Ronnie Biggs
Encyclopedia
Ronald Arthur "Ronnie" Biggs (born 8 August 1929) is an English criminal, known for his role in the Great Train Robbery of 1963
, for his escape from prison in 1965, for living as a fugitive for 36 years and for his various publicity stunts while in exile. In 2001, he voluntarily returned to the United Kingdom and spent several years in prison, where his health rapidly declined. On 6 August 2009, Biggs was released from prison on compassionate grounds
.
, England. As a child during the Second World War, he was evacuated
to Flitwick
, Bedfordshire
for a time. In 1947, at age 18, he joined the RAF but was dishonorably discharged in 1949 for desertion
, serving for only two years. In 1960, he married Charmian Brent, with whom he had three sons (one deceased). In 1963, Biggs participated in the Great Train Robbery
. Together with other gang members, he stole £2.6 million from a mail train, the equivalent of around £
40 million (US$67 million) today, after holding up a mail train from Glasgow
to London in the early hours of the morning on 8 August 1963 (his 34th birthday). Jack Mills
, the engine driver, was badly beaten with an iron bar in the course of the robbery. 11 of the 15-strong gang were jailed for the crime but Biggs was given the heaviest sentence because the judge "decided he was the brains behind the crime", receiving concurrent sentences of 25 and 30 years. Biggs served 19 months before escaping from HM Prison
Wandsworth
on 7 July 1965 by scaling the wall with a homemade rope ladder and dropping on to a waiting removal van. He initially fled to Brussels
via boat, then to Paris with his wife Charmian and two sons, Farley and Chris, where he acquired new identity papers and underwent plastic surgery
.
flight to Sydney, where he lived for several months before moving to the seaside suburb of Glenelg
in Adelaide
, South Australia. He was soon joined by his wife and two children. In 1967, just after their third child was born, Biggs received an anonymous letter from England telling him that Interpol
suspected that he was in Australia and that he should relocate. In May 1967, the family moved to Melbourne, Victoria where he rented a house in the suburb of Blackburn North, whilst his wife Charmaine and his two sons lived in Doncaster East. In Melbourne, he had a number of jobs before undertaking set construction work at the Channel 9
TV studios. In October 1969, a newspaper report by a Reuters
correspondent claimed that Biggs was living in Melbourne and that police were closing in on him. The story then led the 6 o'clock news at Channel 9, so Biggs immediately fled his home, staying with family friends in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Five months later, Biggs fled on a passenger liner from the Port of Melbourne
using the doctored passport of his friend. Biggs' wife and sons stayed behind in Australia. Twenty days later, the ship berthed in Panama
. Biggs disembarked and within two weeks flew to Brazil
.
In 1974, Daily Express
reporter Colin MacKenzie received information suggesting that Biggs was in Rio de Janeiro
and a team consisting of MacKenzie, photographer Bill Lovelace and reporter Michael O'Flaherty confirmed this and broke the story. Scotland Yard
detective Jack Slipper
arrived soon afterwards but Biggs could not be extradited
because Biggs' then girlfriend (Raimunda de Castro, a nightclub
dancer) was pregnant: Brazilian law at the time did not allow the parent of a Brazilian child to be extradited.
In April 1977 Biggs attended a drinks party on board the British frigate Danae, which was in Rio for a courtesy visit, but surprisingly he was not arrested. While for the time being safe from extradition, Biggs' status as a known felon prevented him from working, visiting bars or being away from home after 10 pm. To supplement their income, Biggs's family hosted barbecues at his home in Rio, where tourists could meet Biggs and hear him recount tales of his involvement in the Robbery (which was in fact minor). It was not just tourists, however. Biggs had heard that ex-footballer Stanley Matthews
was in Rio and invited him to his apartment. "We had tea on the small balcony at the rear of his home, and one of the first things he asked was, 'How are Charlton Athletic
doing?' It turned out he had supported Charlton from being a small boy and had often seen me play at The Valley." "Ronnie Biggs" mugs, coffee cups and T-shirts also appeared throughout Rio.
