NOTORIOUS prisoner Charles Bronson, who moved to Ellesmere Port when he was a teenager, will face a public parole hearing next week.

Dubbed one of Britain’s most violent offenders, Bronson, who changed his surname to Salvador in 2014 after the artist Salvador Dali, has been in prison for much of the last 50 years, often spending time in solitary confinement or specialist units.

It is believed he is still being held at high-security HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

Who is Charles Bronson?

The notorious prisoner was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, in December 1952 as Michael Peterson. His family moved to Ellesmere Port when he was a teenager.

He was first convicted of armed robbery in 1974, aged 22, and earned a reputation as a violent and dangerous inmate.

During his time inside he has taken hostages in ten prison sieges, attacked at least 20 prison officers and caused £500,000 in damage in rooftop protests.

50 years in prison

Since he was first jailed Bronson has only had brief spells out of prison and is believed to spend much of his time in solitary confinement.

He has become notorious for attacks on prison staff and other inmates.

In 1975 he attacked a fellow prisoner with a glass jug and in 1985 he carried out a three-day rooftop protest.

In 1994, Bronson held a prison librarian hostage and demanded an inflatable doll, a helicopter and a cup of tea as ransom.

Four years later, he took three inmates hostage at Belmarsh Prison in London.

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Then 12 months on, he took a prison education worker hostage for 44 hours at HMP Hull and was sentenced to a discretionary life term, with a minimum of four years.

He received a further two-year jail term in 2014 for holding a prison governor in a headlock at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes.

In 2017 he was refused parole while an inmate at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire.

Channel 4 documentary

In advance of his parole hearing, Bronson features in a new two-part documentary from Channel 4 which aired yesterday night (February 27).

Part one of Bronson: Fit to be free?, shows a video calling his son George Bamby from his maximum security cell.

On the prospect of his parole review, Bronson tells his son that he is not the same man he was when he first entered prison.

"I’ve got a horrible, nasty, vicious, violent past (but) I’ve never killed anyone, I’ve never harmed a woman, never harmed a child," he said.

"I’m focused, I’m settled, I can actually smell and taste freedom like I’ve never, ever done in (my) life. I’m now anti-crime, anti-violent.

"What the f**k am I still in prison for?"

The Parole Board has repeatedly refused to direct his release.

Bronson continued: "The system have labelled me for so many years untameable, untreatable, unpredictable, dangerous, blah, blah, blah. I’ve had every label you can think of.

"But at the end of the day what people don’t realise, since George, my son, has come into my life, I’ve changed and… George has got me the best legal team in the world… I’m coming home, I’m definitely coming home.

"Cards on the table, do I sound like Britain’s most dangerous man? Come on. I’m 68-years-old and all I wanna do is get out there and enjoy my f…..g life, what’s left of it."

Bronson's hearing is due to take place on 6 and 8 March at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

The Parole Board's duty will be to decide whether Bronson presents a danger to others. If the risks are deemed low, he could be released on a life licence.

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