Suprised noone else had picked up on this one. Story here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3546270.stm) .What do you think?

I find it rather difficult to have any sympathy for him, if he had done his time he would have been out years ago, he was happy playing Jack the Lad, but when push came to shove he could not do his bird.

However, on balance yes I do agree that Ronnie Biggs should be released. He is no longer any danger to the public which must be the first criteria. Secondly he is occupying a cell that could be used to hold one of the many violent criminals that roam our streets today.

To keep Biggs (now a very sick man) incarcerated at public expense just that some in society who want their pound of flesh can be appeased is literally a case of cutting of ones nose to spite ones face.

Biggs should be released without further delay and his cell filled with one of the scum that mug old ladies in the street for their pension money.

He should have done his time years ago, but I do feel that now he's kept in because he made the British Establishment look rather foolish.

Let him out. He's served his time one way or another.

Joe

Originally posted by Lickszz
However, on balance yes I do agree that Ronnie Biggs should be released. He is no longer any danger to the public which must be the first criteria. Secondly he is occupying a cell that could be used to hold one of the many violent criminals that roam our streets today.

Danger or not, he hasn't done his time for his crime, or paid any debt to society.

But, like you said, there are far more dangerous criminals being given shockingly short sentences.

If prisons are as overcrowded as they say, crims. like Ronnie Biggs should be released.

Should he be released and sent back to Brazil?

He only handed himself in because he was could not or was not prepared to pay for his medical bills out there? Should we have taken him back here in the first place?

It is funny how many people suddenly return when they get ill. As has been suggested today should people that leave this country be paying tax still so that they can come back and get treatment required?

He should serve his origional sentence. If he hadn't escaped back in the 60s he would be legally free by now and have nothing to complain about. He has only himself to blame.

He spent years sticking two fingers up to Britain.

Now its time for Britain to stick two fingers up at him .

LET HIM ROT !!!!!!!

i agree he should be sent back the money being spent on his treatment could be put to better use , is his son still in england as well

Can someone please remind me why he came back to the UK? There wasn't anything on the BBC news item other than he came back in 2001.

He came back because he was ill and there is no NHS in Brazil.

He came back to screw the sytem even more than he had before. I think they should have told him to stay in Brazil, would have made it cheaper for us.

I was starting a new topic when this popped up
I think we've about done punishing him
Its about time he was freed, what's the point of keeping him inside, perhaps he's a threat to the community

At the height of his popularity before and after his escape he was the darling of the British people, British and world press. Because of this the gang received shockingly high sentences. The establishment had egg on it's face, and when that happens just think of a spiteful neighbour and multiply it by 10.

Funny how a gang robbed so little in comparison to how we're being robbed today by a system that sent him down in the first place.
Let him go and stick a few politicians in his place.

Never understood why bank robbers get heavier sentences than some murderers.

Never understood why bank robbers get heavier sentences than some murderers.


Probably because when you steal from a bank your perceived as stealing from the hundreds if not thousands who hold accounts? Also the Banks hold a lot of weight and influence in the heady heights of politics. You'll also find that most High court judges will probably be on some banks board or other.

Arthur Shufflebottom who just murdered doesn't stand a chance in the popularity stakes.

He should definately not be freed,unless he is freed and sent back to Brazil with all his family.How much money has this country spent on this man and his family.

Never understood why bank robbers get heavier sentences than some murderers.

It seems money in the laws eyes is far more valuable than life.

Probably because when you steal from a bank your perceived as stealing from the hundreds if not thousands who hold accounts? Also the Banks hold a lot of weight and influence in the heady heights of politics. You'll also find that most High court judges will probably be on some banks board or other.

Arthur Shufflebottom who just murdered doesn't stand a chance in the popularity stakes.

If that's the case then Alien..Fred the Shred and the rest of the bandit bankers should be locked up for the rest of their lives.:thumbsup:

If that's the case then Alien..Fred the Shred and the rest of the bandit bankers should be locked up for the rest of their lives.:thumbsup:

Not likely....they gut you with the full backing of the law!

I never understood why this man and his gang were perceived as folk heroes by so many people.
I recall an innocent working man died, he and his family get my sympathy.
Biggs lived the life of Riley for years and thumbed his nose at the rest of us. Then when he gets sick he crawls back here and expects to be treated, again at our expense.
If it was my decision I would send him and all his family straight back to Brazil.

