Charles Bronson - Luton's most notorious prisoner - granted public parole hearing

Notorious Luton-born prisoner Charles Bronson has been granted a public parole hearing.

Bronson - who changed his name to Charles Salvador in 2014 - is currently serving a life term after spending almost 50 years in and out of prison.

Now Caroline Corby, Chair of the Parole Board for England and Wales, has revealed that his plea for a public parole hearing has been granted.

The 66-year-old had previously said he hoped to be out of prison for Christmas, and says he is 'a changed man'.

But this won't be the case as - while no date has been set - the hearing is expected to take place in early 2023.

According to the Parole Board, “Mr Salvador [Bronson] believes that his risk has significantly reduced. A discussion about risk and risk reduction would aid public confidence”.

In a paper announcing the decision she wrote: "In the application for a public hearing in the case of Mr Salvador, I have decided that there are special features, which set it apart from other cases, which may add to the proper public understanding of the parole system."

These include Bronson delaying the Parole Board view of his prison sentence for more than two years in his campaign to have his case heard in public, and a 'minimal risk' of re-traumatising his victims.

She added: "The Parole Board’s work is often not well understood by the public. Mr Salvador’s case is a high profile one. There is a public interest in increasing understanding which can properly be taken into account when considering the interests of justice.”

In 2019, Bronson launched a judicial review challenging the requirement that all parole hearings be held in private. He later became the first person to formally ask for a public Parole Board hearing after rules were changed.

Bronson, who is believed to be held at high-security HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, has a long history of offending starting in 1964. In October 1974, he was sentenced to seven years behind bars for robbery, aggravated burglary, assault with intent to rob and possession of a firearm. In December 1975, he was convicted of the unlawful wounding of another prisoner. In December 1978, whilst still in custody, he was convicted of wounding with intent and in 1985 was convicted of an offence of wounding.

He was released from prison in 1987 - but in June 1988 he was convicted of robbery and sentenced to seven years in jail.

Following his release, in February 1993 Bronson was convicted of grievous bodily harm. In September 1993, he was convicted of carrying a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and sentenced to eight years in prison. He has remained in prison since then.

In 1997 took two prison staff and three prisoners hostage - and was sentenced to a five-year consecutive sentence. But before that term was up, he took another prison worker hostage for three days. In 2014 he was convicted of actual bodily harm - and sentenced to a further 24 months.

He was given a life sentence in February 2000 for false imprisonment