By Eve Noon

THE CRITERIA for allowing convicted murderers and rapists to complete their sentences in open prisons should be re-assessed, according to a retired operations manager at HMP Noranside Open Prison.

William Rennie told The Courier last night that entry to an open prison was “not a right” and was “a privilege” that had to be earned.

Mr Rennie added that what should be an extremely “rigorous process” had evidently been diluted in recent years.

Mr Rennie retired in 2001 after working in the prison service for 33 years.

He referred to the case of the most recent absconder, Robert Foye (28), who pleaded guilty to raping a 16-year-old schoolgirl in Cumbernauld in August while on the run for almost a week from Castle Huntly open prison near Dundee.

“Only selected prisoners should ever be considered for an open prison and the criteria needs to be re-assessed,” said Mr Rennie.

“Foye was only halfway through a 10-year sentence for attempting to murder a policeman when he fled—he shouldn’t have been in an open prison at this stage in his sentence.”

Mr Rennie went on to explain the rigorous criteria that he used to collect before considering a prisoner for Noranside Open Prison.

He said, “We would gather full details about background, home situation, social work reports and I would go out to the prison and speak with prisoners.

“The problem these days is that there are too many prisoners being put in open prisons although they don’t appear to meet the criteria that should be in place.

“Spaces have got to be filled in prisons and since the capacity of Castle Huntly was increased to around 350 I feel the selection process is not being strictly adhered to.”

He went on to explain that absconding did happen during his time at Noranside but not anywhere near the present numbers.

He concluded, “There needs to be a return to the understanding that for prisoners going to an open prison it is a privilege that had to be earned and not a right.

“I’m a great believer in open prisons, but for them to work properly the criteria need to be re-considered.”