Biggs' son to make birthday plea

The son of train robber Ronnie Biggs was today marking his 27th birthday with an appeal to the Home Secretary to reduce his father’s sentence on compassionate grounds.

Michael Biggs was asking David Blunkett to refer the ailing crook’s case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The 72-year-old former fugitive is in declining health in the medical wing of Belmarsh top security prison in south-east London.

His son has called a press conference today to outline why he believes the prison is an ‘‘unsuitable’’ place for Biggs, who has suffered four strokes and is fed through a tube.

Michael was also spelling out why he is asking for a compassionate review of his father’s 30-year sentence.

Biggs’ health has been poor since he returned to Britain.

Earlier this week he spent the day at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Greenwich, south London, to have an emergency blood transfusion, and in June he was there for a week after suffering a stroke.

The robber returned to the UK from self-imposed exile in Brazil in May, contacting Scotland Yard detectives from Rio and offering to give himself up after more than three decades on the run.

He was immediately arrested on his return and after a brief court appearance was ordered to continue the 30-year sentence he was given for his part in the 1963 robbery.

Michael Biggs, who is Brazilian, has also been battling to stay in Britain after his visa runs out.

He has said if he was deported it would ‘‘destroy’’ his father.

The Home Office said no conditions for his removal had been set and the case was being kept under ‘‘constant review’’ in the light of his father’s condition.