Labour writes to Dominic Raab after violent sex offender absconds from open prison

Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed has today written to the Lord Chancellor Dominic Raab seeking assurances over public safety after police revealed a “dangerous sex offender” is at large after absconding from prison.

Paul Robson was jailed for life in 2000 after being convicted for attempted rape and indecent assault. He was reported missing from HMP North Sea Camp in Boston, Lincolnshire, at around 07:00 on Sunday 13 February.

He had only been released from prison three weeks before the attack and was on licence, with the sentencing judge describing him as a “menace to females”.

Police have subsequently described as a “dangerous sex offender” who “presents a particular danger to women and children”.

Steve Reed has written to ask the Justice Secretary for public protection assurances, amid a 14% surge in crime under the Conservatives, and delays to the ‘root and branch’ review of the Parole Board, which Ministers pledged would report by Summer 2021.

Labour’s shadow justice secretary Steve Reed MP said following the news: “Dominic Raab has serious questions to answer about why such a dangerous criminal was deemed fit to be in an open prison where he could abscond.

“The public will be deeply concerned that, yet again, this high-on-tax, soft-on-crime Conservative Government have put the public at risk.

“Labour would put security at the heart of its contract with the British public – we’ll cut crime by putting police hubs and neighbourhood prevention teams at the heart of every neighbourhood.”

Former Brexit secretary Lord Frost also expressed his dismay via Twitter, writing: “One has to ask why Paul Robson, a criminal who is so dangerous he should not be approached, and who as the police say can cause “real harm to anyone he comes across”, was in a Cat D open prison with “minimal security” in the first place.”