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Lack of remorse almost certain to condemn Biggs to death in jail
An utter lack of remorse has condemned Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs to an almost certain death behind bars. Jack Straw ruled that - despite the Parole Board saying the frail 79-year-old was safe to be released - he must stay in jail.
- Daily Mail
- Published: 22:48 July 2, 2009
London: An utter lack of remorse has condemned Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs to an almost certain death behind bars. Jack Straw ruled that - despite the Parole Board saying the frail 79-year-old was safe to be released - he must stay in jail.
The Justice Secretary's shock decision divided MPs and legal experts, said Biggs had been "wholly unrepentant" and did not deserve to be granted parole.
Insiders admitted it was rare, if not unprecedented, for a minister to reject the advice of the Parole Board in such circumstances.
It prompted immediate accusations that Straw was chasing headlines that he is "tough" on crime.
Tens of thousands of public money has also been wasted preparing Biggs for release, and finding him a £30,000-a-year (Dh181,000) place at a London nursing home, where he was expected to see out his final days.
Tory MP and former home office minister Ann Widdecombe said: "The prisons are bursting at the seams. The courts are being urged to let burglars go free, but one fairly doddery and very frail old man is being kept in prison.
"If you have got a prison place, for goodness' sake use it to lock up someone who is genuinely a risk to the public."
But Straw said: "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.
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