Charles Bronson Jailed For Attack On Governor

Charles Bronson's Art Sale For Mum's Holiday

Updated: 5:19pm UK, Tuesday 03 June 2014

Charles Bronson, one of Britain's most notorious criminals, is selling some of his artworks to pay for a holiday for his mother.

The works belonged to Ronnie Kray, who died in 1995, and are among 150 lots being sold from the infamous East End gangster's estate on behalf of his second wife, Kate.

Bronson asked Mrs Kray if she would agree to sell eight of his artworks so that the sale could pay for his mother to go away after she became upset by his recent attack on prison guards, according to JP Humbert Auctioneers.

The reported attack on 12 guards at HM Prison Woodhill in Milton Keynes reportedly took place last month after Spurs fan Bronson went on the rampage after arch-rivals Arsenal won the FA Cup. 

The prisoner was smeared with butter at the time.

"Charles Bronson recently had a 'rumble' with 12 prison guards. In a letter to Kate Kray, he states remorse at upsetting his mother and accordingly, asked if some of his artwork could be included in the sale so as to generate funds to send his mother on holiday," said auctioneer Jonathan Humbert.

"The intimate and personal nature of these never-before seen Kray items and Bronson paintings show a real human side to these larger than life personalities and, though they are bound to polarise opinions, the lots, much like the individuals, are far from dull."

Bronson, 61, whose real name is Michael Peterson, is currently serving a life term at Woodhill, having earned public notoriety with a history of violence both inside and outside jail.

Ronnie Kray and twin brother Reggie - together with older brother Charlie - ran organised crime rackets in London's East End and were both jailed for life in 1969 for the murders of fellow gangsters George Cornell and Jack "The Hat" McVitie.

The sale, to be held in on June 17 in Towcester, includes personal items from Ronnie Kray's Broadmoor cell, including his reading glasses, a miniature birdcage clock, watches, a crucifix, numerous letters and other "personal mementos".

"This is a very important and eclectic sale of British social history," said Mr Humbert.

"The Krays were hardened criminals, without a doubt but they were also, in the public perception, nice to old ladies and children and were always immaculately turned out.

"Whilst we in no way seek to glorify their crimes, they certainly had style and that is what people remember."

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Sky Poll: Young Not Engaged In Politics

By Faisal Islam, Political Editor

Almost half of young people in Britain are not engaged in politics, feel their voices are not heard and do not believe that politicians are addressing their needs, a Sky News poll has found.

The Survation poll was commissioned as part of the launch of Stand Up Be Counted, a brand new digital platform designed by Sky News to give young people a voice.

The survey appears to show widespread apathy and indifference towards politics among those aged 24 and below.

Click here to visit the Stand Up Be Counted site

Some of those who have shared their views on the Stand Up Be Counted site

Forty-nine percent of 16-24 year olds questioned know neither the name nor party of their local MP, the survey found.

And 47% said none of party leaders David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband or Nigel Farage best exemplify the qualities they want in their political leaders.

(L-R) Ed Miliband, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage

For example, of those questioned, more than a quarter (26%) said they were not engaged with politics and had no interest in becoming more involved.

Seventeen percent said they were not engaged in politics but would like to become more so.

Just 8% said they were fully engaged with the political process.

In total 39% expressed an interest in becoming more engaged in politics while 50% said they had no interest in becoming more engaged.

The poll also showed the frustration and lack of faith many young people have in politics.

Asked if they felt their voices were heard in society, 44% said they were not listened to despite trying to express concerns or beliefs.

Forty-two percent said they did not try to make themselves heard. And just 12% felt that they were being listened to.

Forty-five percent of those questioned said they had "not very much" confidence that politicians would address the issues that matter most.

And only 31% said they trusted government to address their needs and concerns.

The three attributes named by those polled as most desirable in politicians were honesty, being in touch with ordinary people and the ability to make tough decisions.

Asked to reveal the first word that comes to mind when thinking of politics 9% said "lies" or "liars", 8% said "boring" and 7% referred to "corruption".

