Great Train Robber back in Britain

After nearly four decades on the lam, Britain's favourite fugitive is back home and back in jail.

• INDEPTH: Ronnie Biggs and the Great Train Robbery

Famous for his part in what's known as the Great Train Robbery, Ronnie Biggs, 71, landed at a military airfield near London early Monday morning after 36 years as a fugitive.

His flight from Rio de Janeiro in a 14-seat Dessault jet hired by a tabloid newspaper took less than the 13 hours expected.

• FROM MAY 6, 2001: 'Great Train Robber' turns himself in

Dozens of police officers met the plane at the Northolt air base. They arrested him shortly after the plane landed and then sped to London in a police van escorted by six cruiser cars.

His first stop was a court room. "The law requires me to return you to prison, which I will now do," said the judge.

The tabloid newspaper, The Sun, broke the story saying Biggs is broke and he wanted to go home for medical treatment after suffering several strokes. The paper also paid for the private jet carrying him home.

Known as the "Great Train Robber," in 1963 Biggs took part in a daring heist of 2.5 million pounds (or about $100 million Cdn today) from a Glasgow to London night train.

He escaped Wandsworth Prison in 1965, 15 months into his prison sentence for the crime. Biggs travelled under an alias to Australia, Argentina and Bolivia before settling in Brazil. He spent part of his loot on plastic surgery and fake travel documents.

Accompanying Biggs on his long flight home was his son Michael, born in Brazil.

Biggs's marriage to a Brazilian woman and the fact they had a son helped keep Biggs from extradition once British authorities found him in 1974.

All attempts to get him out of Brazil failed, including deportation, extradition and kidnapping.

Then last week, Biggs surprised the world by telling British authorities he wanted to come home.

Brazilian authorities had insisted that Briggs sign a declaration that he was leaving of his own free will. "He seemed happy to be going home," said one Brazilian police officer.

• FROM MAY 3, 2001: 'Great Train' fugitive asks to come home

Biggs said he was a little concerned that he was going back to Britain's cold weather because he didn't have a sweater. "I don't want to get back to England and catch my death of cold," he said.

Biggs still has 28 years left in his sentence, which the British Home Office says he will have to serve.