Compared to what I was.. I'm almost an angel now

Charles Bronson's plea for freedom

- DAN WARBURTON

CHARLES Bronson, Britain's most violent prisoner, has begged a parole board to free him for the sake of his mum, claiming that he is now a "man of peace".

After spending 48 years of his life in jail, 70-year-old Bronson said it was his "old mother, the Duchess" Eira Peterson's dream to see him walk free.

At the public parole hearing, he said: "She's 95 and she's not in the best of health. You people have got the power to let me out. That's my mum's last dream on this planet, to see her son outside, doing well, making a good honest living with my art.

"If you have a heart or any passion, give it to my mum and make an old lady's dream come true." 

Bronson was first jailed in 1974 for armed robbery and during his time inside he has staged nine roof-top protests and held 11 people hostage.

But he refused to apologise for any of it. He said: "Am I sorry? Maybe. Would I do it again? Definitely not."

He conceded he deserved 35 years of the time he had served. He said: "It's no secret I've had more porridge than Goldilocks and the three bears. I'm sick of it. I've had enough and I want to go home." He said: "Compared to what I was, I'm almost an angel now."