The 72 year old, who later changed his name to Charles Salvador, has had a date set for his latest parole attempt – October 1 and 2. However, his ex-wife confirmed this week that he is refusing to attend the hearing as it will be conducted in private.
This decision follows an announcement that the hearing would not be public, a decision made by a judicial Parole Board member in May. According to his ex-wife Irene, Bronson has dismissed the process as a “waste of time”.
His previous parole hearing in 2023 was among the first to be held publicly.
Irene, who has a son with the notorious prisoner, stated: “He has decided he is not going to attend the parole hearing.”
She added: “He’s not going because he’s having a closed down hearing again.”
Describing the situation, she said: “It’s just a farce. It’s a waste of time.”
She further commented: “It’s the ritual of doing it all for the sake of it.”
According to Irene, the 2023 public hearing was filled with supporters and sympathisers of Bronson. “Last time he had lots of psychiatrists and doctors and officers in the prison speaking up for him so they have stopped all that again now,” she explained.
She firmly believes the hearing should be public, stating: “Of course it should be held in public, definitely.”
She continued: “The truth is getting out and they know there is no reason why he should be locked up.”
She suggested: “He was an activist so they are scared of him getting out.”
Irene also revealed that her ex-husband is livid about the Parole Board’s decision, simply stating: “He is angry.
“He’s just living day by day, getting through one day at a time.
“It’s now going to be at least another three years before they let him have a parole after this one, and another two years after that.
“He should have his followers there and people to stand up for him.”
Bronson was first jailed in 1974 at the age of 22, initially receiving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery.
However, repeated violent incidents behind bars earned him a reputation as a dangerous inmate. He wasn’t released until 1987.
He then spent just 69 days as a free man before being rearrested and jailed again after robbing a jewellery shop.
Bronson was sentenced to an additional seven years and, excluding a second brief spell of freedom in 1992, has been in prison since.
His previous parole hearing, held in 2023, was the first to be held in public. He was denied bail, halting his bid for freedom.
A fresh application for a public hearing was made in February 2025 but was rejected by the Parole Board.
Statements made by his lawyers in the application read: “He feels that he is directly responsible for the change in law and Parole Board rules and so he should be allowed to participate in a public hearing.
“He has a legitimate expectation that his subsequent parole hearings will be held in public following his lengthy proceedings to instigate the change in the rules.”
In the decision document, the Parole Board contended that a public hearing in 2023 did not justify another one in October to be held publicly.
“The fact that an applicant has had a previous public hearing is not a special factor supporting a subsequent application for his having another one: indeed it may be a reason for his not having another one,” the document states.
“Equally, the fact that he is responsible for the change in the law does not give him any legitimate expectation that his subsequent hearings will be held in public.”