05/03/2008
Prisoner Escapes During Release Programme
A convicted kidnapper sentenced to life in prison has escaped during a pre-release training course.
Also convicted of attempted rape, Mark Thomas Clarke, 40, was attending a course in Nutts Corner, County Antrim before his disappearance.
Clarke was convicted and jailed in 1996 and given nine and a half years. He was in the third stage of a pre-release programme, which was being monitored by the PSNI.
Chairman of the Prison Officer's Association, Finlay Spratt said: "When he is eventually arrested he will then be returned to a closed facility, he will be returned back to Maghaberry.
"All this prisoner has managed to do is actually jeopardise his release.
"He has put back his release, he has actually broken trust that was placed in him by the parole board which recommended that he should be facilitated in this scheme."
The prisoner, who was in the third stage of a pre-release programme, had recently progressed to 'living in the community' under the supervision of the Prison Service.
Clarke was sentenced to life imprisonment, and given a nine year tariff, in November 1996, after being convicted of kidnapping and attempted rape.
The protection of the public is paramount and the Prison Service are working closely with our colleagues in the Police Service of Northern Ireland to apprehend the prisoner.
(DW/JM)
Also convicted of attempted rape, Mark Thomas Clarke, 40, was attending a course in Nutts Corner, County Antrim before his disappearance.
Clarke was convicted and jailed in 1996 and given nine and a half years. He was in the third stage of a pre-release programme, which was being monitored by the PSNI.
Chairman of the Prison Officer's Association, Finlay Spratt said: "When he is eventually arrested he will then be returned to a closed facility, he will be returned back to Maghaberry.
"All this prisoner has managed to do is actually jeopardise his release.
"He has put back his release, he has actually broken trust that was placed in him by the parole board which recommended that he should be facilitated in this scheme."
The prisoner, who was in the third stage of a pre-release programme, had recently progressed to 'living in the community' under the supervision of the Prison Service.
Clarke was sentenced to life imprisonment, and given a nine year tariff, in November 1996, after being convicted of kidnapping and attempted rape.
The protection of the public is paramount and the Prison Service are working closely with our colleagues in the Police Service of Northern Ireland to apprehend the prisoner.
(DW/JM)
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Another Prisoner Goes 'On The Run'
The search is on for the third prisoner inside a week to 'escape' in Northern Ireland - making a total of 10 who have now gone missing from custody this year. The hunt is for a convicted robber after he failed to return to prison from leave on Saturday.
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