The life and crimes of Britain's most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson

Charles Bronson was born Michael Gordon Peterson in Luton, Bedfordshire, on December 1952.
By Tony Gardner
Published 14th Apr 2020, 11:45 GMT
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He was one of three sons of Eira and Joe Peterson.

His aunt and uncle were mayor and mayoress of the town.

His aunt once described Bronson as: "Gentle and mild-mannered, never a bully; he would defend the weak."

Charles Bronson has 45 years inside Britain's prisons and asylums.Charles Bronson has 45 years inside Britain's prisons and asylums.
Charles Bronson has 45 years inside Britain's prisons and asylums.

When he was a teenager his family moved to Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, where he first started getting into trouble.

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Aged 13 he was part of a gang of robbers and ended up in court for stealing.

His first job was at Tesco where he was sacked for attacking his manager.

Bronson's first taste of custody came when he was remanded for criminal damage for smashing up parked cars.

Bronson was acquitted of attempting to attack the governor at HMP Wakefield after a Leeds Crown Court trialBronson was acquitted of attempting to attack the governor at HMP Wakefield after a Leeds Crown Court trial
Bronson was acquitted of attempting to attack the governor at HMP Wakefield after a Leeds Crown Court trial

Bronson got into serious trouble for the first time after crashing a stolen lorry into a car.

By 19 he was convicted for his role in a robbery.

Peterson met his first wife, Irene Kelsey, in 1971.

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