Britain’s most notorious prisoner, Charles Bronson, staged a protest at HMP Wakefield last week after being served apple crumble without custard. The 73-year-old refused repeated orders to leave an exercise yard, prompting officers in riot gear to force him back to his cell in the segregation unit.
Stand-off over dessert
The incident began at dinner on Monday when Bronson received apple crumble without its usual custard, reportedly leaving him infuriated. During his allocated exercise time the following day, when ordered to return inside, he staged a sit-down protest and refused to move.
A source at the Category A prison said: “He was told more than once that exercise time was over and that he needed to come back inside, but he simply dug his heels in.” The source added that with Bronson “even something as small as a pudding can become a major security headache”.
Riot gear response
Three teams of three officers surrounded Bronson once it became clear he would not comply. The source claimed: “Bronson ran at the shield, looked to the sky and shouted, ‘This is for Reggie Kray’.” He was then returned to his cell.
Parole hearing ahead
Bronson is preparing for another parole hearing in November. He had hoped officials would recommend a reduction in security conditions, potentially opening a route to eventual release. Speaking to a friend earlier this year, he reportedly said: “I’m very hopeful. I’m not expecting to get it, but I’m expecting to get something. And once I’ve had this parole out of the way, they’ve then got two years to sort me out, put me in a cat C, cat D, give me a hostel, give me some home leave, and they’re not giving me anything. I’ve earned it. I’ve actually earned… a bloody break in life.”
The prison source suggested the incident could hurt his chances: “He wants to persuade the Parole Board that he has changed, that he can control himself yet he’s causing a major disturbance over missing custard. … incidents like this raise the obvious question of whether he has been rehabilitated. There are a lot of people at Wakefield who would say ‘no’.”
Background
Bronson, legally known as Charles Salvador, spends 23 hours a day in solitary confinement. He was transferred to Wakefield from HMP Long Lartin after attacking another prisoner. First jailed for armed robbery in 1974, he has spent most of his life in prison, with a record including attacks, rooftop protests and hostage sieges. In 1999, he held prison art teacher Phil Danielson hostage for 44 hours. He received an indefinite life sentence in 2000; his minimum term expired in 2003 but parole has been repeatedly denied. A Prison Service spokesman said: “We do not comment on individual prisoners.”
