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Ronnie Biggs's family urge Jack Straw to reconsider ruling
02.07.09
The family of Ronnie Biggs vowed to fight on for his freedom after Justice Secretary Jack Straw condemned the Great Train Robber to a likely death behind bars.
Mr Straw rejected a parole board recommendation that the 79-year-old be released, saying Biggs was "wholly unrepentant" about his crimes.
Biggs would have been a free man "many years ago" if he had complied with the sentence given to him, Mr Straw said.
The decision was branded "perverse" by Biggs's legal advisor, who accused Mr Straw of "cruel and unusual punishment".
Biggs's son Michael said the decision "beggars belief".
He compared his father's sentence to shorter jail terms handed out to other criminals, including Baby P's killers, adding: "This is not justice."
Biggs is seriously unwell, having suffered a series of strokes. He cannot eat or speak, can barely walk and last weekend broke his hip when he fell out of his bed in Norwich Prison.
He is now in the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital where sources said his condition had deteriorated in the past 24 hours and he was now regarded as "poorly".
His son added that the hospital had confirmed to him that his father was in a "life-threatening" condition.
He said: "If this is the British legal system, it is appalling, it's beyond comprehension.
"He is totally incapacitated, he was never a violent man.
"He cannot walk, he cannot talk, he cannot read or write, he cannot drink - how can he take any reoffending courses?"
He pleaded with Mr Straw to change his mind.
He added: "I hope that Mr Straw finds it in his heart to review his recommendation not to release my father. He represents no threat to society whatsoever.
"My father has paid his debt to society - what more could they want?"
In a statement, Mr Straw said: "Mr Biggs chose to serve only one year of a 30-year sentence before he took the personal decision to commit another offence and escape from prison, avoiding capture by travelling abroad for 35 years whilst outrageously courting the media.
"I am refusing the Parole Board's recommendation for parole. Biggs chose not to obey the law and respect the punishments given to him - the legal system in this country deserves more respect than this.
"It was Mr Biggs's own choice to offend and he now appears to want to avoid the consequences of his decision. I do not think this is acceptable."
Biggs was eligible for release on Friday, having served 10 years of his 30-year sentence.
The Parole Board, which met earlier this month, recommended his release saying he posed a "manageable" threat to the public.
But it noted he was unrepentant about fleeing prison and going on the run for 35 years.
Mr Straw has the power to reject its recommendations under sentencing rules in place when Biggs was convicted.
The Parole Board is unlikely to look again at the decision for many months. Biggs's parole has to be reviewed again within two years.
Biggs's legal adviser, Giovanni Di Stefano, said he was planning to launch a judicial review to try to have it overturned.
"All the other Great Train Robbers served a third of their sentences. Why should Ronnie Biggs be any different?" he said.
"Ten years is enough. This shows a side of the British Government that is perverse - it is cruel and unusual punishment."
Mark Leech, editor of the Prisons Handbook, said the decision was "sheer vindictiveness".
"Jack Straw says Mr Biggs is unrepentant, and he may be right. But that's not the issue: it's about whether a frail, elderly old man, who cannot walk or talk and who has to be fed through a tube should still be in prison almost half a century after he committed the crime which put him there.
"Ronnie Biggs poses no risk at all to the public - Jack Straw poses more of a risk to the public than Ronnie Biggs ever will."
Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of Napo, the probation officers' union said: "It is difficult to see how he poses a threat to anyone apart from politicians."
But Keith Norman, general secretary of Aslef, the train drivers' union, backed the decision.
He said the robbery left train driver Jack Mills with serious injuries and Biggs was not a "cheeky chappy".
"Biggs is not some cheeky chappy, romantic Robin Hood figure.
"He is a petty thief who was involved in a violent crime that left Jack Mills seriously harmed while he was going about his work.
"He was attacked with an axe handle, handcuffed to the second man, tossed into the engine compartment and never fully recovered."
Biggs, from Lambeth, south London, was a member of a 15-strong gang which attacked the Glasgow to London mail train at Ledburn, Buckinghamshire, in August 1963, and made off off with £2.6 million in used banknotes.
