OWEN Oyston has been moved to a new, purpose-built Category C prison near Preston.

The 62-year-old father-of-five was transferred from Liverpool's Walton jail on Monday (June 10) and will serve the rest of his six-year sentence in the medium to low security Wymott Prison with 680 other inmates.

His wife Vicki, who has taken over the chairmanship of Blackpool Football Club, is relieved that her husband has been moved to the new prison which is close to their business headquarters in Preston.

Mrs Oyston told the Citizen yesterday (June 12): "I spoke to Owen briefly last night and he seemed fine.

"I haven't visited him yet at Wymott, but his lawyers saw him earlier this week and said he looked very well."

Oyston will be allowed two one-hour visits every 28 days at his new prison, exactly the same as at Liverpool's Walton Jail.

Mrs Oyston said: "We have not discussed his domestic arrangements, but I think he is happier with Wymott and I'm sure he will be treated exactly the same as every other prisoner."

Like every other prisoner, he will be assigned a work placement and Mrs Oyston laughed off press speculation that he would be making prison bars in the engineering shop.

She said: "I don't know what job he has been given, but I hope it's not sewing because he's not very good at that!"

Oyston's appeal against his conviction for the rape and indecent assault of a 16-year-old model will be lodged some time next week.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.