PRISON BOSSES have again defended the open prison system after further criticism of the high number of people absconding from Castle Huntly.

Between April 2006 and April 2007, 44 prisoners walked away from the prison.

Taxpayers have also had to bear the cost of court cases for absconders once the authorities have picked them up again.

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Bill Aitken has compared conditions at the prison to a “country club.”

However, the Scottish Prison Service has said it sees no reason to change the open prison system, which is designed to prepare inmates for life on the outside.

A spokesman said, “It is easy to focus on the 44 people who absconded but 250 prisoners go out every day to work and make a contribution to the community and come back again every night without exception.

“It is regrettable that a minority of prisoners do not take full advantage of the opportunities offered by open prisons.

“However, this should be seen in the light of the many thousands of opportunities that low supervision prisoners, many nearing their release date, participate in whilst preparing for their release.

“Those prisoners who abscond will be returned to closed conditions and risk being sentenced to further time in custody.”

Earlier this year there was a spate of absconding from the open prison outside Longforgan, with nine prisoners all on the run at the same time.

Two years ago, bisexual killer Roderick McDonald fled to England after absconding from the prison.

While on the run, he murdered Brazilian cleaner Acioli-Pariz Junior in the Belgravia hotel where he worked.

McDonald was arrested but hanged himself in jail while awaiting trial.