Britain's longest serving prisoner has embarked on a remarkable literary project from within the confines of his cell, chronicling his extraordinary life story after more than five decades behind bars.
A Life Behind Glass
Robert Maudsley, now 72 years old, has spent an astonishing 52 years in prison, with a record-breaking 17,000 days of that time in what amounts to solitary confinement. The inmate, nicknamed 'Hannibal the Cannibal' by fellow prisoners, has lived most of his adult life in a specially constructed glass cell, designed to allow prison staff to observe him before entering his space.
The Memoir Project
Despite his extraordinary circumstances, Maudsley has reportedly nearly completed writing his autobiography. His girlfriend, Londoner Loveinia Grace Mackenney, 71, who communicates with him weekly, revealed: "He is writing a book. He said to me: 'It is all about me and I have nearly finished it'. He says that he has found a publisher, he has someone looking at it now. It is being edited."
Mackenney, who first wrote to Maudsley five years ago after seeing him in the television documentary 'Killer in the Family', emphasised his remarkable resilience: "He has been in all those years but he still has a fantastic sense of humour, he always makes me laugh, he is something else. He has such resilience, and you cannot go out and buy that."
Extraordinary Confinement
Maudsley's confinement conditions have drawn comparisons to the fictional character Hannibal Lecter from 'The Silence of the Lambs'. From 1983 until last April, he spent 23 hours daily in a glass cell measuring 18 by 15 feet at Wakefield Prison, which he described in a letter to The Times as "like being buried alive in a coffin".
Recent Developments
Last year, Maudsley was transferred 125 miles from Wakefield to HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire, where he now resides on F wing, a unit specifically designed for inmates with personality disorders. He has not received a single visitor since this relocation.
The Ministry of Justice has stated that his privileges have been restored, allowing him to make phone calls from prison and enjoy half an hour outside his cell daily for exercise and showering. However, Maudsley remains vigilant about his treatment, keeping detailed prison documents to record his concerns "in case something happens to him".
Criminal History and Current Status
Maudsley was originally sentenced to life imprisonment in 1974 for killing child abuser John Farrell. While incarcerated, he killed three fellow prisoners he believed to be rapists and paedophiles, famously telling a guard after his last two killings: "There'll be two short on the roll call."
Once considered the most dangerous inmate in the British penal system, he became the UK's longest serving prisoner following the death of Moors murderer Ian Brady in 2017, who had served 51 years.
Legal Challenges and Personal Struggles
Maudsley has sought legal advice regarding potential action against the Prison Service for alleged human rights breaches. Last year, he went on hunger strike following a dispute about the removal of his PlayStation, television, and other privileges before his transfer from Wakefield.
Despite his violent history and extreme confinement, those who know him describe a complex individual with a high IQ, a love of books and classical music, and an unexpectedly positive outlook on life after more than half a century in prison.