He was given the 30-year sentence but after 15 months he escaped from Wandsworth prison in south-west London by climbing a 30ft wall and fleeing in a furniture van.
He was on the run for more than 30 years, living in Spain, Australia and Brazil, before returning to the UK voluntarily in 2001 in search of medical treatment.
He was locked up in Belmarsh high security prison on his return before being moved to a specialist medical unit at Norwich prison.
The decision means Biggs will not be free to celebrate his 80th birthday on August 8, 46 years to the day since the raid.
Reader views (21)
What's to stop him doing an Earnest Saunders and miraculously recovering from death's door once freed?
And if we need the jail space build more jails.
- Josh, London
"His attitude, like those of all hos contempories was that crime was a 'professional' career and had no need for moral parameters" - Richard Meredith, huntingdon
I think you'll find that defeats your argument rather than supports it.
- Anna, London
I do not generally go along with Jack Straw, but on this one I agree. Being let out after third of the sentence is served is a joke.
Biggs fled, and was not charged with escaping (which would add time) after he returned to take advantage of a health system he made virtually no contribution to but cost the taxpayer a great deal of money. Parole after 1/3rd is if there was good behaviour, and contrition. There was no good behaviour and there certainly is not contrition. No legal aid for appeal and no taxpayer's support for the son.
To allow him out now is to give him yet another chance to wave 2 fingers at us and the system.
As for Straw, he should be in jail for his fraudulent expenses claims on the taxpayer. Benefit claimants who cheat are sent to prison, so why should this fraudster be allowed to walk away with his ill gotten gains. Prison would mean we have to support him, but not pay his govt pensions, because of his crimes. Now that would be justice, for the justice secretary.
One law for all!
- Hugh, Middx
Lets get some facts straight:
1. Keith Norman (ASLEF) should read the history. Jack Mills was coshed, and not by Biggs as was claimed on R4 today. He admitted after the trial that he had recovered from the injury and the big bandage seen in photographs of that time was put on for his witness stand evidence. When he died in 1970 it was from Leukemia and the Coroner said it had no connection with the events of that night.
2. Of Course Biggs shows no remorse. His attitude, like those of all hos contempories was that crime was a 'professional' career and had no need for moral parameters.
3. He didn't live in luxery in Brazil but worked as a jobbing carpenter and used his name and celebrity to live off british tourists.
Having got that off my chest, I agree that Biggs was once a vicious crook but he isn't now. Straw is dishonestly claiming to be tough minded. Dead easy in this case. Not so easy when he's faced with knife wielding thugs brought up under Labour's Human Rights and Social Worker led culture.
- Richard Meredith, huntingdon
Jack Straw is being petty, vindictive and hypocritical.
As Home Secretary in 2000, he let Chilean dictator General Pinochet go free, despite Spain wanting to extradite and put him on trial on charges of torture and murder.
- Austen, London
The hatred and venom in some of these comments is nearly beyond belief. This is Ronnie Biggs NOT Ian Brady! The chances of him surviving more than 30 days with pneumionia and a broken hip on top of his other medical conditions is no better than 50%. Lets see a bit of humanity please.
- Man U Fan, London
i actually thought that before the parole board even considers release that the prisoner should of shown remorse......
no remorse, no freedom.
- Jonny, London
Carm on Jackie boy, let ol' Wonnie aht the big ahhhhse fer pitys sake. Ah meen the party s'all organized innit, we've got all the cast of 'stenders ready to be photogwaphed tunin' up, mad jack the hat coming (I fink e might be brown bread finking abaht it), Mad Fwankie Fwaser an' all the faces fwom the good old days when you could leave your back door open, the police were kept quiet and we could all go round nailing rival gangs heads to heir G-Plan coffee tables. Come on Gordon, 'ave a word wiv that Straw geezer - I mean I've bought the booze an all.
- Ranter, Maidstone, UK
Fistly if his son doesn't like it he can go back to Brazil.
