Nearly 600 dangerous lags absconded from open jails in last five years

NEARLY 600 inmates, including killers and sex offenders, have absconded from open jails in the past five years, stats show.

Among the tally are 133 jailed for violent offences such as manslaughter and murder, and 21 sex pests.

SWNS

Nearly 600 inmates have absconded from open jails in the past five years – pictured HMP Sudbury[/caption]

More than 50 gave their escorts the slip.

Among those absconding — not an “escape” as they did not have to overcome physical restraint — was Darren Pilkington, 39.

The double killer fled Kirkham, Lancs, and took four days to catch.

Kirkham and Cat-D Sudbury, Derbys, both saw more than 100 lags go on the run.

The Centre for Crime Prevention called open jails a “major safety concern”.

The Prison Service insisted abscond incidents have halved since 2010.

Other escaped lags had been jailed for crimes including burglary, fraud, theft and public order offences.

David Spencer, Research Director at the Centre for Crime Prevention, said: “Open prisons are already a major safety concern for many people and these figures just go to show how insecure they are.