LETTER FROM CLARE -  19 January 2007

Hi to all of Charlie's friends and supporters who are reading this. And to those of you who don't know him and believe everything they write about him in the papers ... wake up!

I'm Clare and I've been mates with Charlie for over 7 years now. Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting him and I thought I'd let everyone know that he's fine. Still as cheerful as ever, despite the news on the appeal.

After all the waiting about and the usual security checks I finally got to see him just before 2.30, even though I'd been there since before 12.30 and visits are supposed to start at 1.45!

To be honest you'd think they'd let Charlie's visitors through a bit sooner seeing as we've got more checks to go through and further to go. Charlie has his visits well away from the main wing, you have to be escorted by a screw to the CSC unit where he spends all of his time in solitary.

It was gale force winds yesterday, so it was a chew going through the yards in and out of gates with a tray of milkshakes and chocolate cakes, trying to stop it being blown away; at least you don't have all that hassle if you're just visiting some nonce, child-killer or rapist: they get to be in the nice warm visitors room along with all the women and kids; that's sensible innit?

Anyway, I made it through in one piece, looking like summat the cat dragged in, but he was still happy to see me! I usually take my daughter, Lilli, with me. She's 12 and she adores him, but she had to go to school and she wasn't too happy about it. But Charlie done a picture for me to take home for her, so that cheered her up a bit! The visit itself went well, had a good chat and caught up with all the news. We write every week, but its nice to see him. The shit thing is that no-one's allowed in the same room as Charlie; so if you visit him, he's in one cell and you're in another and there's a piece out of the wall about 2 by 2 with big bars. It's a bit like going to see the lions in the zoo, only with more security!

So you pass his drinks through the bars and talk through the bars and there's no need for it. Charlie's not mad and he's not evil: he's kind hearted, generous, intelligent and has a great sense of humour and, to be honest, I reckon he's the sanest person i know!

They wont let him out, they wont even decatogorise him down to Cat "B". They don't want to help him 'cos they can't beat him,! No matter what they do he keeps on smiling. 32 years in a hole yet he'll tell you that Wakefield's not so bad; at least it's as good as it gets for Charlie.

Two years ago they said they were gonna get his visits sorted so he can be in the same room as his visitors. He's no risk to anyone, yet nothing has changed: he's still in the same hole with the same monsters breathing the same air as them when he shouldn't be anywhere near them! But he's strong. Not just physically but mentally. He's had to be or he wouldn't have survived this long. Things need to be changed ... and soon. How they can justify keeping him for so long is beyond me, especially when they let the paedos out to reoffend time after time! It's a disgrace and a contrevention of his human rights, because he is human ... not an animal, even though they cage him like one! I'm proud to have Charlie for a mate and I would trust him with my life. We need to do all we can to get him out of there ........... and soon!

Clare