Sex offender has escaped from an open prison…

We hear about it time and again. Sentences being halved, dangerous criminals allowed out before serving their time in prison, day release, open prisons. A lot of these offenders know exactly what to say to those professionals who make the decision whether to move them to open prisons or release them. Sentences should be served to the very last minute. Time off for good behaviour, my foot. The criminal was found guilty of a crime, that's why he/she is inside, whether they become a paragon of all the virtues during their sentence should not mean they serve less time.

Unfortunately the law allows release on licence half way through if they are considered safe. (Ha ha.)

I have often thought that those who authorise prisoners be moved to open prisons or released early should be prosecuted as accessories if the prisoner escapes and/or reoffends - bet that would make them think twice

I used to have a very large cat flap so my sheltie could get out of it too, I'm glad I don't have one here, how terrifying for his victim.

I'm not sure anyone on a life sentence should be in an open prison, especially as they might (like this man) be considered to be a danger to the public.

I have reasons to know how broken the system is at present, and this is just one more example.

It is on GB news just now!

BlueBelle

Sexual predators of children should be put on an island out in the cold North Sea A helicopter can drop food medicines letters etc to them once a week they don’t need wardens let them fight amongst themselves if they want to they don’t need supervision

Excellent idea!

Apparently one prisoner who walked out of this particular open prison was ‘on the run’ (hiding/bunked up with a mate who knows?) for NINE YEARS before he was caught.

That's rehabilitation for you, and indicates that some are beyond it.

GrannyGravy13

I cannot understand why this animal was in an open prison.

The crimes he committed warrant a full life sentence no remission or parole, under ANY circumstances.

I completely agree with this.

This man has immediately re-offended every time he has been freed. How could he possibly have been in a position to leave and how was this not noticed for 8 hours?

I only hope he is caught before he harms someone else.

tickingbird

From what I read yesterday he has raped children, been released and kidnapped a nine year old and various other crimes as well as the breaking in the house via a cat flap and raping a young woman! He’s dangerous and, if what I read is correct, he should either be locked up indefinitely or castrated.

I'm wondering if this is the same man who, years ago got into a house in the next road to my family in Oxford. He gained access through the dog flap. He then somehow got into my family's rear garden, stole my son in law's bicycle and made his getaway. He was caught eventually and sent to prison.

I should have said that he raped a young woman in the house.

MissAdventure

That's rehabilitation for you, and indicates that some are beyond it.

???

The fact that this man is now clearly being designated as a danger and the public are being told to steer clear of him, indicates in my mind that he should never have been in an open prison - these are not for people who represent a danger to others.

North Sea Camp, the prison concerned, is only a couple of miles down the road from me, I`ll certainly be keeping my doors locked until he`s caught.

I am sorry to hear that - what a worry for you.

I'm sure there are some - child rapists for one, who can never be rehabilitated and I think those individuals involved in making the law regarding sentencing, early release, etc, are not living in the real world.

Quite a few, it seems, have gone on to re-offend, so something, somewhere is very wrong with a system that allows this to happen so frequently.

Personally, I don't think a child rapist should ever be released... raping a child is not a 'mistake', it's not a one-off, it's not an act committed in the heat of the moment. It's a cold, calculating act, a defect in the whole make up of the perpetrator, not something that can be 'rehabilitated' out of them. They will never change.

I agree with you about child rapists/abusers Dickens. Sexual attraction to children doesn’t go away. The research on men who completed perpetrator groups suggests discussing their offences confirmed rather than diminished that.
There are a lot of them living amongst us.

Iam64

I agree with you about child rapists/abusers Dickens. Sexual attraction to children doesn’t go away. The research on men who completed perpetrator groups suggests discussing their offences confirmed rather than diminished that.
There are a lot of them living amongst us.

As a subject, it's not something I've research to any degree but I'm aware of the information you've mentioned about these 'awareness' courses (or whatever they are called), and I think you're right, it doesn't just "go away". I suppose the rehabilitation 'possibility' is in whether these men can recognise their impulses and deal with them. It would take huge strength of character and I'm not sure such individuals have this trait.

It has to be remembered that women also are sometimes complicit in child abuse and rape. It's been suggested that they are also victims - of their own backgrounds and of the men who use them and whilst there might be an element of truth in this, I'm not sure I buy into the assumption completely.

I do believe in prisoner rehabilitation in principle and I'm pretty sure that some criminals who've gone down the wrong path would, if given the right opportunities and chances in life, be quite capable of reform. And some have proved it by taking on roles in the community helping those who, like themselves, went down the 'wrong path'.

But child rapists, serial rapists - no, I just don't think they are capable of reform to the point where it's safe to let them back into the community. But we have this system that seems to believe that any and every person who commits a crime is capable of reform and rehabilitation. I think it needs an overhaul, and those who make such decisions need to ask themselves if they would be content for such individuals to be released, incognito, into their own - usually 'upmarket' - neighbourhoods and communities... because that isn't what normally happens.

I believe in rehabilitation but when someone (sex offender) has reoffended within a very short time of being released again and again there has to be more consideration for public safety. This man has attacked children before and after being released.

I’m not a bread and water, solitary confinement advocate, far from it but sometimes we have to accept someone isn’t safe to be at large.

Dickens, I worked with offenders before specialising in safeguarding. I remain of the view we should invest in early years and alternatives to prison. I don’t see alternatives to custody as appropriate for violent sex offenders

I have never seen any evidence that a violent sex offender or a paedophile is capable of true rehabilitation. I think the latter are simply wired up differently in a way that means they are subject to urges that are unacceptable to our society.

That does not mean that their prison "home" should not try to channel their talents and time into worthwhile activities - their sexual urges are not all of who they are. But they do need to be kept away from the general population for public safety. All this pretence about rehab is unreal and dealing with these people in a civilized way need not mean they are placed in open prisons.

The prison system is a bit off beam at present. A small thing, but a dear young relative of mine has just been discharged from prison on licence. He has addiction problems that led his life astray. He came out carrying a box of his belongings, some of which he had never seen - no-one had shown them to him or even told him they existed: letters from family, pictures, birthday cards - all just chucked in a box. All those things that would have let him know that we had not given up on him and that would have helped in his rehab.

I absolutely agree about prevention - about investment in early years and in young struggling families - in helping them to be better parents and produce better young adults who can lead happy productive lives, and not get led astray by drugs and gangs. But expenditure on prevention is never popular with governments. It is very short-sighted.

Germanshepherdsmum

Unfortunately the law allows release on licence half way through if they are considered safe. (Ha ha.)

If he was considered safe why are they now saying he isn’t safe but a danger?!

I believe it’s the police who are saying he’s dangerous. Don’t get me started on what I think of parole boards!

I know we are mID Met/racism/Cressida etc etc criticisms, which I don’t seek to diminish. Here’s the but - there are many good police officers. They will know this man is dangerous. I’d be amazed if they would have supported his move to open prison.