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Great Train Robber must wait parole decision

Discussion in 'The Stump' started by Kai-Petri, Apr 25, 2009.

  1. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

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    Great Train Robber must wait on parole decision

    A parole board adjourned Thursday without deciding whether to release Ronnie Biggs, an ailing veteran of the "Great Train Robbery" who wants to spend his final years with his son.

    The Parole Board of England and Wales said a decision should be reached by July, when Biggs would have served the 10 years necessary to qualify for parole.

    Biggs, 79, is arguing that his severe health problems mean he is no longer a threat. He received a 30-year sentence for his role in the fabled train caper. His bid for freedom may be weakened by the more than three decades he spent abroad after escaping from prison in 1965.

    Biggs was part of a gang who stopped a mail train on the Glasgow-to-London line on Aug. 8, 1963, making off with more than 125 mailbags jammed with cash. Their take amounted to roughly 2.6 million pounds.
     
  2. fast1

    fast1 Member

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    wow interesting, thanks for the share.[​IMG]
     
  3. urqh

    urqh Tea drinking surrender monkey

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    He could well be dead by July.

    Just noting the furor over here in media about Biggs. He's far from my hero.

    But an example of never rob the govt...they will get their justice, even if public dont with murderers etc.

    He's not getting any special treatment, hes nearly done his 10 years whereby he is considered for parole like any one else...he's done his time for parole consideration.

    As to the railway man who later died. Terrible. But Biggs did not kill him, if the media want to turn this into a why should he be released game and thus giving our penal system the excuse they need to keep him inside, then perhaps they should concentrate more on the actual villian who hit the guy. Biggs shouldnt have to be seen to be doing his sentence too.

    Let the old duffer out, he's of no danger to anyone, be dead in a few years if that.

    I'm all for law and oreder and justice. this isnt it though.
     
  4. razin

    razin Member

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    But then if he had not gone over the wall he would have been released at the same time as the others. If he has now served the same amount of time as his mates then perhaps he should be parolled- with the proviso that he doesn't earn a penny by selling his story again.

    Steve
     
  5. Richard

    Richard Expert

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    His family should not get a damn penny from books films and so on. I'm not Keen on his release as he went over the wall on the run and stuck two fingers up to justice. But that said, he is far to old to rot in prison for his crime of robbery.
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 Member

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    Without looking at the history of it all I think I'm right in thinking that a Train Guard died as a result of the robbery too.

    I'm sure his family won't be overly keen on him being released.

    Cheers
     
  7. razin

    razin Member

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    Drew

    He died sometime (several years) after the event certainly outside the year and one day rule that applied at that time, additionally the cornoner liberal that he was (may he rot in hell) decided arbitarily that his death was natural causes.

    The guard had been beaten around the head and was thereafter could not work was impared in walking,talking or doing his bodily functions, in other words the sort of injury pertinant to having a major stroke.

    I doubt the guys family would ever had been consulted.

    The only reason Biggs is still in jail is that he went over the wall and was on the run for 30 years or so and returned thinking that his notority would prevent him having to complete his sentance. Hence my previous comment that he should do at least what his mates did- after all they behaved in jail.

    ~Steve
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 Member

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    Steve I don't suppose it helped sending Postcards to the Police saying 'Wish you were here' :lol:
     
  9. urqh

    urqh Tea drinking surrender monkey

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    Probably didnt Drew, its never wise to upset the establishment.

    But none of it matters. Even I'm afraid the guard. Biggs I beleive wasnt even part of the train team that was at the robbery site?

    If your going to blame anyone for the guard then I believe the justice system should go after the people who did it and not use Biggs as setting an example.
    Easy way out and lets the original team off the hook.

    The be all and end all, and my argument is, notwithstanding escape...he has now done the time served that allows him to apply for parole...Same as any other...If anyone wants him to be made a special case then change the rules.

    And then do a survey of others that have reached the same stage...murderers, rapists et al, and lets see them being defend too...
    If you want a new parole rule then petition campaign or maybe Jack will just change it, and call it the Biggs rule.
    Until then he is entitled to the same rules as rapists, murderers, fraudsters, and any other bad guy or gal.

