BRITAIN'S most dangerous convict has claimed he was assaulted by staff at top-security Full Sutton jail, near York.

Armed robber Charles Bronson, 50, who once threatened to eat a hostage, made the allegations in a national Sunday newspaper.

Bronson said he was assaulted by prison guards on two occasions in the last month when he complained about being deprived of his daily exercise.

A Home Office spokeswoman said that the allegations were initially made by Bronson's psychiatrist, Dr Johnson, after an incident in early January when Bronson smashed up stainless steel sinks, broke reinforced window panes and ripped tiles from walls.

She said allegations of assault by prison officers were being strongly denied, but that a police investigation was under way.

She said: "We refute allegations by Dr Johnson, who examined Charles Bronson three weeks after he sustained his injuries.

"Bronson refused medical treatment from health care staff."

Bronson was sentenced to eight years in jail in 1974 for armed robbery. but he has remained in prison for more than a quarter of a century because of his violent acts in prison.

He claimed he suffered severe damage to his kidneys and was left deaf in one ear by an attack on February 5.

Bronson also claims to have been punched, kicked and strangled by guards ten days later when he protested about being given less than an hour's exercise.

He has been moved from Full Sutton to Whitemoor jail in Cambridgeshire. It is not known whether the move has any connection with the allegations.

Updated: 11:17 Monday, March 03, 2003