Biggs recorded vocals on two songs for The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
, Julien Temple
's film about the Sex Pistols
. The basic tracks for "No One is Innocent
" (aka "The Biggest Blow (A Punk Prayer)") and "Belsen Was a Gas
" were recorded with guitarist Steve Jones
and drummer Paul Cook
at a studio in Brazil shortly after the Sex Pistols' final performance, with overdubs being added in an English studio at a later date. "No One is Innocent" was released as a single in the UK on 30 June 1978 and reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart
; the sleeve showing a British actor posing as Martin Bormann
(Nazi Leader) playing bass with the group.
Following the extradition attempt, Biggs collaborated with Bruce Henry (an American double-bass player), Jaime Shields and Aureo de Souza to record Mailbag Blues, a musical narrative of his life that he intended to use as a movie soundtrack. This album was re-released in 2004 by whatmusic.com.
In 1981, Biggs was kidnapped
by a gang of ex-British soldiers and smuggled into Barbados
. The kidnappers hoped to collect a reward from the British police but Barbados had no extradition treaty with the United Kingdom and Biggs was sent back to Brazil. In February 2006, Channel 4
aired a documentary featuring dramatisations of the attempted kidnap and interviews with John Miller, the ex-British Army
soldier who carried it out. The team was headed by security consultant Patrick King. In the documentary, King claimed that the kidnapping may have in fact been a deniable operation.
Biggs' son by de Castro, Michael Biggs
, eventually became a member of the successful children's program and music band Turma do Balão Mágico
, bringing a new source of income to his father. In a short time, however, the band faded into obscurity and dissolved, leaving father and son in financial difficulty again.
In 1991, Biggs sang vocals for the songs "Police On My Back" and "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)
" by German punk band Die Toten Hosen
. In 1993, Biggs sang vocals in 3 tracks for the album "Bajo otra bandera" by Argentinian
punk band Pilsen.
In 1997 the UK and Brazil ratified an extradition treaty. Two months later, the UK Government made a formal request to the Brazilian government for Biggs' extradition. Biggs had stated that he would no longer oppose extradition. English lawyer Nigel Sangster QC travelled to Brazil to advise Biggs. The extradition request was rejected by Brazilian Supreme Court, giving Biggs the right to live in Brazil for the rest of his life.
that he would be willing to return to the UK. Biggs was aware that he would be detained upon arrival in England and returned voluntarily on 7 May 2001, whereupon he was immediately arrested and re-imprisoned. His trip back to England on a private jet was paid for by The Sun, which reportedly paid Michael Biggs £20,000 plus other expenses in return for exclusive rights to the news story. Ronald Biggs had 28 years of his sentence left to serve. Since his return he has had a number of health problems, including two heart attacks
. His son said in a press release that, contrary to some press reports, Biggs did not return to the UK simply to receive health care because health care was available in Brazil and Biggs had many friends and supporters who would certainly have contributed to any such expenses. Biggs' stated desire was to "walk into a Margate pub as an Englishman and buy a pint of bitter
". John Mills, Jack Mills
' son, was unforgiving: "I deeply resent those, including Biggs, who have made money from my father's death. Biggs should serve his punishment." Mills never fully recovered from his injuries sustained during the robbery. He died of an unrelated cause (leukaemia) in 1970.
On 14 November 2001, Biggs petitioned Governor Hynd of HMP Belmarsh for early release on compassionate grounds based on his poor health. He had been treated four times at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich
in less than six months. His health was deteriorating rapidly and he asked to be released into the care of his son for his remaining days. The application was denied. On 10 August 2005, it was reported that Biggs had contracted MRSA
. His representatives, seeking for his release on grounds of compassion, said that their client's death was likely to be imminent. On 26 October 2005, the Home Secretary
Charles Clarke
declined his appeal stating that his illness was not terminal
. Home Office
compassion policy is to release prisoners with three months left to live. Biggs was claimed by his son Michael to need a tube for feeding and to have 'difficulty' speaking.
