Labour demands answers from Dominic Raab after violent sex offender absconds from open prison

Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed has today written to the Lord Chancellor Dominic Raab seeking assurances over public safety after police revealed a “dangerous sex offender” is at large after absconding from prison.

Paul Robson was jailed for life in 2000 after being convicted for attempted rape and indecent assault. He was reported missing from HMP North Sea Camp in Boston, Lincolnshire, at around 07:00 on Sunday (13 February).

He had only been released from prison three weeks before the attack and was on licence, with the sentencing judge describing him as a "menace to females".

Police have subsequently described as a “dangerous sex offender” who “presents a particular danger to women and children”.

Steve Reed has written to ask the Justice Secretary for public protection assurances, amid a 14% surge in crime under the Conservatives, and delays to the ‘root and branch’ review of the Parole Board, which Ministers pledged would report by Summer 2021.

Steve Reed MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, said:

“Dominic Raab has serious questions to answer about why such a dangerous criminal was deemed fit to be in an open prison where he could abscond.

“The public will be deeply concerned that, yet again, this high-on-tax, soft-on-crime Conservative Government have put the public at risk.”

“Labour would put security at the heart of its contract with the British public – we’ll cut crime by putting police hubs and neighbourhood prevention teams at the heart of every neighbourhood.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. Text of Steve Reed Letter to Dominic Raab:
   
   

_ _ _ 

Dear Dominic,

I am writing to you to seek information about the disturbing case of Paul Robson, who has absconded from HMP North Sea Camp, an open category D prison in Boston, Lincolnshire, after being jailed for life in 2000. 

Police have described Paul Robson as a “dangerous sex offender” who “presents a particular danger to women and children”.

Following recent revelations that hundreds of prisoners have been released from prison in error and the growing crime rates under this Conservative Government, this case will do nothing to allay growing public fears that you are soft on crime and in particular soft on violent crime and sexual offences.

In light of this, can you please explain:

• How Robson was therefore assessed as suitable for open conditions given the risk he poses to the public?
• Given his known danger, what right to block his move to open conditions did you or your predecessor exercise until his risk had been reduced?
• Will you publish the Parole Board decision summary for this case, so that the public can transparently see how this decision was made?

The case raises wider concerns about public safety in light of the ‘root and branch’ review of the Parole Board, which ministers announced in October 2020, and said would report by Summer 2021.

• Can you confirm the current status of this review?
• Furthermore, can you provide an assessment of how much delays to these reforms have compromised public protection by allowing incidents like this to occur?
• Can you also confirm how many absconds have taken place from HMP North Sea Camp since in each of the last three years and of these, how many absconders are still at large?
• Can you also confirm how many absconders have committed offences while at large – including serious further offences such as violence or sexual crimes?

Last month, Labour research revealed the government had wasted more than £4.6 million on 2,000 electronic GPS monitoring tags which were never used. Can you confirm if any consideration has been given to using these to tag dangerous offenders currently being granted day release from open prisons?

Both the public and I look forward to your urgent response on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Steve Reed MP

Shadow Justice Secretary and Shadow Lord Chancellor

Member of Parliament for Croydon North

_ _ _

2. Data from the ONS’ Crime in England and Wales Survey (year to September 2021) and Crime Outcomes in England and Wales (year to September 2021) shows:

• Overall crime rose 14% compared to 2019 driven by a 49% increase in fraud. 1 in 5 people were victims of crime last year.

ONS, Crime in England and Wales YE Sept 21, 27 January 2022.

• The overall charge rate has fallen to its lowest level on record – just 6%, compared to 7.3% a year ago and 15.5% in 2015.

• The charge rate for rape has fallen to a record low of 1.3% (down from 7.2% in 2015). Charge rates for violence (5.4%) and sexual offences (2.9%) have all fallen to record lows as well.

• At 1.9m offences, violence recorded by the police was at its highest on record – up 8% in a year and 190% compared to 2010. Sexual offences recorded by the police were at the highest level recorded (170,973 offences), a 12% increase from the same period in 2020. Rape accounted for 37% of these offences and the year ending September 2021 saw the highest recorded annual number of rape offences to date (63,136 offences).
  
  Source: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingseptember2021#overall-estimates-of-crime

3. In 2020-21 there were eight losses (2019-20: three) over £300,000 as follows: £4.6 million for the lease of additional electronic monitoring tags under a scheme introduced as part of measures to limit the spread and impact of Covid-19 in the prison estate. Due to smaller volumes of releases than anticipated under the scheme, these tags were not required.
   Source: Ministry of justice - Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21 (publishing.service.gov.uk), p.124

4. In April 2020 the Ministry of Justice leased an additional 2,000 electronic monitoring tags to support our End of Custody Temporary Release scheme to limit the spread and impact of Covid-19 in prions. This was based on early estimates that up to 4,000 prisoners could be eligible. Source: PQ 98317 - Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

5. Written Parliamentary Question tabled by Steve Reed MP on 10 December 2021 and answered by Minister Victoria Atkins on 15 December 2021 found that 678 prisoners were released in error in total between April 2010 and March 2021.
   Source PQ 90879 - Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

6. A Root-and-Branch review of the parole system in England and Wales was launched on 20 October 2020by Justice Minister, Lucy Frazer QC, to help improve public trust and victim confidence, with the aim of reporting to the Lord Chancellor in Summer 2021. Source: Government launches Root-and-Branch review of the parole system - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)