Secondly a serious crime was committed and for the best part of thirty years Biggs was living it up in Brazil and sticking two fingers up at the justice system. If it wasn't for his ill health he would still be in Brazil, FACT. If he hadn't been allowed to voluntarily return he'd now be dead, FACT.
- Scott, London
By refusing to release Mr Biggs, Mr Straw has demonstrated a distressing lack of humanity. Mr Straw's action is indicative of a Government dedicated to raising false hopes in the nation (especially amongst the young) while never admitting to their unattainability. It is to be hoped that the Government will soon release the nation - via a General Election - and Mr Biggs by an act of humanity
- Mike Nicholson, Godalming, United Kingdom
All this sympathy for Biggs is misplaced. If Biggs had served the required 2/3 of his sentence making him eligible for parole, then I would agree that he should be released on compassionate grounds. But he did not, and spent most of his adult life swanning around on a sunny beach in Brasil living off his reputation and the ill gotten gains of his criminal behaviour. Of course like all spongers and wasters as soon as the money ran out and he was unable to support himself in the manner he had grown accustomed to he just washes back up in the UK looking for the 'poor little me' sympathy vote and free board and lodgings for both his son and himself. Of course neither of them have paid a penny in UK tax or NI contributions, but like father like son the Bigg's will bleed the Legal Aid system for all it's worth to pay for all their legal bills, whilst also living off the state. Biggs should be released only if he and his son are immediately deported back to Brasil on the very same day.
- Pete, South London
I just do not like the way Jack Straw is acting in the godly position Lets see if Europe again overrules and claims his HUMAN RIGHTS are being abused. Let the ole guy die with his family jezz.
- Gary, Brentwood
Which bit doesn't Mr Biggs understand exactly? Repent, show remorse, apologise, say you're really, really, really sorry. And voila! Free at last.
Or, remain an arrogant felon, keep up the 'hard man' act, and do the time, buddy. What an example to todays' youth!
- Haskey, London SE1
For once I agree with Jack Straw. Sorry Biggs, you lived your best years on the run and now just because you're old and frail, you expect sympathy. Just who the hell do you think you are?
- L.A.H., Honiton
Has this guy Jack Straw no compassion?,is this some perverted way of getting revenge on behalf of the late Harold Wilson?,it sounds like one of these cruel prison films, the wicked Warden and the hard done by prisoner, and sure enough they will make a blockbuster of a film, only trouble will be ,is getting someone small enough to play the wicked Straw.
Let the old guy go for Gods sake, it was the system that allowed the theft in the first place,it was the system that allowed Biggs to escape, it embarrassed the Labour Government of the time, and the demented Harold never forgave him, one last thing, the system today is not perfect, in fact it is a disgrace what people get away with today.
- David Crocket, Bradford , UK.
Don't we need the jail space for M.P.'s[Theft,fraud etc.]one in particular has never expressed remorse he said "You [the voters] are just jealous of my big house"
- Ereed, Bournemouth,UK
Blah, blah, blah, let him out and deport him, he's paid nothing towards this country so I fail to see why we should pay anything back, he's costing us more money whilst in prison so ditch him now.
- Bob, Cheam
A mean-minded decision by a mean-minded man. Biggs is clearly no danger to anyone. What is the benefit of condemming him to die behind bars? Even Reggie Kray was allowed out to spend his final months in freedom.
- Ken, Bexleyheath
If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Biggs enjoyed many years' luxury in Brazil, on the run from justice. Straw is correct in pointing out that Biggs has never expressed remorse for his crimes, and Biggs must now serve what he can of his sentence. He has served only ten years of the 30 he was handed down. He must do his best to work off the other 20 years.
- Neil, London, London UK
The Justice Secretary is being unjust and vindictive in stating that Ronnie Biggs should be refused parole and die in prison. RB has served his time any time spent in prison beyond this is an Act of Vindictiveness and personal bias. Jack Straw should not hold the position of Justice Secretary as he does not have the ability to be just. He should resign and this position should be given to a balanced and more qualified individual.
- Kellie, London
