Diary of a very sick man! 28/1/03

Dear Friends,
After hours of research,i enclose a Diary,of my close friend,73 year old
Ronnie Biggs,since his UK return to High Security Belmarsh Prison on 7th May
2001,it is indeed,a diary of a very,very sick man..............7th May 2001..........Returns to UK,after suffering two strokes in Brazil
(The first in 1997)
3rd June 2001.........Rushed from Prison to Woolwich Hospital (Suffering a
third stroke).
4th June 2001.........While in Hospital,Ronnie is double handcuffed to the
bed.
8th June 2001.........Taken back to Prison,after only 5 days in Hospital.
12th Aug 2001.........Rushed from Prison to Woolwich Hospital (Emergency
Blood Transfusion).
22nd Sept 2001........Rushed from Prison to Woolwich Hospital (Internal
Bleeding).
2nd Nov 2001..........Rushed from Prison to Woolwich Hospital (Passing blood
& vomitting).
October 2002..........Ronnie is banged up for 23 hours a day in his cell.
October 2002..........Ronnie is not allowed association,with his fellow
inmates,so cannot write his own VO's.
November 2002........Ronnie is diagnosed with skin cancer (he is not treated
for two weeks).
November 2002........Ronnie is not allowed a bath for two weeks (due to
Hospital staff shortages).
14th Jan 2003.........Ronnie assualted by a Member of the Prison Staff.
Throughout the above dates,Ronnie has been regularly told,that Michael would
be deported from the UK,and would have no-one to care for him,after numerous
Court appearances,to kick Michael out,this mental torture must of taken a
toll on the already very ill Ronnie.
Ronnies time in Custody,from arrest in September 1963 to sentencing in
April 1964,then to his escape in July 1965,& UK return in May 2001 to the
present date,means Ronnie has served a total of 3 YEARS & 8 MONTHS,coupled
with his very poor health record (above),surely 2003 must bring the release
of Ronnie Biggs.
I for one,hope so,Mike Gray.

Michael Biggs visits his Father after brutal attack by Prison Officer!
15/1/03

Mick,
Good afternoon, hope you are well,
I spoke to a very tearful Michael Biggs on Monday evening,after reading
about the assault in the Dailies,for once they seemed to have got the facts
correct.
Michael visited Ronnie on Monday afternoon,and confirmed that Ron had been
"Karate kicked",which caused him to fall,and was then punched in the
stomach,before he hit the deck (I'd like the screw to try that on me),
Ronnie has bruising,and has reoccuring stomach pains as a result of the
punch,Michael said five fellow inmates,did see the incident,and an internal
enquiry is being conducted (Can you imagine the grief those five fellas will
get,if they tell the truth ?)
Michaels visit resulted in him seeing Ronnie cry his eyes out,for the first
time since being in Belmarsh,from May 2001,As i've said before Mick,i've
visited once a month for the past 18 months,and Ronnie has never broke down
before,regardless,because he has always said,he will not let the
bastards,see that they are getting him down,so this assault,has totally
broken the man.
Not only do we have Old Bill,being arrested for Child Porn offences,now,the
screws seem to think its hard,to give a good hiding to a 73 year old
crippled pensioner,what a society this is ?
If Ronnie had died through his injuries,would the screw be done for
manslaughter ?
Take Care Mick,and i'll mail you,should Michael have further news on his
Dad,
Thanks again,for your report on the incident on your web site,
Mike Gray.

2 weeks and still no treatment or baths!

Mick
I visited again last week and the situation is the same. NO treatment for his skin cancer, NO bath now for 2 weeks, NO association and still banged up for 23 hours a day.
Also some bastard has nicked his watch, the same watch he went into nick with in 196. It was returned to him last May 2001 and recently its gone.
The screws must be collecting Biggs memrobilia but they will need proof of Authentication before selling it, stupid bastards. Talk to you soon Mick

Mike

No treatment and no baths for Ronnie!!!!

Mick, Good morning
hope you are well.
Yesterday (November 28th) I visited Ronnie with Michael in Belmarsh. Ronnie informed us that since his skin cancer was diagnosed last week, he has recieved no treatmentand seen no specialist. Also he said he had not had a bath for a week. How outrageous is that ?
Ronnie asked the Senior medical officer who he refers to as The Dragon and she said the Prison did not have enough Care assistants to bathe him and so Ron has been having a daily strip wash in his cell
Lucky enough he said the cell has hot water in the sink and the radiators are warm.

To add insult to injury Ronnie has been banged up 23 hours of the day. He has not been allowed Association so cannot mix with his friends. The guy on the next visiting table said he had witnessed Ron trying his best to have a strip wash (dont forget this is a 73 year old,who has suffered 3 strokes and finds it difficult to move let alone wash his whole body).

The visit was not all doom and gloom. Ronnie with his usual sharp sense of humour was casting his roving eye over the young ladies on the visit and was in a cheerful mood. One thing with Ron, he never lets his Captors see that he is down and its this fighting spirit which gives Michael & all of us Campaigners the hope, that he believes freedom will be quick in coming.

His choice of music has taken a drastic change. Michael sent his Dad a CD demo of Michaels band. Ron said he enjoyed it but then asked us to send in the following CD's....Swan Lake & The 18th Symphany...???

Anyway Mick, during the visit Michael mentioned Joey Pyle & Freddie Foreman and Ron's response was a "Thumbs Up",which is Rons way of saying Send my best wishes to them and thank them for the support and for caring about Michael.
Michael is on SKY News this Monday (December 2nd) at 10.30 AM, he is doing an interveiw on the Law Lords release scheme and after what Ron told us yesterday, Michael will have a lot to say.

Take Care Mick, And as usual thank you for your support and everyone connected with you

Mike Gray.

Ronnie Biggs has skin cancer 22/11/02

Hi everyone
I have a bit of bad news that I have to pass on to you all.

Mike Gray who is in constant contact with Ronnie Biggs informs me that Ron has skin cancver on his chest and back.

Mike's email says more than I can at this moment. It is posted below. My regards to you Ron, your wife and Mike Biggs.

Also thanks Mike Gray for keeping me in touch with what is happening

all the best....

Good afternoon to you all
I have just been speaking to Michael Biggs,and he has told me that Ronnie now has skin cancer on his chest & back.
This is a devastating blow to all of us as Ronnie has been keeping strong over the past months, even though he still cannot walk un-aided, eat, speak, dress himself, or go to the toilet on his own.
Please let me know,if anyone can suggest any ideas,on raising funds, not only for Ronnie, but for Michael, who is living on a day to day existance.
Please mail myself of any ideas/Suggestions, you may have and please pass on this message to your many friends, On behalf of Michael & Ronnie, Thank you for your loyal & continued support.

Mr Blunkett......Enough is Enough !!!

Mike Gray

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RONNIE BIGGS!!!!!! 8...august 2002

Ronnie Biggs is 73 today.

It is also the anniversary of the Great Train Robbery which took place 39 years ago in 1963.

39 years on and we have learnt nothing.

Ronnie Biggs is still being held in prison.

39 years on....okay Mr Blunkett the joke is on Ronnie....but no one is laughing!

You have made your point...you can rape and murder our children, you can blow up cities and towns but don't steal our cash!.....what a country.

all the best....Mick

UK passport for Biggs's son ....24/9/02

Congratulations Mike on obtaining your UK passport.
It is well deserved!

Below is an article from the Evening Standard 24/9/02 reporting on the result.

Great train robber Ronnie Biggs's son has been given a British passport.

Brazilian-born Michael Biggs acquired British citizenship after his fugitive father married Michael's mother, Raimunda Rothen, at high-security Belmarsh prison in south-east London on July 10.

He received his passport two weeks later. Michael, 27, had previously been refused citizenship and wanted it so he could travel freely between his family in Brazil and the UK to visit his ailing 73-year-old father.

Michael told the BBC: "Once they got married I was allowed to get my citizenship.

"My father had asked my mother to get married on a few occasions, but we just didn't think it was appropriate at the time. It was something they wanted to do a few years ago, and wanted to do last year.

"We thought it wouldn't look too good, so we didn't do it and held that back until the last minute.

"When we saw there was absolutely no way out - that I was going to get kicked out of the country - I spoke to my mum and dad and said: "This is the time. Regardless that it will look bad, it will help my situation'."

He said spending so much time in Britain had put a strain on his own relationship but there was now "no problem" travelling between the two countries.

Michael also repeated his criticisms of the authorities" decision to keep his father in jail. "He has had three strokes. He can't speak. He can't walk properly. He needs aid to bathe and clothe himself.

"My father is not an innocent man, he committed a crime. But the 55 years he received, with a minimum of 30, is a bit over the top when you look at sentences being handed out now for much worse crimes," Michael said.

RONNIE BIGGS MARRIES! 10/7/02

Ronnie Biggs married in Belmarsh prison today attended by close friends and family.
He married Raimunda Rothen the mother of his son Michael.

Her pregnancy and the subsequent birth of her son saved Ronnie from being brought back to England.

Raimunda said that Ronnie has asked her 4 times over the years to marry him and has said no.
When asked why she has said yes now she replied "It is the last wish of a dying man".

Some newspapers have said that it is just an attempt to influence the authorities in Michael's fight to stay in this country.

If that is the case then all I can say is keep trying Mike and use every avenue that is open to you.

Whatever the motives for the marriage I wish them all well and hope that eventually the Government will see sense and release this old, sick man.

Mike Gray who attended the wedding and reception sent me this email:

Mick Good afternoon to you,hope you are well,

Yesterday............

Raimunda & Mike turned up an hour late,due to traffic,but the service was an emotional one.

Ronnie looked smart in his new suit, and as usual had his wicked sense of humour with him.
Raimunda had to speak in english which she found difficult but got through it, and when the vicar pronounced them husband & wife, Ron started crying.
He seemed so happy and was very emotional throughout. Seeing all his family in one place made a great photo. The screw took 20 photos but as usual they remain Prison property. When Ron was posing for a Husband & Wife shots the cheeky chap slipped his arm round Raimunda and started to grope her. We all cracked up, even the vicar said "Calm down Ron'. Also Mick, the vicar had a sense of humour,which made the whole service very light hearted. Afterwards we went to a lovely pub in Mayfair for a reception. Some of Rons friends were also there, Mr Foreman, Mr Lambrianou, Mr Pyle, Bruce, Nick etc, and it was a great afternoon, the hospitality of the pub,did Ronnie proud. I sent a Thank you card to Greg at the pub to say thank you on behalf of all of us connected to The Biggs Family. Now Mick,we will have to wait and see what the Home Office are going to do with Ron now he has been de-graded to a Cat "C". Open Prison hopefully and soon. Anyway take Care and hope to see you soon.

Mike Gray.

RONNIE BIGGS UPDATE 4/6/02

Letter from Mike Gray
Letter from Mike Biggs

Mike Gray, Ronnie Biggs greatest supporter and now one of his closest friends has asked me to distribute a letter to you all from Mike Biggs in the hope of gaining your support through these difficult times for both Ronnie and Mike Biggs.

Lack of funds and Mike Biggs ban from working in this country has left them in a very difficult situation.

To try and alleviate this, Mike Gray is selling his vast collection of newspaper clippings in order to support a benefit night and newspaper campaign for Ron's release. This collection can be found on www.ebay.com If you are interested in bidding they are on offer now under the following headings:

Books, Non Fiction, True Crime
Item numbers.....

1540150887

1540151435

1540152534

1540154026

1540155361

1540156618

1540158512

Below is the letter sent to me from Mike Gray

Letter from Mike Gray

Mick, How are you my freind?

With Michael now hitting rock bottom financially, i have advertised my 38 year Biggs Press cuttings collection on an Auction site.

I have said to Michael that although it was a heartbreaking decision, the money i could provide to help Ronnie is more beneficial than the collection sat in my loft.

Should i be lucky enough to sell it, i will donate 50% of all monies to Ronnies cause.

In the past 12 months Mick, Discovery TV, ITN, BBC, National Press, have all filmed or photographed it for their programmes, and not one of them paid me a penny, although to give Ronnie & Michael good positive publicity, i was happy at the end of the day, for the Media to show interest. Thieving Bastards.

It is sad that we, connected with Mike & Ronnie, are now taking this "cap in hand" approach, and appealing to our own,by that i mean working class people who have supported Ron & Mike, when over the years, i can remember so many "Financially well off Household names",saying how much they support Ronnie and are very close freinds with him. well lets see who stands up now,and wants to be counted, even if they do not want the publicity, surely they could donate annonymously.

If a donation from them is out of the question, then an appearance at the Benefit night would be just as welcome.

It was only a couple of years ago, i approached Ron,and said how about us doing a book called "Dear Mr Biggs", and in it we were going to detail all the celebrities over the years, who have admired him, or gone out of their way to visit him in Rio, even if it was for their own promotional gain, they still did it.

Rod Stewart Band, The Rolling Stones,Sting,Maxi Priest,Uri Geller,Ozzie Osbourne,Sean Ryder & Happy Mondays,Anthea Turner,Paul Cook & Steve Jones (ex Sex Pistols),Die Toten Hosen (German Punk Band),etc,etc.

Take Care Mick, and we'll have a beer at the Benefit Evening.

Mike

Letter from Mike Biggs

FUNDRAISING/BENEFIT NIGHT

Up until now, Iíve been running the Free Ronnie Biggs campaign together with Giovanni a close friend of my father's and I from Rio. The campaign has been run from our website www.ronniebiggs.com I have now reached a point where I have exhausted all my funds and must make the most difficult decision of my life, do I throw in the towel and return to Brazil or do I stay and fight for my father's release?

After a great deal of thought I've reached the decision that I owe it to my father to carry on the fight. If I were to leave, I'd be admitting defeat and my father would be left to die a broken man in prison. What could be worse than dying in prison without your family around you? I would never forgive myself if I abandoned my father in such a way. I love him far too much to allow that to happen.

I realise that the only way for the campaign to make a significant impact on the powers that be, is to raise much-needed funds.

The most frustrating thing for me is that unless the Home Office grant me a visa, I am not allowed to undertake any form of employment, not even voluntary work. I can't tell you how totally helpless that makes me feel.

To raise awareness and to gain some invaluable publicity, we've had the idea of holding a Free Ronnie Biggs benefit night, which will take place in London towards the end of July. We will be inviting celebrity friends of my father to take part in a night of entertainment, and we very much hope you'll be able to attend. From the list of musicians, actors etc who have met my father and are sympathetic to his current situation, we'll be putting together an evening of music, readings and guest speakers. The night will culminate in an auction of some of my father's memorabilia. I estimate the cost of putting the event together will be in the region of £5 - 7000. We are also planning on placing a display announcement in one of the national newspapers to print the open letter, which I sent to the Home Secretary, David Blunkett. The cost involved in placing such an announcement is between £10-15000. This will give public exposure to the unfair treatment my father is receiving, and hopefully generate a swell of opinion behind our campaign.

Our target is £25,000. To achieve this, a £10 donation from you will really help in getting the campaign up and running. Needless to say, if you can afford to, please send more. The campaign will prove to the British Government that there are many fair-minded people out there who object to the inhumane treatment my father is receiving. If the campaign results in my father being freed, then you will have helped to give my father back his human dignity. We need £25,000 to really get this campaign off the ground and realistically you're my only hope of getting justice for my father, Ronnie Biggs.

If you wish to help, please get moving now as the one thing my father doesn't have is time.

Yours truly, Michael Biggs

If you would like to send a donation the address to write to is:

The Free Ronnie Biggs Appeal PO Box 34053
London N21 3WB

Cheques or postal orders should be made out to 'Free Ronnie Biggs'. We have the facilities to receive cheques in whatever currency, for those people living outside of the UK. Your donation, however small, will be greatly appreciated.

If you'd prefer to make a deposit at your bank, or indeed make a money transfer the account details are as follows:

HSBC Bank
The Free Ronnie Biggs Appeal Fund
Sort code: 40-02-17 Account number: 71391925

RONNIE BIGGS UPDATE 28/3/02

MICHAEL BIGGS GOES TO THE ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE
ON BEHALF OF HIS FATHER

Michael Biggs, son of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs, will go to the Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand, WC2 this Thursday (28/3/02) to lodge an application to judicially review the recent decision of the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The CCRC had ruled that Ronnie's case should not go to the Court of Appeal and had refused the application to do so.

Michael will be accompanied by his solicitors Richard Mallett and Kirsty Porter of Leftley Mallett Solicitors. An initial hearing is expected to take place the same day.

Michael will read a short statement outlining the grounds of this appeal following the hearing. Michael, who recently had his application to stay in the country to support his father turned down, visits his father as often as he is allowed (dependent on the good will of other prisoners to fill out the visiting orders). Ronnie remains in the hospital wing of top security Belmarsh prison.

Press contact: Judy Totton Publicity 020 7371 8158/8159 or 07798 806079

RONNIE BIGGS UPDATE 7/3/02

Good morning to you all

Yesterday Mike appeared at Chancery Lane Immigration Appeal Court and the hearing only lasted 30 minutes.

Mike's new Barristers argued his appeal and the judge has said he will give an answer in 4/6 weeks.

I went with Mike, his Mother Raimunda and Gio.

It was great to see Mike's mum Raimunda with him.She is in the UK for a week and she sat holding Mike's hand and was tearful throughout.

The Press converged on them both at the Court and the one question they all wanted to know was when is Ronnie and Raimunda getting married (as seen in News Of the World on Sunday March 3rd) ?