MPs have faced recent criticism for rowdy displays at the weekly Prime Minister's Questions sessions.

And 53% of those questioned said they would be more likely to listen to politicians if they behaved better at PMQs. Forty-three percent said it showed politicians displaying passion.

The poll also shows that mainstream media is viewed with suspicion by young people.

Eight out of 10 of those surveyed said they did not believe that traditional media (newspapers, radio and TV) portrayed them accurately.

Instead social media such as Facebook and Twitter are more trusted to accurately reflect their views and concerns according to 46%.

:: Survation polled 1,004 16-24 year olds on behalf of Sky News between August 21 and 26, 2014.

:: Stand Up website: www.skynews.com/standupbecounted

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Head Of Sky News On Stand Up Be Counted

Today Sky News is launching an ambitious new campaign, Stand Up Be Counted.

:: Click here to visit the site

The project sees us launch a dynamic digital platform where young people aged between 16 and 25 can talk about the issues that affect them.

Anything from personal reflections on their lives, to their frustrations around the stereotypes the media turns them into, to their optimism about the future.

According to a Sky News poll, almost half of the young people in Britain are not engaged in politics, feel their voices are not heard and don't believe that politicians are addressing their needs.

That makes for depressing reading.

We, the media, are partly to blame, often portraying young people as stereotypes, the victims or the agitators.

Indeed only 18% of young people say that traditional media is the best platform to reflect their views and concerns. I am determined to change this.

Some of the results from the poll

This is why we are launching Stand Up Be Counted.

Not only is it a place where young people can share their thoughts but it also means that we can help amplify their voices and make them a genuine part of our Sky News content.

We would like thousands of young people across the country, from every constituency, to share their thoughts with us, as they already do on their social networks.

Within just a few seconds video, blogs and comments can be uploaded and shared with fellow Stand Ups on our platform and across social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Google+, WhatsApp and Kik.

I am 52, it's been a while since I was considered young, but when I talk to younger people now I am always bowled over about how creative, how deep thinking, and how motivated they are.

They just feel, quite rightly, disengaged from the Westminster bubble which decide the direction in what our country heads.

Some of the young people who have shared their views on the site

Likewise news organisations like Sky need to up their game, and help explain how policy decisions directly affect the lives of young people, and how they can influence those decisions via voting. We just need to avoid doing it in a preachy, patronising way.

There is a danger that young people could be sidelined, becoming so disengaged that they lose their voice - not necessarily amongst their peers - but with the establishment who contribute to shaping their future.

Long gone are the days of young people being seen and not heard, we need to do all we can to ensure their voices are received loud and clear, ensure they stand up and are counted.

:: Stand Up website: www.skynews.com/standupbecounted

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Missing Isaac Nash Swept Away By 'Massive Wave'

The father of a 12-year-old boy who went missing on Friday has described how a "massive wave" thwarted desperate attempts to save his son.

Rescue teams in Anglesey are continuing their search for Isaac Nash for a fourth day.

Adam Nash, 35, said he and the children's grandfather, Paul, ran into the water at Aberffraw after the boys began to panic.

Mr Nash was able to save Xander, 10, but said his father emerged from the choppy waters bloodied, and told him: "I couldn't save Isaac, I couldn't save Isaac."

He told The Huddersfield Daily Examiner: "When I saw that my dad had got to Isaac I realised that they were having trouble.

"Everything got loud and there was spray coming off the sea. I could sense they were panicking.

"I saw Isaac doing front crawl, trying to get back. He was very close to my dad and I thought they were fine, they are near the rocks, but then Xander was going out. I was really worried."

Mr Nash described how he managed to fight to save his younger son from the waves, telling him to "swim with his legs" and "breathe, breathe, breath".

"He (Xander) said he couldn't swim anymore. I was exhausted too. I was having problems myself, let alone supporting him. I thought I just don't want to let go of him."

