Biggs sheds tears at wedding ceremony

Great train robber Ronnie Biggs today shed a tear as he married his Brazilian ex-lover at a top security jail.

The ailing convict tied the knot with Raimunda Rothen in a private ceremony at Belmarsh Prison, south-east London, attended by their son Michael and two-year-old granddaughter Ingrid.

Biggs, 72, has 28 years of his sentence to run for his part in the 1963 heist, is hardly able to speak and is partially paralysed as a result of four strokes.

But, dressed in a grey suit and blue shirt, he managed to sign his name to seal his marriage to the former samba dancer he met 31 years ago while on the run in Brazil.

He even shed a tear during the ceremony, conducted in a small room in the prison’s chapel building, it is understood.

Afterwards Raimunda, 54, showed off her ring outside the jail when she appeared with Michael. She said: "I’m very happy."

Michael, 27, added: "We are all together now as a family."

There were 11 guests at the wedding, all of whom were searched by security as they arrived.