A violent kidnapper who walked out of an open prison is still on the run more than a year later, amid fears the public are being put ‘at risk’.
Ola Abimbola, 36, absconded from HMP Ford in Sussex on October 10 last year and remains wanted by police.
The Nigerian had been transferred to the Category D jail just a month earlier while serving a 21-year sentence for kidnap, grievous bodily harm and a weapons offence.
Sussex Police told the Mail that Abimbola, who was jailed in December 2018, still ‘remains outstanding’ and urged the public not to approach him.
Ministers have been repeatedly warned about the risks of unsuitable offenders being transferred to open prisons, which have minimal security and allow eligible inmates to leave during the day for work or education.
A second HMP Ford inmate, Oliver Mazirel, is also on the loose after scaling a fence on June 30, the force confirmed.
The 38-year-old was jailed for his role in a drugs gang that bought cocaine and cannabis from gangs in London before selling the drugs in the Sussex seaside town of Worthing.
Another drug dealer, Darnell Smith, fled on January 28 from HMP Spring Hill in Buckinghamshire, where he was serving a six-year sentence for possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin. He is still being hunted by police.
Ola Abimbola, 36, walked out of HMP Ford in Sussex on October 10 last year and remains wanted by police, who have warned the public not to approach him
Sussex Police released this CCTV image of Abimbola after he walked out of prison
A second HMP Ford inmate, Oliver Mazirel, also remains free after absconding by scaling a fence on June 30, the force confirmed
Nick Timothy MP, Shadow Justice Secretary, said: ‘The Government must urgently take action on this problem. It is completely unacceptable for criminals simply to walk out of open prisons and be able to spend months on the run.
‘Labour have made it easier to move prisoners into open conditions while releasing others early without proper tagging. The public are left at risk by a system that is losing control.
‘The Conservatives have a fully funded plan to build 50,000 new prison places, reverse early release and keep violent and serious offenders behind bars.’
It is now easier than ever for inmates to be transferred into open prisons.
In the past, prisoners in Category C jails who were less than a year from the end of their sentences could be moved into open conditions, provided they met certain criteria.
This was increased to two years and, in June last year, to three years under the Temporary Presumptive Recategorisation Scheme – which was intended to ease overcrowding in higher-security prisons.
Mark Drury, of the Prison Governors’ Association (PGA), criticised the change and said it would ‘potentially place the public at greater risk’.
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He said that, due to efforts to tackle prison overcrowding, ‘there are a large number of prisoners in open prisons now that we would not have considered suitable two or three years ago’.
A total of 78 prisoners absconded from open conditions in the year to March, up 37 per cent on the previous 12 months.
Sussex Police said Abimbola ‘remains outstanding and we are continuing to search for him’.
‘We are working alongside other police forces and agency partners to locate him,’ a spokesman added.
‘Anyone who sees him is advised not to approach him, but to dial 999 immediately, quoting crime reference 47250201391.’
The force said they had ‘carried out extensive enquiries’ regarding Mazirel and had arrested two men on suspicion of helping him escape from prison.
Meanwhile, Thames Valley Police has said anyone who sees Smith should also phone 999. Anyone with information about his whereabouts can phone 101, quoting reference number 43260045393.
Drug dealer Darnell Smith remains at large nearly 10 months after escaping from another open prison, HMP Springhill in Buckinghamshire, on January 28
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: ‘This Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with prisons days away from running out of space, and took decisive action.
‘The small number of offenders eligible for moves to open prison face a strict, thorough risk assessment and anyone found breaching the rules can be immediately returned to a closed prison.
‘We are building 14,000 new prison places, with 3,300 already delivered, to ensure we always have space to lock dangerous offenders up.’
The MOJ said Abimbola was not moved under the Temporary Presumptive Recategorisation Scheme.
It comes as another 650 inmates were released from prison last week under Labour’s early release scheme.
The programme, which launched on October 1, is expected to free up to 50,000 prisoners a year.
Among those released will be those serving up to two and a half years for a variety of crimes, including violent offences and domestic abuse.
