Irene Dunroe, the 73-year-old ex-wife of Charles Bronson, has been barred from visiting him at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire after being labelled a risk to security and safety. Dunroe, who is 4ft 11in and works in an Ann Summers shop, received a letter stating she poses a risk to the security and safety of the prison holding her former husband.
Ex-wife's confusion over ban
Dunroe, who divorced Bronson in 1975 but remains in contact with him, said she is part of his support network and voiced confusion over the decision. Speaking to the Sun, she said: “What threat could I pose? That I’m going to batter them with a sex toy from work? It’s completely stupid. I am a pensioner who goes to visit him using my bus pass.”
Dunroe married Bronson, whose real name is Michael Peterson, in 1971. Bronson was imprisoned in 1974 for armed robbery and received further sentences for violence, GBH, hostage-taking, and false imprisonment. Despite their divorce, the pair remained friends.
Support network and parole hopes
Dunroe stated: “I am part of his support network, which he really needs right now as he’s going for parole. He is hopeful of getting it. He’s old now. He just wants a bit of peace. Although I’m now off his visitor and call list I don’t know if he’s aware.”
She added: “He may just think I’m not turning up. I am going to write to him, that’s all I can now do. But I know that sometimes in the past decades post has gone missing.” Dunroe noted that since Bronson moved to Wakefield, his calls to her have become less frequent, and he has been less vocal recently, though he normally sings hits such as “When Will I See You Again” and Frank Sinatra numbers to her.
Recent protest over dessert
The ban comes after Bronson staged a sit-down protest in his “Monster Mansion” jail after his apple crumble was served without custard. The inmate refused to leave the exercise yard at Wakefield Prison, and warders in riot gear were called in to force him back to his cell in the jail’s segregation unit. The stand-off was triggered when Bronson was handed his favourite dessert minus its essential accompaniment.
