UK's most violent prisoner caged over butter-smeared brawl

Charles Bronson, the man described as Britain's most violent prisoner, has reportedly been transferred back to the toughest jail in the UK after he covered himself in butter and fought up to 12 wardens.

The 61-year-old - a Spurs fan - described in a letter dated 19 May how he had "another rumble" in the exercise yard at Full Sutton prison in York after Arsenal won the FA cup.

Since that incident the authorities have apparently ruled that a custom-built cell in Wakefield jail, the place he once called his "cage" and where The Independent visited him in 2008, is the only place in the country now fit to hold him.

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HMP Wakefield holds around 750 of Britain's most notorious criminals, including Levi Bellfield, the murderer of Milly Dowler, Mick Philpott, found guilty of the manslaughter of six of his children, and Mark Bridger, the murderer of April Jones.

The transfer is a serious setback for Bronson, who was jailed for an initial seven years but is now serving a life sentence for kidnap while behind bars.

A prison source was quoted by the Mirror as saying: "He spent many years in Wakefield before being moved around a number of prisons but everywhere he goes he causes bother and this last incident in Full Sutton was the final straw.

"He is now cooling his heels on the segregation wing there and won't be let near any other members of the prison population before he can prove he is not a danger to himself or others."

Bronson, whose real name is Michael Peterson, became notorious for violence both inside and outside jail and is the subject of a biopic starring Tom Hardy released in 2009.

He has spent just four months and nine days out of prison since being first convicted in 1974, and 36 years of that has been in solitary confinement.

In the letter describing May's exercise yard incident, Bronson reportedly wrote: "I've had another rumble. This time with a dozen riot mob on the yard!

Tom Hardy in the 2009 film Bronson Tom Hardy in the 2009 film Bronson "Obviously I had my reasons and I'd sooner swallow teeth than my pride. Sadly I came off worst - got smashed up ribs.

"It was sunny! A scorcher! Arsenal was playing Hull. I so wanted Hull to win, coz I'm Spurs.

"I got Lurpak and spread it on thick. Then a small cloud appeared. I swear I see Ron [Kray]'s face. It was eerie. Go on son, let 'em have it!"

Bronson has passed much of his time in jail painting, and last month sold eight pieces at auction to raise thousands of pounds for his mother to go on holiday.

- UK Independent