28th January 2010

Re: Charles Bronson, A8076AG

Dear Mr. Smith,

I have just been informed that my last two letters to prisoner Charles Bronson (A8076AG) dated 5th December 2009 and 11th January 2010 were prevented from reaching Mr. Bronson by your staff. I know that both letters arrived at your prison as they were sent Recorded Delivery.

The letters contained nothing that should give rise to this kind of outrageous interference. Simply copies of emails of support for him aimed at keeping his spirits up and encouraging him to continue working inside the system to obtain his freedom and some reviews of the film Bronson. I understand that the prison system is none too happy about the film, but that does not give it the right to intercept my letters.

I understand the need for censorship and I am well aware that every letter I send to Mr. Bronson is read by prison staff before he receives them, but over the several years I have been writing to him no letter has ever been “stopped” before. I can see no reason for this to happen now.

I require a full written explanation from you as a public servant for this unwarrantable behaviour.

Yours sincerely,
M. Vango BSc

13th February 2010

Re: Charles Bronson, A8076AG

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am today in receipt of your letter dated the 9th inst. in which you cite Prison Service Order 4411 as the reason for withholding my correspondence from prisoner Charles Bronson. I have read through this twenty page document thoroughly and can find no clause which I believe I have contravened in any letter. Please reply more specifically as to which section/clause/paragraph of PSO4411 my letters were contrary to and exactly how they broke these rules. This will assist me in not wasting my time making the same mistake in the future.

You also state that the dates the prison received the letters were not the ones I quoted. I have sent letters to Mr. Bronson on the following dates: 26 Nov 2009, 5 Dec 2009 11 Jan 2010, 28 Jan 2010 and 9 Feb 2010. These are the dates the letters were written and are quite clearly placed towards the top of the letters. I have no idea on what dates the letters would have been received by the prison without going through the whole rigmarole of requesting the information from the Post Office. I would therefore also be obliged if you would let me know the dates of the letters that were blocked from reaching Mr. Bronson.

I look forward to your quick reply in this matter.

Yours sincerely,
M. Vango BSc

25th March 2010

Re: Charles Bronson, A8076AG

Dear Mr. Smith,

I wrote to you on the 13th February but, to date, I have not had the courtesy of a reply. I attach a copy of my original letter and would appreciate your attention to the matter.

Today I received a letter from Charles Bronson. It was sent to me on 17th February 2010, but the postmark on the envelope says that it was posted on 24th March. Please can you inform me why it took the letter FIVE WEEKS to get from his cell to the post office? It seems to me that Mr. Bronson is being singled out for some rather special treatment.

While on the subject of special treatment, may I ask you why Mr. Bronson now has to book his telephone calls in advance? In all my years of communicating with him I have never heard of this and I am unaware of any other prisoner who has to do this. Why is Mr. Bronson being subjected to this kind of intimidation?

I would also appreciate an answer to the question of why I have to re-apply to visit Mr. Bronson? I was security cleared some time ago to visit him in HMP Wakefield. I have had my police visit and jumped through all the hoops before, so why has that clearance been removed?

One final question. I have been asked by someone if they are allowed to send Mr. Bronson an engraving they have made. It is A2 sized on paper and I have attached an A4 (reduced) copy of it for your consideration. Would you please furnish me with a list of items that the public are allowed to send Mr. Bronson?

I look forward to your quick reply in this matter.

Yours sincerely,
M. Vango BSc