I never understood why this man and his gang were perceived as folk heroes by so many people.
I recall an innocent working man died, he and his family get my sympathy.
Biggs lived the life of Riley for years and thumbed his nose at the rest of us. Then when he gets sick he crawls back here and expects to be treated, again at our expense.
If it was my decision I would send him and all his family straight back to Brazil.

I agree with you except the last bit. He should stay in jail and complete the original sentence given. I am not bothered that the bloke is ill, the fact is he escaped jail, swanned about Brazil for years, mocking Britain, then when he was ill decided to come back thinking he was forgotten about and wanting our forgiveness. Sorry mate-you did the crime, now do the time

I never understood why this man and his gang were perceived as folk heroes by so many people.
I recall an innocent working man died, he and his family get my sympathy.
Biggs lived the life of Riley for years and thumbed his nose at the rest of us. Then when he gets sick he crawls back here and expects to be treated, again at our expense.
If it was my decision I would send him and all his family straight back to Brazil.
Nobody died because of the robbery.Jack Mills ,the train driver,died 7 years later from leukaemia,the coroner stated the injuries,a cut head,sustained in the robbery had nothing to do with his death
The sentences handed down to the train robbers were a disgrace,Biggs was only a minor member of the gang,a gofer,yet still recieved 30 years,he is currently serving his time in a prison hospital and has been since his return 8 years ago.The home office have stated that he will be released in august of this year but to keep him locked up is nothing short of inhumane ans is just a case of exacting revenge,they did the same thing with Reg Kray

NO. The number of years he laughed at the British law, put two fingers up to it. Not so bleeding clever now is he?

NO. The number of years he laughed at the British law, put two fingers up to it. Not so bleeding clever now is he?

No your right..hes a dying man on a ventilator

NO. The number of years he laughed at the British law, put two fingers up to it. Not so bleeding clever now is he?

Like The bangingman says - he's a dying man who's no threat to anybody - keeping him inside to die is just vindictiveness. Let him die in freedom.

I agree with you except the last bit. He should stay in jail and complete the original sentence given. I am not bothered that the bloke is ill, the fact is he escaped jail, swanned about Brazil for years, mocking Britain, then when he was ill decided to come back thinking he was forgotten about and wanting our forgiveness. Sorry mate-you did the crime, now do the time

I would normally agree with much of your sentiment, however, I believe that ever case should be considered individually and not based purely on the desire for retribution.

Unless Ronnie Biggs does an 'Ernest Saunders' and makes a miraculous recovery(which I very much doubt) as soon as he smells freedom, he's on his last legs. Regardless, at his age and considering his crime, he's hardly going to pose a threat to society, is he?
If he is released, it will only be on licence, hence any trouble and he will be back behind bars faster than you can say 'Labour Tax Rises'.
Our Prison system is full to bursting and I'm sure his cell could be filled by a far more worthy felon.
More importantly, it's costing a small fortune to keep him incarcerated in prison. A care home would be far more appropriate with the added bonus of saving the tax payer a few quid.

So, should we let him out? On balance, probably.

No he shouldn't. The train driver got beaten up badly during the train robbery and Biggs had many years of wine, women and song in Brazil.
Time to pay the piper

No your right..hes a dying man on a ventilator

:huh: and?? :huh:

YES.Why let the tax payer pay for him inside.He has never been a tax payer in this country.Let him die outside.

No he shouldn't. The train driver got beaten up badly during the train robbery and Biggs had many years of wine, women and song in Brazil.
Time to pay the piper
The train driver got hit on the head,the injuries by his own admission, at the outset were very minor..He lived on the injuries for years with numerous paid articles in the press

let the man out he robbed a train and got 2 and a quarter mllion and was sentenced to 30 years or so . yet the bloke who brought the banking systems down get a pension of about 6 million golden handshake and the numptys let him walk away . plus hes english and coming home to take advantage of our medical service glad he still got a sense of humour and sticking 2 fingers up to the government who no doubt collected god knows how much in taxes from all the books written about him

Thirty years. .. give him maximum parole, and yes, it's reasonable that he should only serve perhaps twelve of them.


