Investigation needed into prison escapes - Clegg

3.36.24pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 22nd May 2006

Responding to the revelation that 393 prisoners have escaped from Leyhill Open Prison since 1999, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Clegg MP said "There has clearly been a total failure in deciding which offenders enjoy the relative freedom of a low security open prison. All of the offenders are still serving out their custodial sentences, even when in an open prison. There is no excuse that further crimes have been committed by those still in the custody of the prison service.

"The Home Office must carry out an urgent investigation into whether prison overcrowding is causing serious offenders to be placed inappropriately into these open prisons."