Summer Freedom Hope For Ronnie Biggs - 19th Feb 2009 10:23am
Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs could walk free from prison this summer, it has emerged.
![[Linked Image]](http://1.2.3.12/bmi/news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Feb/Week3/15223250.jpg)
The case for the 79-year-old's early release from Norwich Prison is to be assessed at a parole board hearing in July.
Biggs has been in custody for nine years, after being on the run for more than three decades.
His son Michael said the family had been visited by probation and parole officers to discuss the possibility of life for Biggs outside prison.
He said he was expecting his father to be freed by the authorities after the hearing.
"Hopefully, everything is working the way we want it to work, he will be able to move to a nursing home as due to the level of care that my father needs I will not be able to look after him," Mr Biggs told ITV News.
"I think the public will be appalled to see what state my father is in once he gets released from prison. I don't think people are expecting to see someone so frail and so old."
His solicitors argue he is eligible for parole because he has served a third of his sentence.
Biggs was part of the August 8, 1963 raid on the Glasgow to London mail train at Ledburn, Bucks.
The 15-strong gang made off with £2.6m.
He was given a 30-year sentence but escaped from Wandsworth prison in a furniture van after spending 15 months in jail.
He then went on the run in Spain, Australia and Brazil, before returning to the UK voluntarily in 2001 because of ill-health.
While in custody, Biggs has suffered a series of strokes and is said to be unable to speak properly.
Earlier this week, he was returned to Norwich prison from hospital where he was being treated for a bout of pneumonia.
SKY NEWS.COM
The case for the 79-year-old's early release from Norwich Prison is to be assessed at a parole board hearing in July.
Biggs has been in custody for nine years, after being on the run for more than three decades.
His son Michael said the family had been visited by probation and parole officers to discuss the possibility of life for Biggs outside prison.
He said he was expecting his father to be freed by the authorities after the hearing.
"Hopefully, everything is working the way we want it to work, he will be able to move to a nursing home as due to the level of care that my father needs I will not be able to look after him," Mr Biggs told ITV News.
"I think the public will be appalled to see what state my father is in once he gets released from prison. I don't think people are expecting to see someone so frail and so old."
His solicitors argue he is eligible for parole because he has served a third of his sentence.
Biggs was part of the August 8, 1963 raid on the Glasgow to London mail train at Ledburn, Bucks.
The 15-strong gang made off with £2.6m.
He was given a 30-year sentence but escaped from Wandsworth prison in a furniture van after spending 15 months in jail.
He then went on the run in Spain, Australia and Brazil, before returning to the UK voluntarily in 2001 because of ill-health.
While in custody, Biggs has suffered a series of strokes and is said to be unable to speak properly.
Earlier this week, he was returned to Norwich prison from hospital where he was being treated for a bout of pneumonia.
SKY NEWS.COM
