The serial killer has spent 46 years in solitary confinement (Image: BBC)
Britain’s most notorious inmate, the serial killer dubbed “Hannibal the Cannibal”, Robert Maudsley, has launched a hunger strike in protest after his PlayStation and TV were confiscated by prison officers.
The infamous murderer, who has endured 46 years of solitary confinement, is demanding the return of his belongings, including non-fiction books and a music system, as reported by the Mirror.
Confined to a glass cell in Wakefield prison, West Yorkshire, since 1983 for a series of murders committed while incarcerated, Maudsley’s recent actions have raised concerns among his family.
His brother, Paul Maudsley, aged 74, expressed his worries to the Mirror: “He’s been refusing food since last Friday so we are very worried about him. He called me from prison that day and he sounded angry and anxious. He told me, ‘I’m going on hunger strike so don’t be surprised if this is the last time I call you.'”
Paul also noted a change in communication, saying, “He used to have access to a phone inside his cell, but he’s stopped calling us back so we think they must have taken it away. Bob is 71 now so we don’t know how long he will be able to survive without food.”
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Robert Maudsley – nicknamed “Hannibal the Cannibal” – is refusing food after guards confiscated his possessions, the Mirror can reveal (Image: Mirror)
The hunger strike is thought to have been sparked by an “operational exercise” at Wakefield on February 26, which saw a lockdown and cell searches amid rumours of a firearm being smuggled into the facility.
Maudsley, famously tagged as Britain’s most dangerous prisoner, has endured over four decades in a 18ft by 15ft glass cell where he spends 23 hours daily in isolation.
Nicknamed “Bob” by family, Maudsley was originally imprisoned at the age of 21 in 1974 for the slaying of John Farrell, 30, accused of child abuse.
Inside, he further took the lives of three individuals he suspected were rapists and paedophiles, which led to his solitary confinement.
He once described his cell experience as akin to “like being buried alive in a coffin.”, reports the .
With the passing of Moors murderer Ian Brady in 2017, who had served 51 years, Maudsley now holds the record as the UK’s longest-serving prisoner.
Paul, a 74 year old retiree from Liverpool, decries Maudsley’s extreme isolation: “Bob is held inside a prison within the prison.”
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Maudsley’s brother said his brother was normally very “polite” but is furious after the guards confiscated his Playstation (Image: Unknown)
Detailing a recent incident, Paul recounted, “For some reason, the main prison went back to normal after the operational exercise, but Bob’s section was out for a couple of days. Bob complained and he’s normally polite, but the prison officers accused him of being abusive.
“When he finally got back in his cell, they had taken everything – his TV, PlayStation, books and radio.”
The deprivation left Maudsley devoid of stimulation, with Paul continuing, “He’s back to how he was 10 years ago when he didn’t have anything to stimulate him and he would just sit there and vegetate and was in danger of going mad.
“He loves playing war games and chess on his PlayStation and he’s always watching old films on TV and reading factual books.
“They’re so important to him, it’s not fair to take them away without a good reason. We can’t get through to anyone to find out what’s going on and we are very concerned.”
The Ministry of Justice has refused to comment on the matter.