Mr Nash said he made it back to shore but found his father "washed up on the rocks and just laid flat".

He told The Examiner: "My dad came round and his face was just screwed up and there was blood dripping down him from his arms and legs. And he said: 'I couldn't save him, I couldn't save him.'

"A massive wave hit Paul and Isaac and he couldn't hold on to him. There was a lot of seaweed on the rocks which was very slippery and it would have been difficult to cling on to and get a grip."

Isaac – who has been described as thrill-seeking, sporty and competitive – has still not been found, even though search teams from the RAF and RNLI have been scouring the area since Friday.

Adam Nash said his son was "a good swimmer – a strong, sporty lad".

"I think he had seen a little area where you can swim near some rocks, I think he wanted to go onto them and look for barnacles."

Although Isaac's family, from Highburton, West Yorkshire, helped with the search along the shore on Saturday, they have since returned home.

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Ashya's Parents Kept In Police Custody

The parents of Ashya King have not been granted bail after their extradition hearing in Madrid was adjourned for three days.

Brett King, 51, and his wife Naghmeh, 45, from Portsmouth, will remain in police custody meaning they are still unable to visit their five-year-old son in hospital in Malaga.

Ashya, who has a brain tumour, is also not able to have visits from his six siblings who are also still in Spain because he is under police guard at the Materno-Infantil hospital.

Sky sources said the couple told the court in Madrid they did not want to be extradited back to the UK.

The five-year-old is unable to see members of his family

The couple were arrested on Saturday after taking Ashya out of Southampton General Hospital to seek specialist cancer treatment abroad.

Petitions on change.org calling for the release of the Kings so they can get medical treatment for Ashya have now totalled nearly 20,000 signatures.

It comes after Portsmouth City Council revealed on Monday that the little boy was made a temporary ward of court on Friday.

Julian Wooster, the council's director for children's services, said: "At the request of Southampton hospital the council obtained a temporary Wardship Order on Friday, only to direct that Ashya King be presented for medical treatment.

Ashya King, pictured with father Brett, needs treatment for a brain tumour

"The order will be reviewed by the High Court on Wednesday. We understand this is an extremely difficult time for Ashya and his family."

Ashya's grandmother Patricia King said authorities were treating Brett and his wife "like murderers".

She said: "They've treated them like murderers, putting handcuffs on them and everything. There's no human rights for our family at all, it's disgusting.

The hearing took place in Madrid - 300 miles from Ashya's hospital

"He's there in the hospital, he doesn't know anybody, there's police guarding him, he can't speak, he doesn't understand Spanish.

"My daughter-in-law and my son have begged to see him, but they've been refused."

His brother, Naveed, 20, posted a video blog claiming the family had stocked up on food and syringes that the boy needed ahead of their journey and had bought him a new wheelchair costing up to £1,600.

Patricia King earlier said her son was selling his holiday home in Spain to pay for proton beam therapy, which costs an average of £100,000 per person.

The family travelled to southern Spain through Cherbourg in France

British police officers are understood to have arrived in Spain to question Ashya's parents.

Dr Jiri Kubes, a proton therapist in the Czech Republic where the family was hoping to get treatment for Ashya, said cancer clinics could treat him "within a few days" if a request was received from his doctors.

Janice Atkinson, UKIP South East MEP, said: "This little boy needs his mother at this time. He is five years old, probably doesn't speak Spanish, and will be lying in a hospital bed in distress.

"I call on the Home Secretary to contact the Spanish authorities so that Ashya's parents are released immediately. Then she should ask the assistant chief constable of Hampshire why he 'made no apology for the police being proactive' to find Ashya."

A spokesman for David Cameron said: "I think people up and down the country will understand and be moved by the grave illness from which Ashya is suffering.

"First and foremost, the priority must be that he receives the very best and most appropriate medical care.

"Of course, I am sure that every parent wants to do the best for their child. That is probably the most human of human instincts."

