UK's hardest convict is 'in fear of his life' 
Tony Thompson
Sunday March 2, 2003
The Observer

He once said he had been on more roofs than Santa Claus and taken more hostages than Saddam. But now Britain's most dangerous convict, a man who once threatened to eat one of his captives, claims to be in fear of his life after allegedly being assaulted by prison staff.

Charles Bronson, 50, claims he was attacked on two occasions in the past month while at Full Sutton Prison in York. He says both incidents took place after he complained about being deprived of his daily exercise because guards wanted to watch football on television and that the special segregation unit where he is held in solitary confinement along with 11 others is being run by 'intimidation and fear'.

The incidents are certain to reignite the debate about the effects of the prison system on long-term inmates. Bronson was originally sentenced to eight years in 1974 for armed robbery but has remained in prison almost constantly ever since because of acts of violence committed while inside. His supporters say his efforts to reform are wasted because of the brutal nature of the regime he is being held in.

The first alleged attack took place on 5 February. 'They banned me from exercising because they wanted to watch football on TV,' Bronson told The Observer. 'I was upset and yanked the sink off the wall in the shower rooms. They came in and jumped all over me, my face, skull and hands.'

Bronson was left with two black eyes, dozens of cuts and the imprint of a boot on his forehead. He also claims to have suffered severe damage to his kidneys which has resulted in him passing blood in his urine and also to have been left deaf in one ear. He describes his current condition as 'crippled with pain'.

A confidential medical report compiled after the first alleged assault has been obtained by The Observer. The report by Dr Bob Johnson, a doctor for 42 years and one-time employee of the Prison Service, states: 'There is clear medical evidence of damage arising from an injury which had not been receiving the medical attention it so obviously urgently needs. There is evidence that these injuries were caused by a deliberate assault by prison staff on this patient while he was under their care.

'Perhaps most troubling, there is the suggestion of an under-culture of physical brutality which may run something as follows - if a prisoner smashes property, then the staff are expected to smash the prisoner.'

Describing the second alleged attack 10 days later, Bronson said: 'I was punched, kicked and strangled. It was over a football match on TV the screws wanted to watch, so they decided to give all the inmates in the seg[regation unit] less than an hour. Some got half an hour, others got 45 minutes. They came to take me in after 45 minutes. I said no, fuck your football, I am having an hour. The mufti squad [prison slang for officers in riot gear] was brought in and it went off.

'This unit is a hate factory and is making me very ill and unstable. The prison officers have a licence to attack me at any time. I am in fear of my life. I am losing the way fast. The light is going out. I feel lost in hopelessness.'

His Bangladeshi-born wife, Siara Ali Ahmed, who has been credited with 'taming' Bronson, believes the authorities are trying to provoke him into breaching rules because of an appeal against his most recent sentence. 'If we are successful he could be free in two years,' Siara said. 'For some reason they don't want him to get out, so they are trying to push him into doing something he will regret.'

Both incidents are being investigated by Humberside Police. Officers have already interviewed nine of the 12 inmates who share the segregation unit with Bronson. Although each of the 12 are in solitary confinement and have never met, some can witness activities on the unit through the windows of their cell. Last week Bronson, who had announced his intention to go on hunger strike this week in protest against the conditions at Full Sutton, was moved without notice to Whitemoor jail in Cambridgeshire. It was unclear whether this was in response to the allegations of assault.

Born Michael Peterson, Bronson changed his name to that of the action movie star during a brief period of freedom where he achieved notoriety as an unlicensed boxer. Immensely strong as the result of a fitness regime which includes more than 3,000 press-ups a day, he is said to be able to bend cell doors with his bare hands.

A spokesman for the Prison Service said: 'We understand that the solicitor of a prisoner at Full Sutton has made a complaint that that prisoner was assaulted by members of staff. We refute these allegations, but if a complaint is made through the proper channels, it will be investigated.'