31-05-2015, 09:36 AM
1
Prison Security
You really couldn´t make it up, no doubt it will again be up to the Spanish police to capture this man.https://uk.news.yahoo.com/escaped-vi...l?vp=1#DTncgNu
A violent criminal who escaped from a high-security prison in Staffordshire has fled to Spain, Sky News understands.
Police are hunting Haroon Ahmed, who walked out of HMP Dovegate in Marchington, Staffordshire, on Wednesday afternoon.
Sky's Harriet Hadfield said Ahmed left the country by road, possibly via the Channel Tunnel, and did not use a passport.
He apparently managed to leave the prison, which is run by private firm Serco, among a group of people who had visited him, despite being on a "watch list".
Sky News has been contacted by Jason Coghlan, who runs JaCogLaw, a legal firm that aims to put British criminals in touch with Spanish lawyers.
The legal fixer, who is himself a former convict, said he has been asked to represent Ahmed and has advised him to return to the UK.
Mr Coghlan said the 26-year-old tried to walk out of the prison with some friends as a "joke", thinking he would be stopped.
He said: "He simply took his bib off, they identified him as a prisoner and he should have been picked up there.
"If the staff were on the ball and doing their job properly, he should have been stopped ... but they showed him the door and opened it for him."
Sky News has been unable to independently verify Ahmed's whereabouts.
A Staffordshire Police spokeswoman said: "We are actively investigating all lines of inquiry at the moment.
"We cannot confirm or deny that he has fled to Spain."
Ahmed is thought to be coming forward due to the impact his escape was having on his family.
His brother, Majeed Ahmed, 25, of Clarence Road, Derby, has been charged with assisting a prisoner in escaping from prison.
He has been released on bail to appear before magistrates in Burton on 25 June.
Ahmed, who was jailed for robbery, is described as Asian, 6ft tall and thin. He has short black hair and was last seen wearing jeans and a grey T-shirt.
A black Volkswagen Golf recovered as part of the investigation has been forensically examined.
Michael Guy, Serco's director at HMP Dovegate, said: "We are taking this extremely seriously and I have commissioned an urgent investigation into the circumstances of the escape.
"We are working closely with the police to identify what went wrong and to address any failings."
A Prison Service spokesperson said: "Escapes from prison custody are extremely rare but we take each one incredibly seriously. Public protection is our top priority.
"A prisoner at HMP Dovegate was found to be missing on Wednesday 27 May.
"We are working closely with the police as part of their investigation."
HMP Dovegate was criticised by the Chief Inspector of Prisons in a report published on Friday.
It found there were high levels of violence in the jail and said visiting arrangements were poor.
:: Anyone who knows where Ahmed is should call Staffordshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
31-05-2015, 11:28 AM
6
Re: Prison Security
Apart from the obvious pathetic security issues of many prisons. This chap has got to have been given assistance by his family or powers forbid the guards. Some extremely robust questions need to be asked of everyone concerned. His family most obviously first, after all they knew he was not supposed to pass a certain point and must be complicit in disguising him and aiding his escape.
31-05-2015, 11:39 AM
7
Re: Prison Security
Privatization at its best...After 27 years my brother has left the prison service he no longer felt safe. Cuts in officer numbers meant an attack on one guard left him screaming for help on a radio for nearly 10 mins while being attacked and my brother was attacked by another prisoner after being left with the man alone in a cell. He suffered cuts, bruising and two teeth were smashed out of his head..
Its not going to get better..
31-05-2015, 11:42 AM
8
Re: Prison Security
Originally Posted by clumsy
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You´re probably right Julie, but we really don´t want them here, we have more than enough with the eastern European ones.
31-05-2015, 11:43 AM
9
Re: Prison Security
Originally Posted by Cass
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Privatization at its best...After 27 years my brother has left the prison service he no longer felt safe. Cuts in officer numbers meant an attack on one guard left him screaming for help on a radio for nearly 10 mins while being attacked and my brother was attacked by another prisoner after being left with the man alone in a cell. He suffered cuts, bruising and two teeth were smashed out of his head..
Its not going to get better..
31-05-2015, 11:49 AM
10
Re: Prison Security
Originally Posted by Julie1962
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That is terrible Cass so sorry they had to go through that. Never was a job I would want to do but it does seem to becoming more dangerous not less.
The other has left , as he says its the private companies cutting staff cutting corners and expecting more.. No different from private cleaning firms or private care homes really..
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