On 4 July 2007, Biggs was moved from Belmarsh prison to Norwich prison
on compassionate grounds. In December 2007, Biggs issued a further appeal, from Norwich prison, asking to be released from jail to die with his family: "I am an old man and often wonder if I truly deserve the extent of my punishment. I have accepted it and only want freedom to die with my family and not in jail. I hope Mr. Straw
decides to allow me to do that. I have been in jail for a long time and I want to die a free man. I am sorry for what happened. It has not been an easy ride over the years. Even in Brazil I was a prisoner of my own making. There is no honour to being known as a Great Train Robber. My life has been wasted."
In January 2009, after a series of strokes that were said to have rendered him unable to speak or walk, it was claimed in the press that Biggs was to be released in August 2009 and would die a 'free man'. His son Michael has also claimed that the Parole Board might bring the release date forward to July 2009. On 13 February 2009, it was reported that Biggs had been taken to hospital from his cell at Norwich Prison, suffering from pneumonia
. This was confirmed the following day by his son Michael, who said Biggs had serious pneumonia but was stable. News of his condition prompted fresh calls from his son Michael Biggs for his release on compassionate grounds.
On 23 April the Parole Board recommended that Biggs be released on 4 July, having served a third of his 30-year sentence. However, on 1 July Jack Straw did not accept the Parole Board's recommendation and refused parole, stating that Biggs was 'wholly unrepentant'. On 28 July 2009, Biggs was readmitted to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
with pneumonia. He had been admitted to the same hospital a month earlier with a chest infection and a fractured hip but returned to prison on 17 July 2009. His son Michael said, in one of his frequent news releases: "It's the worst he's ever been. The doctors have just told me to rush there."
On 30 July 2009, it was claimed by representatives of Biggs that he had been given 'permission' to challenge the decision to refuse him parole. However, the Home Office stated only that an application for the early release on compassionate grounds of a prisoner at HMP Norwich had been received by the public protection casework section in the National Offender Management Service
. Biggs was released from custody on 6 August, the day before his 80th birthday, on 'compassionate grounds'.
Following his release from prison, Biggs' health improved, leading to suggestions that he might soon be moved from hospital to a nursing home. In response to claims that Biggs's state of health had been faked, his lawyer stated, "This man is going to die, there is going to be no Lazarus
coming back from the dead, he is ill, he is seriously ill." However, Biggs himself stated, "I've got a bit of living to do yet. I might even surprise them all by lasting until Christmas, that would be fantastic."
On 29 May 2010, Biggs was again admitted to hospital in London after complaining of chest pain. He underwent tests at Barnet General Hospital
. His son Michael stated, "he's conscious but he's in a lot of pain".
In August 2010, it was announced that Biggs would be attending a gala dinner where he would be collecting a lifetime achievement award for his services to crime.
On 10 February 2011, Biggs was admitted to Barnet General Hospital
with another suspected stroke. His son Michael said he was conscious and preparing to have a CT scan and a series of other tests to determine what had happened.
On 17 November 2011, Biggs launched his new and updated autobiography, "Odd Man Out: The Last Straw" at Shoreditch House in London. He was unable to speak and used a word board
to communicate with the press.
Great Train Robbery (1963)
The Great Train Robbery is the name given to a £2.6 million train robbery committed on 8 August 1963 at Bridego Railway Bridge, Ledburn near Mentmore in Buckinghamshire, England. The bulk of the stolen money was not recovered...
, for his escape from prison in 1965, for living as a fugitive for 36 years and for his various publicity stunts while in exile. In 2001, he voluntarily returned to the United Kingdom and spent several years in prison, where his health rapidly declined. On 6 August 2009, Biggs was released from prison on compassionate grounds
Compassionate release
Compassionate release is a legal system that grants inmates early release from prison sentences on special grounds such as terminal illness or a child in the community with an urgent need for his or her incarcerated guardian...
.
Great Train Robbery
Biggs was born in the London Borough of LambethLondon Borough of Lambeth
The London Borough of Lambeth is a London borough in south London, England and forms part of Inner London. The local authority is Lambeth London Borough Council.-Origins:...
