Prisoner Escapes
(asked on 21st January 2016) - View Source
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners escaped from prison vans in each year since 2010; how many such prisoners remain on the run; of what offences each such prisoner was convicted; and what length of custodial sentence each such prisoner was given.
NOMS has implemented a range of measures in recent years to improve the security surrounding prisoners on escort. Between 2010-11 and 2014-15, 23 prisoners escaped from vehicles operated by NOMS or by contractors. All were re-captured.
Overall, the number of escapes from prison escorts almost halved from 102 between 2005-06 and 2009-10, to 59 between 2010-11 and 2014-15.
The tables below provide the details requested for each escape and for each year and provide details on the overall number of escapes from escorts outside of a prison over the last 10 years.
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| 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
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Number of escapes | 1 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
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(1) Of the 23 vehicle related escapes between April 2010 and March 2015, none remain unlawfully at large | ||||||||
(2) Vehicles primarily refer to prison vans used for escorting prisoner but do include other vehicle types. A distinction cannot be made in the data between vehicle types. (3) Includes all such escapes regardless of duration. | ||||||||
Table 2: Escapes from escorts while entering or leaving vehicles or en route to or from venue by sentence length and main offence, 2010/11 to 2014/15 | ||
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Financial year | Sentence length1 | Main offence |
2010/11 | Remand | Other criminal offence |
2011/12 | Extended Sentence for the Public Protection - 4y | Wounding with intent |
2011/12 | Indeterminate Sentence for the Public Protection | Robbery |
2011/12 | Indeterminate Sentence for the Public Protection | Robbery |
2011/12 | Life | Possessing firearm with intent to endanger life |
2011/12 | 4m | Theft |
2011/12 | 4y | Burglary |
2011/12 | Remand | Using disorderly behaviour, or threatening abusive or insulting words likely to cause harassment alarm or distress |
2011/12 | 22y | Being concerned in offer to supply controlled drug - Class A - Cocaine |
2011/12 | Indeterminate Sentence for the Public Protection | Wounding with intent |
2012/13 | Remand | Burglary |
2012/13 | 4y | Burglary |
2013/14 | Remand | Conspiracy to Rob |
2013/14 | Remand | Conspiracy to Rob |
2013/14 | 2y | ABH |
2013/14 | Remand | Aggravated burglary |
2013/14 | 4y | Blackmail |
2013/14 | Remand | Robbery |
2013/14 | 3y | Burglary |
2014/15 | Remand | Robbery |
2014/15 | 6m | Theft |
2014/15 | Remand | Robbery |
2014/15 | Remand | Burglary |
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Table 3 provides information about escapes which have taken place from prison escort and private escort contractors from 2005/06 to 2014/15. The table includes escapes from courts but not those escapes of less than 15 minutes’ duration and covers the full duration of the escort process.
Table 3: KPI Escapes1 from Prison Escort2 and from Private Escort Contractors (PECS)3 from 2005/06 to 2014/15 | ||||||||||
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| 2005 /06 | 2006 /07 | 2007 /08 | 2008 /09 | 2009 /10 | 2010 /11 | 2011 /12 | 2012 /13 | 2013 /14 | 2014 /15 |
KPI Prison Escorts Escapes | 8 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
KPI Contracted Out Escort (PECS) Escapes | 17 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 12 |
KPI Category A Escapes during Escort | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
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1) The definition of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Escape if (i) the prisoner is at liberty for 15 minutes or more before recapture or (ii) a prisoner escapes and is charged with another criminal offence | ||||||||||
2) Escaping the control of escorting prison service staff. | ||||||||||
3) Escapes from the secure vehicles or supervision of contracted prison escorts. This includes escapes from court where contracted prison escort staff have been notified | ||||||||||