Charles Bronson, the notorious prisoner who was once Hull prison’s most infamous inmate, has been filmed dancing n^ked on a jail wing before being pepper-sprayed and piled on by 15 heavily armoured prison officers.

The footage was shown on a Channel 4 programme titled ‘Bronson: Fit to be Free?’

which examined his case for parole.

It is unclear when the incident took place, but Bronson was convicted in 1999 of kidnapping a prison art teacher with a homemade spear for which he received a life sentence.

He has spent nearly 40 years in prison and could be freed within days if his parole hearing considers him safe to release.

The video shows Bronson jumping up and down and dancing n^ked on a prison wing while a group of prison officers wearing body armour and helmets wait to confront him at the other end of the corridor.

The officers then charge down the corridor before one of them appears to hit Bronson with pepper gas from a weapon shot at close range.

He collapses immediately and is quickly detained after being piled on by the officers.

The incident is believed to have inspired the opening scene from the biographical film Bronson, starring Tom Hardy.

The documentary also features an interview with the prison art teacher Phil Danielson who was kidnapped by Bronson.

Danielson spoke out ahead of Bronson’s parole hearing, admitting that he was unable to return to work after being diagnosed with PTSD, and said that the damage caused by Bronson had moulded his whole life.

However, he questioned whether it was better for Bronson to remain in prison for the protection of others or whether his long sentence had been sufficient punishment.

During the documentary, Bronson is shown making video calls to George Bamby, who claims to be his son.

He admits to going “over the top” during the attack on Danielson but says that he “never hurt the man”.

Despite his history of violence, Bronson claims that his crimes have not been as serious as other offences and that he has put that behaviour behind him.

He also claims to be “anti-crime” and “anti-violent”, adding that he can “smell and taste freedom like I’ve never, ever done in my life”.

Bronson, who has been downgraded in prison from high to medium risk, claims to be a changed man and is “coming home” with the help of the “best legal team in the world”.

Bronson has spent decades inside for multiple violent incidents, including attacking over 20 prison guards and inmates and taking hostages in at least ten prison sieges.

He has even served portions of his sentence in secure hospitals such as Broadmoor in Berkshire and Rampton in Nottinghamshire.

However, he has changed his name to Charles Salvador after his artist hero Salvador Dali and says that art is his life now.

He plans to move to Devon, near where Bamby lives in Torbay, if he is released, and live in a caravan making art.

Bamby has set up a JustGiving page which has raised nearly £4,000 to buy a caravan for his father.

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that Bronson’s participation in the documentary is likely to impact his chance of parole.

The hearing is scheduled for March 6th and 8th, and the reviews will be undertaken “thoroughly and with extreme care”.

After a rule change last year, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab could intervene in the case even if the parole board decides to release the violent offender.