, England. As a child during the Second World War, he was evacuated
Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
Evacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to save the population of urban or military areas in the United Kingdom from aerial bombing of cities and military targets such as docks. Civilians, particularly children, were moved to areas thought to be less at risk....
to Flitwick
Flitwick
Flitwick, pronounced , is a small town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire, England. The nearby River Flit runs through Flitwick Moor, a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.-Location:...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
for a time. In 1947, at age 18, he joined the RAF but was dishonorably discharged in 1949 for desertion
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
, serving for only two years. In 1960, he married Charmian Brent, with whom he had three sons (one deceased). In 1963, Biggs participated in the Great Train Robbery
Great Train Robbery (1963)
The Great Train Robbery is the name given to a £2.6 million train robbery committed on 8 August 1963 at Bridego Railway Bridge, Ledburn near Mentmore in Buckinghamshire, England. The bulk of the stolen money was not recovered...
. Together with other gang members, he stole £2.6 million from a mail train, the equivalent of around £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
40 million (US$67 million) today, after holding up a mail train from Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
to London in the early hours of the morning on 8 August 1963 (his 34th birthday). Jack Mills
Jack Mills
Jack Mills was the driver of the train that was robbed in the Great Train Robbery in 1963.- Great Train Robbery :...
, the engine driver, was badly beaten with an iron bar in the course of the robbery. 11 of the 15-strong gang were jailed for the crime but Biggs was given the heaviest sentence because the judge "decided he was the brains behind the crime", receiving concurrent sentences of 25 and 30 years. Biggs served 19 months before escaping from HM Prison
Her Majesty's Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service is a part of the National Offender Management Service of the Government of the United Kingdom tasked with managing most of the prisons within England and Wales...
Wandsworth
Wandsworth (HM Prison)
HM Prison Wandsworth is a Category B men's prison at Wandsworth in the London Borough of Wandsworth, south west London, England. It is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service and is the largest prison in London and one of the largest in western Europe, with similar capacity to Liverpool...
on 7 July 1965 by scaling the wall with a homemade rope ladder and dropping on to a waiting removal van. He initially fled to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
via boat, then to Paris with his wife Charmian and two sons, Farley and Chris, where he acquired new identity papers and underwent plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
.
Australia
In 1966, Biggs took a BOACBoac
Boac may refer to:* Boac, Marinduque, a municipality in the Southern Philippines* Boac , an American rapper* British Overseas Airways Corporation, a former British state-owned airline...
flight to Sydney, where he lived for several months before moving to the seaside suburb of Glenelg
Glenelg, South Australia
Glenelg is a popular beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Located on the shore of Holdfast Bay in Gulf St Vincent, it has become a popular tourist destination due to its beach and many attractions, home to several hotels and dozens of restaurants.Established in 1836, it is...
in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia. He was soon joined by his wife and two children. In 1967, just after their third child was born, Biggs received an anonymous letter from England telling him that Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
suspected that he was in Australia and that he should relocate. In May 1967, the family moved to Melbourne, Victoria where he rented a house in the suburb of Blackburn North, whilst his wife Charmaine and his two sons lived in Doncaster East. In Melbourne, he had a number of jobs before undertaking set construction work at the Channel 9
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
TV studios. In October 1969, a newspaper report by a Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
correspondent claimed that Biggs was living in Melbourne and that police were closing in on him. The story then led the 6 o'clock news at Channel 9, so Biggs immediately fled his home, staying with family friends in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Five months later, Biggs fled on a passenger liner from the Port of Melbourne
Port of Melbourne
The Port of Melbourne is Australia's busiest port for containerised and general cargo. It is located in Melbourne, Victoria and covers an area at the mouth of the Yarra River, downstream of Bolte Bridge, which is at the head of Port Phillip, as well as several piers on the bay itself...
using the doctored passport of his friend. Biggs' wife and sons stayed behind in Australia. Twenty days later, the ship berthed in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. Biggs disembarked and within two weeks flew to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Rio de Janeiro
In 1970, when Biggs arrived in Rio, Brazil did not have an extradition treaty with the United Kingdom. In 1971, Biggs' eldest son, Nicholas, aged 10, died in a car crash.In 1974, Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
reporter Colin MacKenzie received information suggesting that Biggs was in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
and a team consisting of MacKenzie, photographer Bill Lovelace and reporter Michael O'Flaherty confirmed this and broke the story. Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
detective Jack Slipper
Jack Slipper
Jack Kenneth Slipper was a Detective Chief Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police in London. He was known as "Slipper of the Yard"...
arrived soon afterwards but Biggs could not be extradited
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
because Biggs' then girlfriend (Raimunda de Castro, a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
dancer) was pregnant: Brazilian law at the time did not allow the parent of a Brazilian child to be extradited.