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Ashya's Parents Wanted Proton Beam Treatment

The parents of Ashya King have said they removed him from a Southampton hospital because they were unable to get a specialist treatment on the NHS.

In a YouTube video, Brett King said they were hoping to get to the Czech Republic to seek specialist medical care for their five-year-old son.

They were trying to get access to proton beam radiotherapy, which is currently only available to treat eye conditions on the NHS in the UK.

The treatment is already being used by European countries and in the US for a range of cancers in adults and children.

Ashya's parents were arrested on Saturday near Marbella, Spain

It differs from X-ray methods by focusing proton beams more precisely at cancer cells, with doses aimed directly at the tumour.

It spares the healthy tissue and organs behind it.

Speaking in the video, Mr King said: "Proton beam is so much better for children with brain cancer.

"It zones in on the area, whereby normal radiation passes through his head and comes out the other side and destroys everything in his head.

His family want him to receive proton beam treatment in the Czech Republic

"We pleaded with them (in Southampton) for proton beam treatment. They looked at me straight in the face and said with his cancer - which is called medulloblastoma - it would have no benefit whatsoever.

"I went straight back to my room and looked it up and the American sites and French sites and Switzerland sites where they have proton beam said the opposite, it would be very beneficial for him."

Ros Barnes, whose son Alex went to the US after he was unable to get beam therapy in the UK for his brain tumour, said she would do the same thing as Ashya's family.

She told Sky News: "We were told the same thing, that Alex's tumour wasn't suitable for proton therapy by the NHS here in this country.

Ashya is now in a children's hospital

"The alternative here was radiotherapy, and he was only four years old at the time it would have caused extreme brain damage and probably wouldn't have worked either. So yes, I would have done the same as this family.

"They wanted us to have the operation here and for him to have radiotherapy, but he would have been blind, brain damaged and in a wheelchair, if he survived, and his prognosis was terrible.

"It was so difficult to go against the doctors here because they were all saying the same thing, 'oh you know they're only after your money, it hasn't been tried and tested'."

Professor Justin Stebbing, consultant oncologist at Imperial College in London, told Sky News: "The conventional wisdom is that these heavier particles are more precise, you can get more energy into a very specific area.

"The problem is that we don't yet have the trials to support that, so in America at the moment where there are many more proton beam machines than in the UK and in Europe they are now performing those trials to see if protons actually prolong survival."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Decisions on treatment for individual patients are made by doctors who are best placed to know what their patient needs.

"We are investing £250m in new proton beam therapy facilities, in Manchester and in London, and more people are being funded to go overseas until facilities are available in the UK."

A spokesperson for NHS England added the NHS supported 99 children to travel abroad last year for proton beam therapy.

They said: "We all want what is best for Ashya, and it is for the cancer doctors and oncologists involved to advise on what is the best treatment for each child."

The only current proton beam facility is in Clatterbridge Centre for Cancer NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool.

Ashya's parents were held in custody after the family's car was pulled over by police in Malaga at 9pm UK time on Saturday.

The little boy, who underwent "extensive surgery" during an operation on his brain tumour seven days ago, was taken to a hospital.

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Muslim Leaders Issue Fatwa Against IS Britons

Muslim leaders have reportedly issued a fatwa condemning Britons who fight for extremists in Iraq and Syria.

The fatwa, which The Sunday Times newspaper said had been issued by imams, is the strongest denunciation yet by the Muslim community of UK citizens who join militants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State, formerly known as ISIL and ISIS.

It comes as former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown accused Conservative ministers of "kneejerk" responses to the terrorism threat from extremists - and the US carried out airstrikes against IS fighters near Amerli in northern Iraq.

Air drops were also made to civilians in the area, including two by British Hercules aircraft, as the Iraqi army evacuated people from the besieged town as Iraqi and Kurdish forces closed in on IS fighters.

A number of Britons are known to have joined Islamic State militants

The UK Government has raised the terror threat to Britain from "substantial" to "severe", although Home Secretary Theresa May said there was no evidence to suggest an attack was "imminent".

