HAVING recently returned from a most interesting and informative trip to Kirkham open prison, I would like to re-emphasise the most up-to-date position on introducing life sentence prisoners there.
No life sentence prisoners will move to Kirkham before thorough local consultation is completed.
All life sentence prisoners would be carefully and vigorously risk-assessed before arrival and would be Category D like all other Kirkham prisoners. If lifers were introduced, it would only be in very small numbers and very gradually.
As in all other open prisons, the progress and behaviour of life sentence prisoners would be very closely monitored. Should the prisoner give any cause for concern, he would be returned immediately to a closed prison.
ANN WIDDECOMBE, Minister of State, Home Office, London.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article