A prison teacher who was held hostage for nearly two days by Charles Bronson has said the notorious inmate should only be released if he shows genuine remorse.
Bronson is next week due to appear for one of the first parole hearings to be held in public after being jailed for kidnapping Phil Danielson in 1999.
Mr Danielson tells a new two-part documentary, "Bronson: Fit to be Free?", that he was unable to return to work following the incident after being diagnosed with PTSD.
He said: “The damage that was caused by him has moulded my whole life…it’ll be with me for the rest of my days.”
Bronson, 69, was handed a discretionary life sentence with a minimum of three years after carrying a makeshift spear and fastening a leather skipping rope around the neck of his terrified victim during the incident in HMP Hull.
Mr Danielson tells the film: "The big dilemma is how long does it go on? Is it better that he stays in for the protection of us all? Is it better he is let out because he has served so long? Is it long enough and would I have grounds to object if they did let me out?
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Lindsey Parnaby/Shutterstock)"Considering the length of sentence, at face value, I probably wouldn't have many grounds to object because it's 23 years.
"I don't feel sorry for him now, but part of me does think maybe justice has been done."
But he adds that Bronson should only be released if he is genuinely sorry.
Mr Danielson said: "I think he needs to show remorse and I think it needs to be documented remorse not just clever talk to get himself back in the papers."
Bronson has been filmed for the documentary making video calls to George Bamby, who claims to be his son.
He admits to Bamby that he "went over the top" during the attack on Mr Danielson but says he "never hurt the man".
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Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)Image:
Press Association)Bronson adds: “He didn’t deserve what he got, but did I deserve a life sentence just for wrapping him up?... When you’re locked up in a concrete coffin, 23 hours of a 24-hour day, sometimes in life you’ve got to do something mad.
"The madder it is, the more dangerous it is, the better it f*****g is. I’ve gotta be honest with you, I’ve had a f*****g party you know.”
Asked if he had remorse for the crime, Bronson said: "You can't live your life regretting your life. I deserved to come to jail. I don't regret all that because it was my life."
Wearing dark glasses, he adds: “I’ve got a horrible, nasty, vicious, violent past, I’ve never killed anyone, I’ve never harmed a woman, never harmed a child. I’m focused, I’m settled, I can actually smell and taste freedom like I’ve never, ever done in my life.
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Channel 4)"I’m now anti-crime, anti-violent. What the f**k am I still in prison?"
Bronson, who has been downgraded in prison from "high" to "medium risk", claims he is a changed man and is "coming home" with the help of the "best legal team in the world".
He said: "Cards on the table, do I sound like Britain’s most dangerous man?
"Come on. I’m 68 years old and all I wanna do is get out there and enjoy my f*****g life, what’s left of it.”
Bronson was first locked up for seven years for armed robbery at the age of 22 in 1974.
In his four decades inside he has attacked more than 20 prison guards and other inmates, taken hostages in at least 10 prison sieges.
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Sunday Mirror)Image:
PA)He also served portions of his sentence in secure hospitals, including Broadmoor in Berkshire and Rampton in Nottinghamshire.
Bronson, who has changed his name to Charles Salvador after his artist hero Salvador Dali, has been drawing for many years.
He said: "My art now is my life. When I create a piece of art, I create a piece of myself, I can see two art now behind ya… Now I’m an artist, I’m coming out with a gift and I’m proud of it. I’m more proud of my art than I am anything and what I’ve basically done, I’ve…
"I’ve swapped my sawn-off shotgun for a sawn-off paintbrush.
"And it’s lovely, it’s beautiful. When I sit there and do a piece of art, it feels like I’m part of the human race, I feel lovely and happy.
"It gets rid of all my frustrations and my tension and my madness. I’m an artist and people have gotta start believing it and seeing it.”
*Bronson: Fit to be Free - Channel 4, Monday February 27, 9pm
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