Charles Bronson helps to pay for baby's headstone

The Worcester News
24th April 2010
By James Savage

ONE of the world’s most dangerous prisoners has donated £100 to help pay for the headstone for a baby girl from Worcester who died at just 10 days old.

Charles Bronson, who is serving a life sentence at HMP Woodhill, in Buckinghamshire, said he feels “privileged” and “humbled” to help Sarah Gaffney and Luke Dayus, whose daughter Pheobe died last August.

Tattooist Mark Williams, of Forever Ink, in Broad Street, Worcester, who is a friend of the couple, has made a series of limited edition sculptures based on Bronson’s famous drawing of his prison cell door.

The sculptures, which cost £95, are in popular demand from Bronson fans with legendary heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson among the recent buyers.

Bronson donates money to charity from the sculpture sales and when he heard about Pheobe’s headstone fund he told Mr Williams to give £100 direct to her parents.

Bronson wrote in his letter: “Yeh, tell that family of the little girl who died – my sincere sorrow. And the ton is my privilege to sort out. I feel very humbled to be able to do it. Your buddy, Chaz.”

Miss Gaffney, of Swaledale Court, Warndon, who has a two-year-old son, Cane, said she was shocked by the gesture.

The 20-year-old added: “He may have done some bad things through his life but this has proven that he still has a heart of gold. People might think he is a nasty person but this shows he still cares. I am still in shock about the whole thing to be honest.”

Mr Dayus, aged 24, said: “I didn’t believe it when Mark first told me. I didn’t think a person like that would think about us. You would think he had enough to worry about.”

Bronson, a former bare knuckle boxer, now aged 57, has been in and out of prison since he was jailed in 1974 for armed robbery.

In 2000, Bronson received a life sentence for a hostage-taking incident.

Miss Gaffney and Mr Dayus began raising funds to pay for Pheobe’s headstone after her grave at Astwood cemetery was vandalised. They are looking to raise £2,500 and are almost halfway towards their target.

Anyone interested in making a donation can contact your Worcester News on 01905 742244.