Britain's most dangerous man Charles Bronson launches
controversial new fashion range - from behind bars

Scottish Daily Record
9th April 2010
By Jeremy Armstrong

HE HAS masterminded a hit movie, art exhibitions, ornaments and even a pop single - all from his prison cell.

Now, Britain's most violent prisoner has another string to his bow - Charlie Bronson, the clothing range.

"Bronsonwear" is being launched on-line with a selection of T-shirts and tops carrying the brute's name.

It will be promoted on YouTube, Twitter and other websites with a voiceover from the man himself.

Manufacturers believe the range - with an emblem featuring "BRONSON" behind jail-like bars - will be a hit in the US and Britain. And they're already bidding to sell on the High Street.

But the controversial deal, which will see thousands of T-shirts sold for £25-£45, has come under fire from some victims' groups.

They claim the former armed robber, who is serving life for kidnapping a prison teacher, should not be allowed to benefit from his notoriety.

Bronson, who has turned to art and poetry in prison, can't be paid but it's thought his family will profit.

Neil Atkinson, spokesman for the Victims' Association, said: "It would be better if the money goes to some of his victims rather than his family.

"I would be far more impressed by his entrepreneurial spirit had he not been, effectively, lining his own pocket."

Midlands gym owner Dave Taylor, 43, is behind the range. He said: "We know it might be seen by some as portraying a bad image.

"But we wanted to use Charlie's art work and poetry with a T-shirt range and have had a great deal of interest.

"There is a big market in America for fight wear and we have had a very positive response from there. Many martial art and cage fighters have their own fashion range which are big with film stars. Charlie is popular with movie people and we wanted to mix the two."

Designer Joseph Randle took Bronson's art and poetry for the "Birth of Madness" collection, featuring 25 "high fashion" and fight-wear T-shirts.

He said: "He has been in solitary confinement for most of his sentence and his talent for translating these environments into graphic depictions of terror and torture is amazing. This raw imagery and unrelenting mental strength made this collaboration extremely appealing to me."

Bronson's 35-year stretch has cost more than £1million, seen him take hostages in 10 jail sieges, attack at least 20 officers and cause £500,000 damage in protests.

He was originally jailed for armed robbery in 1974 but his violence inside means he has only had four months of freedom since.