5th September 2006 & another absconder Harvey Willets From Prescoed Open Prison - How good are these so called "Risk Assessments"

Sixth jail walk-out in six weeks
By Laura Evans South Wales Argus

ABSCONDER: Harvey Willetts
POLICE are searching for a prisoner who absconded from Prescoed prison - the sixth to have walked out in the last six weeks.

Gwent Police confirmed that 29-year-old Harvey Willets absconded from the open prison, near Usk, between 5pm and 6.30pm on Sunday.

Willets, who was serving time for drugs offences, is described as white, six feet tall and 15 to 16 stone. He has shaven brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He has tattoos on his neck, body and fingers. When he absconded he was wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and a burgundy or blue T-shirt.

Police stressed that they do not consider Willets a risk to the public, although they add that members of the public should contact the authorities rather than approach him if they see him.

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Five inmates have walked out of Prescoed since July -- child rapists Martin Aspinall and Robert Elms , on July 28; 44-year-old Philip Parfitt, jailed in 2004 for a stabbing, failed to return after granted home leave on July 28; burglar Marc Andrew Bennett, on July 29; and a 33-year-old man jailed for dishonesty offences on August 17. All five are now back in custody.

Campaigners in Usk yesterday wrote to Prime Minister Tony Blair to demand that the controversial policy of placing sex offenders at Prescoed be suspended immediately.

Councillor Tony Kear said last night that this latest incident showed how easy it was for prisoners to abscond.

He said: "The fact that it is an open prison means we are used to absconds and it is some relief that this individual is not considered a risk to the public.

"However, this demonstrates how easy it is for any prisoner to walk out of Prescoed, and again emphasises the exact reasons why convicted sex offenders should not be housed there.

"What gives us further concern is that despite prison authorities' reassurances we were informed of this abscond by a member of the public and they have not followed the promised procedures of informing this council, which was promised only a few weeks ago.

"This further abscond gives further reasons why the Home Office cannot ignore the real concerns in the community."

If anyone sees Willets or knows of his whereabouts, call 01633 838111