Charles Bronson, born Michael Gordon Peterson, is a notorious prisoner in the UK who has spent most of his life behind bars. He was first jailed in 1974 at the age of 22 for armed robbery and wounding. Since then, he has been in and out of prison for a string of thefts, firearms, and violent offenses, including 11 hostage-taking incidents in nine different sieges. He has earned a reputation as a violent and dangerous inmate, and has been involved in numerous attacks on prison staff and other inmates.

Bronson has been held in several different prisons throughout his life, including HM Prison Liverpool, Hull, Brixton, Wandsworth, Full Sutton, Durham, and Long Lartin). As of March 2023, he is being held at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, which is a high-security prison that holds dangerous category A offenders among its inmates.

Bronson has made several attempts to be released from prison, but has been repeatedly denied parole by the Parole Board due to his history of persistent rule-breaking and his violent behavior. In March 2023, he lost his latest bid for freedom and the panel said he was not suitable for release.