Raimunda didn't give much away but the marraige is definetly ON.

She is visiting Ronnie this week so it should be the start of a massive Media frenzy.

Mike is still very confident about his appeal and his Barristers say they have a very good appeal case. Let's hope so.

Take Care Chaps, Speak to you all soon, Mike.

RONNIE BIGGS UPDATE 4/12/01

Mick, Good morning
yesterday morning was a devastating blow, we all listened to the Adjudicator sum up on MIchael,and all seemed well, until the last three points, which went totally against Mike.

I lost count of the amount of times, that Michael was referred to as " a very honest,credable appellant", if that was the case,why not grant him the visa ?

In the afternoon, i went with Mike to visit Ron and to tell him the result.

That was total heartbreak for the pair of them.

It was a moment i will remember for the rest of my life. Ron looks to Mike for daily help in speech/comunication etc, even the Hospital staff have difficulty understanding Ron.

Mike is THE ONLY PERSON who understands him.

An appeal to the High Court is in place, it is the only chance Michael has of remaining in the UK.

Should Mike be expelled, i can see Ronnie giving up on life Mick.

Our Goverment will be left with blood on their hands YET AGAIN.

Ronnie was expected to be transferred back to Belmarsh today, i saw him yesterday and he looked as frail and ill as ever.

Who makes these fucking decisions ? Whoever is responsible,should be done for manslaughter should anything happen to Ron.

Take Care Mick, i will keep you informed, Mike Gray.

RONNIE BIGGS UPDATE 28/9/01

Here is an email sent to me by Mike Gray who has recently visited Ronnie in hospital.

Mick, Good morning to you, hope you are well, i visited Ronnie in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich yesterday, along with Mike Biggs.

It is only a couple of weeks since i last saw him, and he is deteriorating fast Mick.

He was in good spirits early afternoon, even though in the small cramped hospital room, we had two screws sat with us, but as it turned out they were very helpful, and were sympathetic towards Ronnie's treatment, by the Home Office.

Ron was chatting to us via his electronic keyboard, a tool used for stroke victims, and as usual his sense of humour was razor sharp. He is still being fed via a tube through his nose, but was able to get out of bed to go to the bathroom, with Mike holding his arm.

Every hour he would drift into a sleep, so we left him every other hour, and when we returned about 4pm he had taken a turn for the worst, vomitting and not wanting to speak at all, he just lay their with a saddening stare in his eyes.

Ronnie told us that when he was brought into the hospital Friday night at 1am, he was "DOUBLE-CUFFED" , can you believe it, even the two screws could not believe it, one even said, "he's just a harmless old man, who poses a threat to no-one" ? Yeah, tell it to your Govenor then ??

When we left about 6pm,Mike was told by the hospital that Ron would be kept in until Tuesday, looking at him MIck, he should be kept in Hospital for at least a month.

Mike & Ron endured a very sad and tearful goodbye, it was the first time, i had seen Mike so distressed, i think he knows the situation is turning into a grave one, lets all hope not. Should you want any other information from me Mick, just e-mail me, once again, THANK YOU & YOUR SUPPORTERS/FRIENDS, for all the support and interest, they have in Ron. Speak to you soon Mick, All the best. Mike Gray.

Also an update from Mike Biggs below

Dear Friend, As you may be aware, my father's health has been deteriorating recently. He was taken into hospital in the early hours of Friday 21/9 suffering internal bleeding and is still there. It is therefore of paramount importance that enough pressure is exerted on the government forcing them to review his case immediately.

The many letters and e-mails (350 Blunkett, 250 CCRC e-mails to date) received by the Home Secretary and the Criminal Cases Review Commission will not have gone unnoticed. However, in order for them to review my father's case sooner rather than later, more has to be done. For this reason, a petition has been prepared which will be sent to the House of Commons requesting that they consider releasing my father, Ronald Arthur Biggs.

If the letters and e-mails of support my father and I have received are anything to go by, then there are many fair-minded people such as yourself who'd be prepared to sign the petition.

If you'd like to receive the petition, please send me your home address and I'll send you a copy (I stress that your address will not be passed on to anybody, but will only be in order for me to send you the petition and a SAE). I would urge you to ask like-minded family members and friends to put their names to it.

I apologise for not personalising this e-mail but I felt it needed to be sent out as soon as possible. The one thing that my father doesn't have is time and I can only hope and pray that this petition will convince the government that my father does not deserve to die in prison. My kindest regards, Michael Biggs