In April 1977 Biggs attended a drinks party on board the British frigate Danae, which was in Rio for a courtesy visit, but surprisingly he was not arrested. While for the time being safe from extradition, Biggs' status as a known felon prevented him from working, visiting bars or being away from home after 10 pm. To supplement their income, Biggs's family hosted barbecues at his home in Rio, where tourists could meet Biggs and hear him recount tales of his involvement in the Robbery (which was in fact minor). It was not just tourists, however. Biggs had heard that ex-footballer Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
was in Rio and invited him to his apartment. "We had tea on the small balcony at the rear of his home, and one of the first things he asked was, 'How are Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
doing?' It turned out he had supported Charlton from being a small boy and had often seen me play at The Valley." "Ronnie Biggs" mugs, coffee cups and T-shirts also appeared throughout Rio.
Biggs recorded vocals on two songs for The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle is a mockumentary film directed by Julien Temple and produced by Don Boyd and Jeremy Thomas about the British punk rock band Sex Pistols....
, Julien Temple
Julien Temple
Julien Temple is an English film, documentary and music video director. He began his career with short films featuring the Sex Pistols, and has continued with various off-beat projects, including The Great Rock And Roll Swindle, Absolute Beginners and a documentary film about Glastonbury.-Temple...
's film about the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
. The basic tracks for "No One is Innocent
No One Is Innocent
"No One Is Innocent" was the fifth single by the British punk rock band Sex Pistols. It was released on 30 June 1978. The Sex Pistols had split up early in 1978, losing bassist Sid Vicious and original lead vocalist Johnny Rotten...
" (aka "The Biggest Blow (A Punk Prayer)") and "Belsen Was a Gas
Belsen Was a Gas
"Belsen Was a Gas" is one of the most controversial songs by the British punk rock band Sex Pistols. The song is about one of the concentration camps in Germany during World War II, i.e...
" were recorded with guitarist Steve Jones
Steve Jones (musician)
Stephen Philip "Steve" Jones is an English rock guitarist, singer and actor, best known as guitarist and founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.-Childhood:...
and drummer Paul Cook
Paul Cook
Paul Thomas Cook is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band Sex Pistols.-Early life and career:...
at a studio in Brazil shortly after the Sex Pistols' final performance, with overdubs being added in an English studio at a later date. "No One is Innocent" was released as a single in the UK on 30 June 1978 and reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
; the sleeve showing a British actor posing as Martin Bormann
Martin Bormann
Martin Ludwig Bormann was a prominent Nazi official. He became head of the Party Chancellery and private secretary to Adolf Hitler...
(Nazi Leader) playing bass with the group.
Following the extradition attempt, Biggs collaborated with Bruce Henry (an American double-bass player), Jaime Shields and Aureo de Souza to record Mailbag Blues, a musical narrative of his life that he intended to use as a movie soundtrack. This album was re-released in 2004 by whatmusic.com.
In 1981, Biggs was kidnapped
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
by a gang of ex-British soldiers and smuggled into Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. The kidnappers hoped to collect a reward from the British police but Barbados had no extradition treaty with the United Kingdom and Biggs was sent back to Brazil. In February 2006, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
aired a documentary featuring dramatisations of the attempted kidnap and interviews with John Miller, the ex-British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
soldier who carried it out. The team was headed by security consultant Patrick King. In the documentary, King claimed that the kidnapping may have in fact been a deniable operation.
Biggs' son by de Castro, Michael Biggs
Michael Biggs
Michael Biggs is the son of Ronnie Biggs and was a musician best known for being part of the musical group Turma do Balão Mágico. He is currently involved with football transfers and also forestry and carbon projects.- References :...