Issued by a learned Muslim scholar, a fatwa is an edict that may concern any aspect of Islamic life.

Technically it cannot be revoked and dies only with the person it is imposed on.

The Sunday Times reported six senior Islamic scholars have endorsed the fatwa, describing Britons allied to Islamic State cells as "heretics".

According to the newspaper, the fatwa says Muslims have a "moral obligation" to help those in war-torn Syria and Iraq, but that they should do so "without betraying their own societies".

Lord Ashdown said the terror threat should be countered 'without panic'

The term fatwa rose to prominence in the West in 1989 after the author Salman Rushdie was forced into hiding after having a "death fatwa" issued against him.

It was imposed by Ayatollah Khomeni, then Supreme Leader of Iran, who said Rushdie's book, The Satanic Verses, had "insulted" Islam.

Meanwhile, Lord Ashdown has argued in an article for The Observer that the current terror threat to the UK is one "one we have faced before and one we know how to deal with - effectively, without panic and without a whole new range of executive powers which could endanger our liberties".

"Indeed, when it comes to facing threats, it was surely far more difficult to cope with IRA terrorists slipping across the Irish Sea than it is to stop jihadis returning from Iraq," he wrote.

He said Prime Minister David Cameron had initially seemed to be keen to avoid a rushed response.

But he argued Tory ministers had recently "indulged in a spasm of kneejerking which would have made even St Vitus feel concerned".

"And Labour, frightened as always when it comes to liberty and security, capitulates to the demand."

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Schools Struggling With Free Hot Meals Plan

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

Some primary schools will not be ready to give children free hot meals when term starts this week, it has been warned.

All state educated infants, year one and year two pupils in England are entitled to free school dinners from September under plans announced by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg last year.

A total of £2.30 is being allocated per pupil per day to pay for the scheme, but some councils and schools say they have not had the time or money to create the new kitchens and dining rooms that are needed.

St John Fisher Catholic Primary School in Middlesex will serve meals in the classrooms and use outside caterers until its new kitchen is completed next year.

The school's headteacher, Anne Lyons, told Sky News she supports the plans to give children free food but added: "We've had virtually no funding to implement this, other than the £2.30, which is why we don't have a kitchen.

"We've had to already buy our own furniture, tables and chairs, and so that is a strain on the budget."

Mr Clegg says the changes will ensure all children get a nutritious meal and will save parents and taxpayers money.

However, a survey by the Local Government Association (LGA) published in August found 47% of councils questioned said they had not received enough money from the Department of Education to pay for the changes.

The LGA claimed on average those that were short would need to find around £488,000 to ensure all of the pupils got meals, which could mean taking money from other budgets.

In a statement, a Department for Education spokesman said 239 schools, around 1.5%, would not be ready to serve hot meals at the beginning of term, but will provide cold food.

The statement added: "We have provided significant financial support to schools to help them deliver the policy, including over £1bn over the next two years to pay for the costs of providing the meals.

"Schools and local authorities have also received £150m of additional capital to help upgrade facilities, and we have allocated an extra £22.5m specifically to help small schools."

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Yes Campaign Accused Of 'Sinister' Mobbery

A Scotland referendum No campaigner has accused the Yes campaign of "sinister" street mobbery after his tour visits were disrupted by crowds.

Labour frontbencher Jim Murphy described the abuse as "sinister".

He said his last 12 No campaign meetings had been disrupted by hundreds of "co-ordinated" individuals throwing eggs and hurling abuse.

Mr Murphy has been staging a tour of 100 towns in 100 days with weeks to go until the referendum vote takes place.

The Scottish referendum takes place on September 18

He told Sky News: "I don't mind heckles, do you know what I don't mind people throwing eggs, that's just a dry cleaning bill that's neither here nor there.

"Instead of turning up and crowds of people on all sides, I would turn up and there was an organised mob of yes supporters facilitated through the Yes Scotland organisations, through websites, through Facebook and other social media.