It's entirely his own fault that he hasn't yet done so.

He stole,lived a good life on the back of it ,came back to the uk for free nhs treatment hmm maybe there are better causes to support...................

We like Ronnie Biggs and he hasn't been a threat to society for decades. Let him out :)

Yes.......let him out, so long as his family agree to pay for his every needs. As far as I'm concerned he waived his rights to free national health treatment the day that he left these shores. He committed what was perceived as a serious crime in those days (nowt compared to what goes on these days though!), and made the choice to bail out and go and live the life of riley elsewhere. Now that he's back, we....the taxpayer, are keeping him in relative comfort and that gets my back up! He's spent up and comes back here for free medical treatment. He is probably quite happy being looked after behind bars, which is why I say throw him out but make damned sure he isn't entitled to any freebies, which includes medical treatment. That will serve him right!

Yes.......let him out, so long as his family agree to pay for his every needs. As far as I'm concerned he waived his rights to free national health treatment the day that he left these shores. He committed what was perceived as a serious crime in those days (nowt compared to what goes on these days though!), and made the choice to bail out and go and live the life of riley elsewhere. Now that he's back, we....the taxpayer, are keeping him in relative comfort and that gets my back up! He's spent up and comes back here for free medical treatment. He is probably quite happy being looked after behind bars, which is why I say throw him out but make damned sure he isn't entitled to any freebies, which includes medical treatment. That will serve him right!


Agreed Well Said

Yes.......let him out, so long as his family agree to pay for his every needs. As far as I'm concerned he waived his rights to free national health treatment the day that he left these shores. He committed what was perceived as a serious crime in those days (nowt compared to what goes on these days though!), and made the choice to bail out and go and live the life of riley elsewhere. Now that he's back, we....the taxpayer, are keeping him in relative comfort and that gets my back up! He's spent up and comes back here for free medical treatment. He is probably quite happy being looked after behind bars, which is why I say throw him out but make damned sure he isn't entitled to any freebies, which includes medical treatment. That will serve him right!
Biggs worked for years as a joiner,paid taxes and NH contributions doesnt that make him eligible for nhs treatment?

Biggs worked for years as a joiner,paid taxes and NH contributions doesnt that make him eligible for nhs treatment?

Good old honest Ronnie.

Biggs worked for years as a joiner,paid taxes and NH contributions doesnt that make him eligible for nhs treatment?

I thought the rules were that if you were out of the country for two years or more you were required to pay. Of course he has now been back more then two years so may be entitled to free treatment again!

I thought the rules were that if you were out of the country for two years or more you were required to pay. Of course he has now been back more then two years so may be entitled to free treatment again!
Irrespective of his past history the fact is Biggs has no money and hasn't had for a long time,so what do you do,The man is genuinely ill so what do you do,treat him or just leave him to die in pain and squalor?

The train driver got hit on the head,the injuries by his own admission, at the outset were very minor..He lived on the injuries for years with numerous paid articles in the press

He was still a victim of a violent crime. If Biggs had not escaped he would have served his time by now and be free but as I said earlier he lived a good life in Brazil for many years and fought all attempts at extradition. He chose to turn himself in and is doing the sentence he managed to avoid earlier.

I don't believe illness is a reason to set him free.

im related to him^^

Here is an old man who has had to spend many years in self exile because of a crime he committed 50 years ago
The sentences were inhumane and that is probably why there were escape attempts.
People keep banging on about the violence.Compare that with the violence that happens in our towns every Saturday night.If and when these people are caught they usually get a slap on the wrist or a fine.
The Train Robber's sentences of 30 years were given out of pure spite and I think that continueing to keep an old man in prison is the same

Yes.......let him out, so long as his family agree to pay for his every needs. As far as I'm concerned he waived his rights to free national health treatment the day that he left these shores.
Good job your views are entirely irrelevant then, eh!
He committed what was perceived as a serious crime in those days (nowt compared to what goes on these days though!), and made the choice to bail out and go and live the life of riley elsewhere. Now that he's back, we....the taxpayer, are keeping him in relative comfort and that gets my back up!
Have you considered writing to the Daily Mail? They have a page for people like you.
He's spent up and comes back here for free medical treatment. He is probably quite happy being looked after behind bars, which is why I say throw him out but make damned sure he isn't entitled to any freebies, which includes medical treatment. That will serve him right!

