The notorious serial killer Robert Maudsley has been in solitary confinement for 46 years because he’s considered far too dangerous to mix with his fellow inmates.
The 71-year-old, who has been locked in a glass cell in HMP Wakefield – also known the Monster Mansion – since 1983 – has been on hunger strike since late February after prison guards confiscated his PlayStation and TV.
Nicknamed Hannibal the Cannibal, Maudsley holds record for the longest-serving British prisoner in solitary confinement.
READ MORE: Geri Halliwell ditches married name with big career change following sexting scandal
READ MORE: ‘Fit and healthy’ young dad-of-two died after collapsing at work
He was initially jailed in 1974, when he was aged 21, for the murder of child abuser John Farrell, 30 but while inside for murder he killed another three men he believed to be rapists and paedophiles.
His killing spree led to him being dubbed Britain’s most dangerous prisoner and he was placed in solitary confinement where he has to stay 23 hours a day.
Reports at the time claimed Maudsley had actually eaten one of his victim’s brains, earning him the nickname of ‘Hannibal the Cannibal’ but Maudsley has denied that any cannibalism occurred during the attacks. However, he is the UK’s longest-serving prisoner after Moors murderer Ian Brady, who served 51 years in prison, died in 2017.
And if you’re wondering what it’s like inside his glass cell where he is cooped up for 23 hours a day – Maudsley once likened it to “being buried alive in a coffin”.
Complete with bulletproof windows, Maudsley is given food through a small slot in the door. His table and chair have been fashioned out of compressed cardboard, while his cell lavatory and sink are bolted to the floor.
Maudsley has recently gone on hunger strike since his Playstation, TV books and music system were taken away during a search on February 26. In an exclusive interview, his brother Paul Maudsley, 74, said ‘Bob’ as he’s known to his family has been refusing food since officers refused to return his items.
“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.’
“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.”
“Bob is held inside a prison within the prison. “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. 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 previously declined to comment.
