John Hirst (born 18 November 1950) is a British convicted murderer and campaigner for prisoners' rights.
On 23 June 1979, Hirst killed Mrs. Bronia Burton, with whom he was lodging while out on parole from a two-year burglary sentence, in Burghfield, Berkshire, with an axe, hitting her seven times.
Hirst said that Burton, with whom he had been lodging for eleven days, nagged him constantly when he went out, and he felt no remorse.
Hirst used the book to successfully sue the prison governors over the disappearance of his personal property.
[2] In the event Hirst served 25 years due to violent behaviour and other offences while in prison, being released in 2004.