BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Great Train robber Ronnie Biggs, 79, was refused parole after a judge called him "wholly unrepentant" about his crimes.

    Biggs' health condition worsened immediately after his long-running application was turned down by Justice Secretary Jack Straw Wednesday. He was later taken to hospital.

    "Biggs is wholly unrepentant and the Parole Board found his propensity to breach trust a very significant factor," Justice Straw said in a statement.

    Biggs and 11 other gang members, robbed a Glasgow-to-London mail train in 1963 and stole 2.6 million pounds -- about 30 million pounds. The crime became known as "The Great Train Robbery."

    He was caught and sentenced the following year but escaped from prison after just 15 months.

    He used his share of the loot to pay for plastic surgery and papers for a passage to Australia where he returned to his old job of carpenter and decorator. He later fled to Brazil via Panama and Venezuela.

    He surrendered to police in 2001 after 36 years on the run and is now serving the rest of his sentence at Norwich prison in eastern England.

    "Biggs chose to serve only one-year of a 30-year sentence before he took the personal decision to commit another offence and escape prison, avoiding capture by traveling abroad for 35 years while outrageously courting the media," said Justice Straw in the statement.

    "I am refusing the Parole Board's recommendation for parole," said Justice Straw.

    (Agencies)