Charles Bronson could be 'tagged' on release following his public parole hearing, according to his first wife Irene Dunroe.
Irene, 70, was married to Bronson when he was Michael Gordon Peterson, before his life of crime, before the notoriety, and before he spent nearly 50 years in prison.
They were both 19 at the time and they had a child together, Michael Jonathan Peterson, and now Irene, from Wirral, Merseyside, is hopeful the infamous prisoner, who she refers to as 'Mick', could be released.
She said that she has spoken to Bronson throughout the hearing, that he remains 'positive' about the result, and that there has been talk about how his life might look after prison.
What do you think about Charles Bronson? Let us know in the comments...
Irene said: "I'm positive at the moment, Mick is very positive.
"The psychiatrist that spoke about him has been very positive and made good remarks.
"I think Mick's done well for himself and his character has come through, he does make funny remarks but that's who he is.
"I think it's going to be a good result even though the documentary was very anti-Mick, but we'll have to wait and see.
"Mick is positive, he's always been positive. That's who he is, he's very very genuine. He's not violent, he's only been violent in prison - if you treat a person like an animal, then after time that animal will rebel.
"He's only rebelling against the system."
Bronson has lived most of his life behind bars, after he started his life of crime at 13-years-old when he joined a gang of robbers.
He ended up in a juvenile detention centre after being caught stealing, and things went downhill from there.
In 1974, at the age of 22, he was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to seven years in prison. While he was behind bars, he attacked fellow prisoners and prison guards and more time was added to his sentence.
He was eventually released in 1987, 13 years later, and started a career as a bare-knuckle boxer in London, but it wasn't long until he found himself standing in front of a judge again.
The next year, in 1988, he robbed a jewellery shop and pleaded guilty to armed robbery when his partner became the prosecution's main witness.
He was sentenced to another seven years, was released in 1992, then 50 days later he was locked up again - this time for conspiracy to rob.
The charges were dismissed in 1993 and he was released, but then he was arrested again for conspiracy to rob and possession of a sawn-off shotgun and handed an eight-year sentence.
He's been behind bars ever since, as he's had years added onto his sentence for taking hostages, causing millions of pounds worth of damage in prison, and staging protests.
Irene continued: "He's not that person any more, he's a 70-year-old man, he's an OAP, he just wants to do his art.
"They let murders out, rapists out, serial killers out. They say they're worried about him being violent."
The result from the parole hearing is expected within 14 days, but Irene said that Bronson expects to hear in "at least nine days".
She continued: "Mick said it's up to 14, could only take a few days, they need to talk about it a lot and decide the best thing for him.
"Even if he only gets a few free hours a day, he'd be quite happy with that. Or tagged, they're talking about all that kind of thing. He's not violent any more, he has never been outside."
Speaking previously, Irene said that Bronson wants to run the London marathon in a jail uniform while handcuffed to a guard if he is released.
During a recent chat, he laid bare the bizarre wish among a bucket list of things he plans to do.
She said: "He called after the hearings and he told me he’s very, very positive. Mick desperately wants to get out of prison.
"He can only ring for 10 minutes and the phone gets cut off.
"He's told me that his friends are organising freedom parties for him to welcome him back home and he wants me to sit next to him at them.
"Someone is even baking a cake and icing it all specially for him. My view very strongly is let him be free."
She added Bronson felt embarrassed when he spilled orange juice over himself and kept using bad language during the public parts of the hearing.
She revealed: "He said he felt a bit silly. It was nerves. It's the first time he's been in a room with so many people.
"He told me, 'I should have stopped swearing. I'm not going to swear so much'.”
But despite his time behind bars, Irene, who has a son called Michael with Bronson, said she does not rule out a reconciliation.
She said: "We are just keeping an open mind. We are going to be friends. We have been through a lot.
"He feels so apologetic for what I've been through. When someone goes to prison it's all about the convict, it's not about the wives and families left behind and how they cope.
"He feels so guilty. We will see each other regularly and we plan to go for meals and days out.
"But as for if I want to get married again? I have no idea. I have no idea what's going to happen. But we are still very close."
Bronson's parole hearing this week was told he is suffering from PTSD, which Irene claims is a result of the brutal jail environment.
She said: "Prison created Bronson. I know the treatment he's suffered."
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk
