A Bradford man has struck up a bizarre pen-pal friendship with the murderer of Beatle John Lennon.

In his amazing letters, Mark Chapman, who is serving a 20-year sentence for shooting Lennon, admits he deserves to stay behind bars for the rest of his life.

Music promoter Rocco Buonvino, of Rudding Avenue, Allerton, struck up his strange association with Chapman after spending a year and a half writing to the killer at Attica prison, New York.

And when the letters started arriving, Chapman opened his heart saying the killing of Lennon was "a heinous crime" and a "horrible occurrence," and he never had a hatred of the star.

Mr Buonvino said: "I have always loved the Beatles and I was fascinated by Mark Chapman and why he did it.

"Some people have said to me that they can't understand how I could associate with someone who had killed John Lennon.

"But the way I look at it is that it's happened now and nothing can change it. It's part of the Beatles history now regardless of what he's done."

Chapman, now 43, shot Lennon five times in December 1980 outside the star's apartment in New York.

The killer was brought up in America's Bible belt and dabbled in his early adult years in many religions.

Since being in prison he has rediscovered God and has only rarely given interviews.

Mr Buonvino, who has staged a series of Beatles nostalgia events in Bradford, believes he is one of only a handful of people in the world who have been in regular touch with Chapman in recent years. He has also been sent a rare signed copy of a short story called The Prisoner's Letter which Chapman has had printed in booklet form in jail.

"I know I'm quite a rare person because not many people have had the chance to be in contact with him. It took me about a year and a half of writing to him to get my first reply," he said.

In his letters to Mr Buonvino, Chapman hints at remorse for killing the former Beatle, and also implies that he may not apply for parole when he first becomes eligible for release in 2000.

"Do I deserve to be behind bars for the rest of my life? Yes. But God says 'I will forgive him' because he came to me and believes in me," he writes.

Mr Buonvino agrees that Chapman, who has received a stream of hate-mail from Beatles fans over the past 17 years, might be safer remaining in prison.

"He's better off staying in there because if he comes out someone will try to kill him. I think he knows that," he said.

In his latest letter, Chapman also insists that he never had a hatred for Lennon.

"I don't feel that Jesus or anyone else wanted John Lennon dead. I am sorry for this perception being generated. Jesus loves - and wanted no-one dead," he writes.

Mr Buonvino is awaiting another letter from Chapman replying to the question of what he might do if he does get released.

And he has one burning ambition left.

"Personally I would love to meet him one day just to find out what makes him tick," said Mr Buonvino.

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