Notorious prisoner Charles Bronson has post-traumatic stress disorder after facing some “brutal and unacceptable” treatment behind bars, a psychologist told his parole hearing.
The second day of Bronson’s parole review heard that one of the UK’s longest serving prisoners holds “anti-authoritarian views” and is “suspicious” of the motives of others.
Three parole judges – who have not been publicly named – are considering his case at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, while members of the press and public watch the proceedings on a live stream from the Royal Courts of Justice in central London.
Bronson likened his experience in front of the Parole Board to being on The Apprentice and, inviting the panel to view his art, said each work is a “piece of me”.
An independent psychologist employed by Bronson’s legal team told the hearing on Wednesday: “He feels like the whole system is about humiliating and degrading him.”
Wearing a black T-shirt with white writing on it, and his trademark dark, round glasses, Bronson – who the review was told has hearing difficulties – could be seen rocking his chair backwards and forwards as the psychologist gave evidence.
She said the 70-year-old has mild symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, partly due to some “brutal and unacceptable treatment” while in the prison system.
Bronson – whose real name is Michael Peterson – has previously been diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder, is “naturally somewhat suspicious of other people’s motives” and holds “anti-authoritarian views”, the psychologist added.
Once dubbed one of Britain’s most violent offenders, Bronson has spent most of the past 48 years behind bars, apart from two brief periods of freedom during which he reoffended, for a string of thefts, firearms and violent offences, including 11 hostage-takings in nine different sieges. Victims included governors, doctors, staff and, on one occasion, his own solicitor.
He was handed a discretionary life sentence with a minimum term of four years in 2000 for taking a prison teacher at HMP Hull hostage for 44 hours. Since then, the Parole Board has repeatedly refused to direct his release.
The review heard that Bronson has a “romanticised” view of violent incidents in the past, after he told parole judges how he loved a “rumble” and enjoyed mass brawls in prison but insisted he has since found solace in art and is a man of “peace”.
“He found violence cathartic in the past,” the psychologist said. “I think now what he does is he tends to weigh up the pros and cons of violence to himself, that is an effective strategy.”
Bronson now realises that the consequences to himself are too great in terms of violence, she told the panel.
“I can imagine him telling somebody to eff off quite frankly… but it’s whether that equates to serious harm”, she said.
The psychologist, who was not named, believes that Bronson now finds his art cathartic in the same way that violence once was.
She told the hearing she believes Bronson should eventually be moved to a lower security jail with open conditions to allow him more interaction with other people.
The parole panel previously heard that he only mixes with three other inmates, one of whom he does not like and avoids.
The psychologist said: “I believe that Mr Salvador poses less of a risk in a community environment than in a prison environment, and I stand by that assessment.
“Of course, I’m talking about a highly supportive community environment and I’m talking about a gradual move into a community environment.”
She said he has been held in “very solitary conditions for a long period of time” and that a move from the close supervision unit where he is being held is “long overdue”.
Bronson has never used a cash machine and will need practical support if released, the psychologist said.
She told the hearing that his violence towards prison staff has been fuelled by a dislike of authority figures, but this does not extend to members of the public.
“His use of violence towards staff members has been almost a matter of survival,” she said. “He’s got that real level of dislike for authority figures.
“I don’t think he has that for members of the public.”
Bronson has coped “pretty well” sitting through the parole hearing, the psychologist said, telling the panel: “We’re expecting too much if we expect Mr Salvador to sit in a situation like this and not become frustrated and not become loud, belligerent and swear.”
In the past he would “not have been able to tolerate this at all without some sort of outburst.
“Mr Salvador is going to be rude to people on occasion. He is going to swear at people on occasion,” she said.
On Monday, Bronson could be heard muttering under his breath at times and sighing loudly during the proceedings, but he largely remained silent as the psychologist gave evidence on Wednesday.
At one point, when he was described as a retired prison activist, he said this was “the best thing I’ve ever heard”.
As her evidence came to a close, Bronson commented of the hearing: “It’s like being on The Apprentice (with) Lord Sugar.”
He asked the panel to look at pieces of his artwork during the lunchbreak, telling them: “Every time I do a piece of artwork, it’s a piece of me.”
The pieces were laminated so the panel did not need to worry about leaving “fingerprints”, he added.
Bronson – who changed his surname to Salvador in 2014 – is the second inmate in UK legal history to have his case heard in public after rules changed last year in a bid to remove the secrecy around the process.
The third and final day of the proceedings will take place behind closed doors on Friday so confidential details can be discussed.
The Parole Board will consider whether he should remain behind bars after the hearing, with a decision due at a later date.
