Public Safety 'Compromised' as Prison Transfer Rules Relaxed
A serving prison governor has issued a stark warning that public safety is being put at risk due to increasing numbers of inmates being transferred to open prisons with minimal security. The alert comes as authorities continue searching for another absconded prisoner, highlighting growing concerns about the system.
Mark Drury, speaking in his capacity as representative for open prison governors at the Prison Governors' Association, revealed to Sky News that facilities which had experienced no escapes for many years are now suddenly witnessing a rise in absconder cases. This worrying trend emerges amid policy changes that allow more prisoners to become eligible for transfer to open conditions earlier in their sentences.
Victim's Horror as Attacker Nears Open Prison Transfer
For Natalie Queiroz, who survived being stabbed 24 times by her ex-partner while eight months pregnant, these warnings carry terrifying personal significance. Her attacker, Babur Raja, was sentenced to 18 years for attempted murder but is now scheduled for transfer to an open prison four years earlier than originally planned.
"Nobody expected either of us to survive," Natalie told Sky News, describing how the knife missed her unborn baby by just 2mm and injured all her major organs. "Any day now, my ex who created this untold horror is about to go to an open prison. It doesn't feel right, it's terrifying, and it also doesn't feel like justice."
Policy Changes and Ongoing Manhunts
The concerns about prison transfers coincide with an active manhunt for Ola Abimbola, a foreign national offender who absconded from HMP Ford in Sussex last month while serving a 21-year sentence for kidnap and grievous bodily harm. Sussex Police confirm they continue working with partners to locate him.
Significant policy changes have altered the eligibility criteria for open prison transfers:
- The previous requirement that transfers could only occur within three years of parole eligibility was extended to five years in April 2025
- The five-year component preventing transfers earlier than five years before automatic release was dropped in March 2024
- Certain offenders can now be assumed suitable for open prisons three years early, extended from two years
Natalie has been campaigning vigorously to prevent violent offenders and domestic abuse perpetrators from becoming eligible for early transfer to open prisons. After meeting with ministers, she expressed dismay that officials admitted they cannot properly assess the risk posed by offenders like her attacker.
The government maintains that offenders eligible for moves to open prison face strict, thorough risk assessments and anyone breaking rules can be immediately returned to closed conditions. However, Mr Drury describes these assessments as an "algorithm tick box" exercise due to pressure on offender management units.
These developments occur during an embarrassing period for the Prison Service, which has recently faced criticism after several mistaken releases, including migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu last month. The Ministry of Justice defends its position, stating it inherited a justice system in crisis with prisons days away from collapse, necessitating firm action to regain control.
The government has committed to creating 14,000 new prison places by 2031 and introducing sentencing reforms to address these systemic challenges.
