Charles Bronson

Charles Bronson was born in Aberystwyth in 1952 and was a gentle and mild-mannered child. After moving to Luton, he earned a living as a circus strongman and then, for a short period in the East End of London, as a bareknuckle boxer.
He was jailed for seven years for stealing £26.18 in a bungled armed robbery on a tobacconist. His sentence was then repeatedly extended for crimes committed within prison.
He has spent time in over 120 different prisons and, since 1974, has spent a total of around 4 months out of custody. He remains a Category A prisoner at Wakefield High-Security Prison.
In 2002 he published the book "Solitary Fitness". He now occupies his time writing poetry and producing works of art, winning a record 11 Koestler Awards. "Bronson", a biopic of his life, was released by Vertigo Films in March 2009.