You are so tough. I bet he'd think twice about robbing any more trains if you were in charge!

im related to him^^

and..........

I don't believe illness is a reason to set him free.
really?

as has been said already...his illness and old age means he IS NOT a threat to the public.

and has also been said his cell could be used to house somebody WHO IS A THREAT to the public??

seems logical to me

really?

as has been said already...his illness and old age means he IS NOT a threat to the public.

and has also been said his cell could be used to house somebody WHO IS A THREAT to the public??

seems logical to me


It's also a case of how you see the original sentence...punishment or rehabilitation. If it's punishment then I suppose the "pound of flesh" would apply for some. If it's rehabilitation how can you rehabilitate someone who'll have no use to society through his incapacity.

He was still a victim of a violent crime. If Biggs had not escaped he would have served his time by now and be free but as I said earlier he lived a good life in Brazil for many years and fought all attempts at extradition. He chose to turn himself in and is doing the sentence he managed to avoid earlier.

I don't believe illness is a reason to set him free.
So he swaps a prison hospital for a normal hospital,I bet the normal one works out cheaper,thats just for those who are preoccupied with the cost,whichever he is never going to be a free man again, in the full context of the word.
I could understand a little of the feelings about the violence aspect of the case if Biggs was the big baddy everybody perceives him has,he didnt hit the train driver,who incidentally was that violently assaulted he was able to get back on the train,follow directions move it and stop it at a precise point.
Not counting the time he served on remand,which counts against his sentence and the time he did before his escape,Briggs has now now been in prison 8 years since his return,theres kiddie fiddlers,Rapists and indeed murderers who have been and gone from the prison system since.
Its time compassion was shown and let a dying man who is no danger to anybody,to be allowed the dignity of dying as a free man,nobody is going to suffer for that compassion.

Born wrong side of the tracks
When I think of the 'posh' thieves such as Saunders and Archer who got piffling little senteces and cushy prisons it makes my blood boil.These are people who have had a priveleged life and stiil have when they are locked up.

So he swaps a prison hospital for a normal hospital,I bet the normal one works out cheaper,thats just for those who are preoccupied with the cost,whichever he is never going to be a free man again, in the full context of the word.
I could understand a little of the feelings about the violence aspect of the case if Biggs was the big baddy everybody perceives him has,he didnt hit the train driver,who incidentally was that violently assaulted he was able to get back on the train,follow directions move it and stop it at a precise point.
Not counting the time he served on remand,which counts against his sentence and the time he did before his escape,Briggs has now now been in prison 8 years since his return,theres kiddie fiddlers,Rapists and indeed murderers who have been and gone from the prison system since.
Its time compassion was shown and let a dying man who is no danger to anybody,to be allowed the dignity of dying as a free man,nobody is going to suffer for that compassion.

oh noez....we agree on someat

Born wrong side of the tracks
When I think of the 'posh' thieves such as Saunders and Archer who got piffling little senteces and cushy prisons it makes my blood boil.These are people who have had a priveleged life and stiil have when they are locked up. but these people like you say get a small sentence then set free to write a book about their life inside and it becomes a best seller and makes more money for them .then most of the general public slate the likes of biggs and co for a bit of thieving and are meant to suffer rest of their lives some people need to get real :loopy:

I think Ronnie Biggs should be released. Look at the ' toe- rags' about now being sentenced to half a dozen years served in a 5 star hotels prison , plus all your ' low- life' so called poloticians getting away with it on the expenses fiddle.

Let him go is my verdict.

I think Ronnie Biggs should be released. Look at the ' toe- rags' about now being sentenced to half a dozen years served in a 5 star hotels prison , plus all your ' low- life' so called poloticians getting away with it on the expenses fiddle.

Let him go is my verdict.


Can we not burn his eyes out first with hot pokers?:D

Can we not burn his eyes out first with hot pokers?:D

My god, i put a very good post on here a minute ago and its gone, this stay's though BAFFLED again by the SF :o

My god, i put a very good post on here a minute ago and its gone, this stay's though BAFFLED again by the SF :o


Depends if your post was tongue in cheek, corker!

Depends if your post was tongue in cheek, corker!

