Mark Lilliot, who Bronson praised in his autobiography, collapsed in his cell last Tuesday morning and was pronounced dead a short time later
Britain's most dangerous prisoner Charles Bronson is mourning the death of his criminal soul mate - a fellow lag who died in jail two days before Christmas.
Mark Lilliot collapsed in his cell last Tuesday morning and was pronounced dead a short time later at HMP Liverpool in Merseyside.
The 54-year-old became a close confidant of Bronson after they struck up a friendship in the 1980s at Risley prison in Warrington, Cheshire.
Bronson, 62, was told his friend had died last weekend, which left him ‘upset and gloomy,’ sources said.
The former cage-knuckle boxer described Lilliot, from Birkenhead, Merseyside, as his ‘special pal’ in his self-titled autobiography.
Bronson wrote: “I am a great believer in fate. Certain people are meant to come into your life. This guy was meant to come into mine, I was sure of it.
“I could feel a closeness towards him. I started to go to the same gym class as him.
"I’ve spent very little time in prison gyms, owing to my years of punishment in solitary, but I can go into a gym and bench-press more than anyone can work up to.
“I noticed that this guy had no fingers at all on one hand, and only half fingers on the other. This guy had suffered terribly, whoever he was.
“He wasn’t like the others. They were loud, boisterous, all trying to be something they weren’t. This guy knew how to conduct himself.
“One day in the recess I spilt water on him. He was cool. He said: ‘Easy, pal.’
“Many wouldn’t have dared say a word but he said it with confidence. I’ve chinned a guy for less - but he was special, a man I respected. That was our first real encounter.
“Soon after, we were like brothers. I learn all about him. He’d actually got burnt as a kid. His name was Mark Lilliot.
“He has proved his loyalty to me every since. He’s a man that I love and respect.”
Bronson, who changed his surname to Salvador in tribute to the painter Dali, was known as a ‘loose cannon’ when younger in prison for his violent outbursts.
He has been moved more than 150 times between prisons and sections.
Bronson is serving life for robbery and kidnap and has spent 40 years in behind bars with 36 years of that in solitary confinement.
After being jailed for seven years in 1974 for robbery Bronson made a name for himself by fighting prison guards, taking other inmates prisoner and starting one man riots.
He is currently in Full Sutton prison near York.
Lilliot was serving a two-year term for making threats to kill.
