, Bronson put his most recent bid for freedom in jeopardy after he got into a fight with killer and fellow prisoner Robert Donaldson, reportedly hitting him with two hooks and two uppercuts.
The ‘punch-up’ is currently under investigation and could impact his parole bid in 10 months’ time.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service told The Mirror: “We do not tolerate violence in prisons and anyone who breaks the rules will be punished. It would be inappropriate to comment further while investigations are ongoing.”
Featured Image Credit: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Topics: UK News, Crime, Charles Bronson
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