"This is co-ordinated, it's sinister and there have been times, across the period, [there have been] hundreds of people involved in it.

"These are people intending to disrupt and silence undecided voters on street corners so they cannot have their say."

Polls have showed the gap between the two campaigns has narrowed

But Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond hit back at the claims, and said there were "idiots" on both sides.

He said: "I condemn any egg throwing or any intimidation from any side.

"I don't hold press conferences accusing Mr Murphy or the No campaign of orchestrating these events because I know that would be ridiculous to do so.

"If Mr Murphy comes bawling and shouting on a street corner near you anytime soon, keep doing your shopping go on with what you're doing.

"It's just like a guy with the 'end is nigh' around his neck, he'll go away soon.

"Let the rest of us get on with the real story, and that is hundreds of thousands of people, never interested in politics in their lives before, are now engaged in the most engaging, participative and empowering debate in political history."

On Saturday, Prime Minister David Cameron told the Scottish Daily Mail he was "emotional and nervous" over the independence referendum, but confident the Union would remain.

The vote takes place on September 18.

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Ashya's Parents Face Extradition To The UK

The parents of Ashya King, who was taken out of hospital against medical advice, face being extradited to the UK after being arrested in Spain.

Police say officers in the Malaga area pulled over the family's car at 9pm UK time on Saturday and found the five-year-old and his parents inside after a tip-off from a staff member at the hotel in which they were staying.

The boy from Portsmouth, who underwent "extensive surgery" during an operation on his brain tumour seven days ago at Southampton General Hospital, was taken to a hospital in the local area.

Sky sources in Spain said he was in a stable condition, adding there was no prospect of him being transferred to another hospital.

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead, of Hampshire Constabulary, said his parents, Brett King, 51, and Naghemeh King, 45, were in custody after being arrested on a European arrest warrant.

An international search was launched after Ashya was taken on Thursday

In response to criticism about the force's actions, he said: "Faced with the situation that we were, we had medical experts telling us Ashya was in grave danger... if he didn't get the care that he needed there was a potential threat to his life.

"So I make no apologies for being as proactive in this investigation as we have been.

"There are no winners in this situation. I've said all along that this must be a terribly distressing time for Ashya's family."

He said it was too soon to say when Ashya would come back to the UK, but said Southampton General Hospital was liaising with doctors taking care of him in Spain.

Mr Shead said a team of Hampshire police officers would be arriving in Spain later to continue the investigation, as proceedings to extradite Mr and Mrs King to the UK get under way.

French media had picked up the story after Ashya was taken from hospital

The arrests came as footage emerged on video-sharing website YouTube in which Ashya's father, a Jehovah's Witness, insisted they had taken him from hospital to seek a cancer treatment not available on the NHS.

"We were much disturbed today to find that his face is all over the internet and newspapers and we've been labelled as kidnappers, putting his life at risk, neglect," he said.

"As you can see, there's nothing wrong with him. He's very happy actually, since we took him out of hospital."

He said he had spoken to specialists after Ashya's surgery and had requested proton beam treatment, which was not available on the NHS.

Ashya is now being cared for in a Spanish hospital

"We pleaded with them for proton beam treatment. They looked at me straight in the face and said with his cancer - which is called medulloblastoma - it would have no benefit whatsoever," he said.

"I went straight back to my room and looked it up and the American sites and French sites and Switzerland sites where they have proton beam said the opposite, it would be very beneficial for him."

A spokesman for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said it had offered the family access to a second opinion, as well as assistance with organising treatment abroad.

A spokesperson for NHS England said: "Where doctors recommend it, the NHS does fund Proton Beam Therapy including supporting 99 children last year to travel abroad for treatment."

In a Facebook message, Naveed King said a fundraising campaign for his brother Ashya had been launched and asked those wishing to contribute to send their donations to a PayPal account at naveedgamer@gmail.com.

Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood transfusions on religious grounds but are open to other medical procedures.

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