Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs Suffering From MRSA; Straw Vetoes Release From Prison
Ronnie Biggs lived most of his life as a free man, and the English government has never been happy about that.
Today, Biggs is “fast deteriorating” with the MRSA superbug in the British hospital near the prison that was suppose to release him last Friday.
However, he remains in custody “riddled with MRSA” after Justice Minister Jack Straw vetoed parole for the 79-year old Biggs.
MRSA victim Ronnie Biggs, you see, was part of the gang that pulled off the Great Train robbery of 1963. In today’s terms, the Great Train robbery was like taking $56 million.
Most of the gang were captured, put on trial, and locked up in prison. But Biggs escaped in just 15 months. He fled to France, Australia, and finally Brazil. Living in Rio de Janeiro, Biggs was outside the extradition power of British authorities.
At 71, Biggs went home on his own because he wanted to “walk into a Margate pub as an Englishman and buy a pint of bitter.” In poor health after three strokes, he knew he would be arrested upon return and he was.
He is now being treated for pneumonia and fractures of the hip, pelvis and spine at a hospital near his prison in Norwich.
'The pneumonia is extremely strong in his body at the moment,' said son Michael Biggs.
He also said his father was 'extremely disappointed' to be denied his freedom by justice secretary Jack Straw. “I would urge Mr Straw to come down to the hospital and see him. He cannot read or write. He cannot eat or drink.”
Straw went against a parole board recommendation to release Biggs as he said he had shown no remorse for his crimes.
Biggs is looking into the possibility of overturning the decision via a judicial review of his father's case.
To be free again, Ronnie Biggs will have to be free of MRSA first.