, eventually became a member of the successful children's program and music band Turma do Balão Mágico
Turma do Balão Mágico
Balão Mágico was a very famous children television program in Brazil. The children that were the main stars of the program were also part of a musical group singing children's songs which was named after the program as A Turma do Balão Mágico .The program was aired by Rede Globo between 1983 and...
, bringing a new source of income to his father. In a short time, however, the band faded into obscurity and dissolved, leaving father and son in financial difficulty again.
In 1991, Biggs sang vocals for the songs "Police On My Back" and "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)
Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)
"Carnival in Rio " is a song by Die Toten Hosen and Ronnie Biggs. It's the lead single and the fifteenth track from the cover album Learning English, Lesson One, being also the only non-cover on the album....
" by German punk band Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
. In 1993, Biggs sang vocals in 3 tracks for the album "Bajo otra bandera" by Argentinian
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
punk band Pilsen.
In 1997 the UK and Brazil ratified an extradition treaty. Two months later, the UK Government made a formal request to the Brazilian government for Biggs' extradition. Biggs had stated that he would no longer oppose extradition. English lawyer Nigel Sangster QC travelled to Brazil to advise Biggs. The extradition request was rejected by Brazilian Supreme Court, giving Biggs the right to live in Brazil for the rest of his life.
Return to the UK
In 2001 Biggs announced to The SunThe Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
that he would be willing to return to the UK. Biggs was aware that he would be detained upon arrival in England and returned voluntarily on 7 May 2001, whereupon he was immediately arrested and re-imprisoned. His trip back to England on a private jet was paid for by The Sun, which reportedly paid Michael Biggs £20,000 plus other expenses in return for exclusive rights to the news story. Ronald Biggs had 28 years of his sentence left to serve. Since his return he has had a number of health problems, including two heart attacks
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. His son said in a press release that, contrary to some press reports, Biggs did not return to the UK simply to receive health care because health care was available in Brazil and Biggs had many friends and supporters who would certainly have contributed to any such expenses. Biggs' stated desire was to "walk into a Margate pub as an Englishman and buy a pint of bitter
Bitter (beer)
Bitter is an English term for pale ale. Bitters vary in colour from gold to dark amber and in strength from 3% to 7% alcohol by volume.-Brief history:...
". John Mills, Jack Mills
Jack Mills
Jack Mills was the driver of the train that was robbed in the Great Train Robbery in 1963.- Great Train Robbery :...
' son, was unforgiving: "I deeply resent those, including Biggs, who have made money from my father's death. Biggs should serve his punishment." Mills never fully recovered from his injuries sustained during the robbery. He died of an unrelated cause (leukaemia) in 1970.
On 14 November 2001, Biggs petitioned Governor Hynd of HMP Belmarsh for early release on compassionate grounds based on his poor health. He had been treated four times at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is located on Woolwich Common in London, England, was opened in March 2001 and serves patients from the London Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Bexley. The hospital was built to accommodate the services previously provided at Greenwich District Hospital,...
in less than six months. His health was deteriorating rapidly and he asked to be released into the care of his son for his remaining days. The application was denied. On 10 August 2005, it was reported that Biggs had contracted MRSA
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. It is also called multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus...
. His representatives, seeking for his release on grounds of compassion, said that their client's death was likely to be imminent. On 26 October 2005, the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
declined his appeal stating that his illness was not terminal
Terminal illness
Terminal illness is a medical term popularized in the 20th century to describe a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and that is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient within a short period of time. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as...
. Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
compassion policy is to release prisoners with three months left to live. Biggs was claimed by his son Michael to need a tube for feeding and to have 'difficulty' speaking.