Just facts about how he's got a broken hip and he'll be in the same place never mind if he got parole or not.
Like i say BAFFLING once again :hihi:

Scum bags who use violence these days get away with a couple of years in the nick, so Ronnie is well worth realising.

They should stick a railway mail bag over his head then push him off the bridge near where the robbery occured.

Jack Mills the train driver never returned to work because of his injuries

They should stick a railway mail bag over his head then push him off the bridge near where the robbery occured.

Jack Mills the train driver never returned to work because of his injuries
Nothing to do with his injuries he was making that much money from the newspapers he didnt need to return to work

Here is an old man who has had to spend many years in self exile because of a crime he committed 50 years ago


He had to? So all the people who thought that he chose to flee himself were wrong, he was actually forced into it by someone else? If he had not chosen self-imposed exile, he would have been released more than thirty years ago.

The part that has always stuck in my craw is that he came back, not in order to serve his sentence, but because his money had run out and he wanted free healthcare. At that point, we should have denied him entry to the country.

Here is an old man who has had to spend many years in self exile because of a crime he committed 50 years ago
The sentences were inhumane and that is probably why there were escape attempts.
People keep banging on about the violence.Compare that with the violence that happens in our towns every Saturday night.If and when these people are caught they usually get a slap on the wrist or a fine.
The Train Robber's sentences of 30 years were given out of pure spite and I think that continueing to keep an old man in prison is the same

What a joke!

The bloke stuck two fingers up at this country laughing his balls off in the safety of Brazil whilst he had the money, runs out of money and he comes crawling back for the health care which we're foolish to give! As far as I'm concerned he should've been left to rot, he's never shown any remorse just pisstaking the sooner he's dead the better. And I'm sure the family of the train crew probably agree.

Nothing to do with his injuries he was making that much money from the newspapers he didnt need to return to work

Dont blame him either if that was the case but that doesn't cancel out the fact that Biggs and his mob subjected him to a beating during the robbery. Even more despicable by the fact that Mills was just an ordinary working bloke earning an honest living whereas Biggs and his scumbag mates chose to resort to thuggery and robbery as a means to acquire money

So again, tie a railway mail bag around the SOB's head and drop him off the bridge

Dont blame him either if that was the case but that doesn't cancel out the fact that Biggs and his mob subjected him to a beating during the robbery. Even more despicable by the fact that Mills was just an ordinary working bloke earning an honest living whereas Biggs and his scumbag mates chose to resort to thuggery and robbery as a means to acquire money

So again, tie a railway mail bag around the SOB's head and drop him off the bridge
Subjected him to a beating!!..I think you should stop reading second hand information posted by people who obviously are in the same boat as you are..stop reading all the sustained media crap and take the time to find out the true facts.Its pointless trying to educate you, after all the media is always correct

Subjected him to a beating!!..I think you should stop reading second hand information posted by people who obviously are in the same boat as you are..stop reading all the sustained media crap and take the time to find out the true facts.Its pointless trying to educate you, after all the media is always correct

Media always correct? :hihi::hihi:

How then did Mills sustain his injuries? Tripping over his lunch box while on the locomotive foot plate?

Someone in the group caused his injuries and whether or not it was actually Biggs or another person makes no difference whatsoever. He was part of it.

Cannot understand how someone can find a good word to say about the dirt bag. Sooner he's gone the better far as i'm concerned

Er, this is an old thread and for those that haven't heard RB was released a while back on compassionate grounds reason being he's a dead man walking or rather in a wheelchair.

Er, this is an old thread and for those that haven't heard RB was released a while back on compassionate grounds reason being he's a dead man walking or rather in a wheelchair.

He can look back on the good life in Brazil during his final moments. All that vino, the girls he must have had in Ipanama and Rio de Janeiro and knowing that the British government weren't the kind of government to send some KGB type after him as some others would have done.

Wonder how many times he must have stood on the beach with a glass of Quierzo in his hand enjoying the sunsets and laughing at the poor "chumps" back in Britain and their futile attempts to extradite him.

Media always correct? :hihi::hihi:

How then did Mills sustain his injuries?


Injury, singular. He was bashed over the head. One blow does not constitute "a beating," though it still qualifies as ABH or possibly GBH.