    Anyway, I believe its all about finding him a place of residence that may cause any hold up and not the law....He will need a full time caring location. One has to be found for him...Yep let him rot in hell, but they do no different for murderers and in some cases especially with terrorists, you even get a payment promised at some stage in the future.

    Personally, I'd hang him...its the liberal in me. Maybe some one on here would tie the rope please. Enemy number one that he is.
     
  10. razin

    razin Member

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    looked into the eventual death of Mr Mills the guard, it turned out the coroner rulled his death was due to leukemia, therefore my contention that it was an arbitary ruling was wrong, Bugger Steve admits he is wrong the tinnies haven't worn off yet surely.

    There is also varing reports as to the nature of his injuries once source contending that his injury was little more than a black eye and bruised neck- however other sources contended unconsiousness and subsequent disablity which is in keeping with blows to the head and neck with an iron bar. The general public however, not easily fooled when there own cash is concerned - contributed a substancial sum of money into a trust fund for Mr Mills who was unable to work after the incident- at a time when welfare benefits were often diffficult to access and there was no criminal injuries compensaton.

    As I was told by a doctor when my mother died of AML 8 years ago, there is no knowledge into why this disease strikes in the absence of enviromental causes such as exposure to benzine and radological sources, while there is much anecdotal evidence for stress or shock causing the disease to manifest there is no scientific evidence.

    As it is the gang leader Bruce Reyonalds served 16years of a 30year sentance and the now equally infamous Buster Edwards served 10years of a 15year sentance after evading capture for 3 years.

    As to the point that he was not part of the team that injured Mr Mills, the legal term "common cause" certainly applied at the time, (I don't know if this still applies it certainly should), in brief any group of persons commiting a crime are equally culpable for any other criminal act commited in pursuance of the original crime.

    Personally I sick of the whinging families of these criminals -they are always at deaths door, but invariably make a full and even miraculous recovery once they are released.

    ~Steve
     
  11. urqh

    urqh Tea drinking surrender monkey

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    Thats the ruling that hung Derek Bentley then? Shoot him...fame...

    Talking of whinging families at deaths door etc...I wander how that old Guinness chappie is who was also suffering demetia during his term then released...He got better I believe.
     
  12. razin

    razin Member

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    Yes although the actual trigger man did not hang as he was too young which is always a point of debate. Also I cannot say whether "common cause" is still on the role as there was alot of noise when the Bentley case re-emerged as a cause celleb.

    The Guiness one was surely a mirracle, I was so impressed I thought of sending a letter to the Holy C for DA to get to Britian quickly as I am convinced there must have been Devine intervention.

    ~Steve
     
  13. mac_bolan00

    mac_bolan00 Member

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    is he the guy who surfaced in latin america a couple decades ago in a coffee commercial?

    "when you're on the run like me..."

    how tacky can ad men get?
     
  14. razin

    razin Member

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    Yep that sounds like Biggs, I think he initally washed up in Australia and then went to Brazil to avoid possible extradiction. but as Drew reminded me, he had a thing about sending postcards to taunt police.

    ~Steve
     
  15. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

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    Train robber Biggs to be freed: report - Yahoo! News

    One of the country's most notorious criminals will be told Wednesday he can go free from prison within days, The Times newspaper reported.

    Ronnie Biggs, 79, who is in jail for his role in the 1963 Great Train Robbery, will be moved to a nursing home after breaking his hip in a fall a few days ago.

    The move was expected with Justice Secretary Jack Straw set to sign his parole papers imminently, the paper said.

    Biggs's lawyer has previously said he believes his client will be released on Saturday.
     
  16. fast1

    fast1 Member

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    wow, nursing home... well its better than prison i guess[​IMG]
     
  17. brndirt1

    brndirt1 Saddle Tramp

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    Some are, some aren't. I've seen some which make prison look like a good deal, and some just the opposite.

    I think Biggs sort of sealed his fate with the escape, the taunting of the authorities, and other escapades in the interim period between his escape and turning himself in.
     

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