On 4 July 2007, Biggs was moved from Belmarsh prison to Norwich prison
Norwich (HM Prison)
HM Prison Norwich is a Category B/C multi-functional prison for adult and juvenile males, located on Mousehold Heath in Norwich, Norfolk, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
on compassionate grounds. In December 2007, Biggs issued a further appeal, from Norwich prison, asking to be released from jail to die with his family: "I am an old man and often wonder if I truly deserve the extent of my punishment. I have accepted it and only want freedom to die with my family and not in jail. I hope Mr. Straw
Jack Straw
Jack Straw , British politician.Jack Straw may also refer to:* Jack Straw , English* "Jack Straw" , 1971 song by the Grateful Dead* Jack Straw by W...
decides to allow me to do that. I have been in jail for a long time and I want to die a free man. I am sorry for what happened. It has not been an easy ride over the years. Even in Brazil I was a prisoner of my own making. There is no honour to being known as a Great Train Robber. My life has been wasted."
In January 2009, after a series of strokes that were said to have rendered him unable to speak or walk, it was claimed in the press that Biggs was to be released in August 2009 and would die a 'free man'. His son Michael has also claimed that the Parole Board might bring the release date forward to July 2009. On 13 February 2009, it was reported that Biggs had been taken to hospital from his cell at Norwich Prison, suffering from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. This was confirmed the following day by his son Michael, who said Biggs had serious pneumonia but was stable. News of his condition prompted fresh calls from his son Michael Biggs for his release on compassionate grounds.
On 23 April the Parole Board recommended that Biggs be released on 4 July, having served a third of his 30-year sentence. However, on 1 July Jack Straw did not accept the Parole Board's recommendation and refused parole, stating that Biggs was 'wholly unrepentant'. On 28 July 2009, Biggs was readmitted to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is a National Health Service academic teaching hospital located on the off the A11 road and the Watton Road on the southern outskirts of Norwich, England....
with pneumonia. He had been admitted to the same hospital a month earlier with a chest infection and a fractured hip but returned to prison on 17 July 2009. His son Michael said, in one of his frequent news releases: "It's the worst he's ever been. The doctors have just told me to rush there."
On 30 July 2009, it was claimed by representatives of Biggs that he had been given 'permission' to challenge the decision to refuse him parole. However, the Home Office stated only that an application for the early release on compassionate grounds of a prisoner at HMP Norwich had been received by the public protection casework section in the National Offender Management Service
National Offender Management Service
The National Offender Management Service is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice responsible for the correctional services in England and Wales...
. Biggs was released from custody on 6 August, the day before his 80th birthday, on 'compassionate grounds'.
Following his release from prison, Biggs' health improved, leading to suggestions that he might soon be moved from hospital to a nursing home. In response to claims that Biggs's state of health had been faked, his lawyer stated, "This man is going to die, there is going to be no Lazarus
Lazarus of Bethany
Lazarus of Bethany, also known as Saint Lazarus or Lazarus of the Four Days, is the subject of a prominent miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus restores him to life four days after his death...
coming back from the dead, he is ill, he is seriously ill." However, Biggs himself stated, "I've got a bit of living to do yet. I might even surprise them all by lasting until Christmas, that would be fantastic."
On 29 May 2010, Biggs was again admitted to hospital in London after complaining of chest pain. He underwent tests at Barnet General Hospital
Barnet General Hospital
Barnet Hospital, formerly called Barnet General Hospital, is a hospital in Barnet, north London, run by Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Hospitals Trust as part of the National Health Service.-Overview:...
. His son Michael stated, "he's conscious but he's in a lot of pain".
In August 2010, it was announced that Biggs would be attending a gala dinner where he would be collecting a lifetime achievement award for his services to crime.
On 10 February 2011, Biggs was admitted to Barnet General Hospital
Barnet General Hospital
Barnet Hospital, formerly called Barnet General Hospital, is a hospital in Barnet, north London, run by Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Hospitals Trust as part of the National Health Service.-Overview:...
with another suspected stroke. His son Michael said he was conscious and preparing to have a CT scan and a series of other tests to determine what had happened.
On 17 November 2011, Biggs launched his new and updated autobiography, "Odd Man Out: The Last Straw" at Shoreditch House in London. He was unable to speak and used a word board
Word board
Word board A word board or communications board is a simple means to help people who have lost the ability to speak. A word board may typically be provided to those recovering after a stroke....
to communicate with the press.
Further information
- Guardian photo gallery of Biggs
- The Legend of Ronnie Biggs (UK Five 2 x 50 minute documentary 2003)