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Straw to talk after killer escape | Straw to talk after killer escape |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Justice Secretary Jack Straw has agreed to meet the family of the man murdered by former royal aide Jane Andrews who escaped from an open prison in Kent. | Justice Secretary Jack Straw has agreed to meet the family of the man murdered by former royal aide Jane Andrews who escaped from an open prison in Kent. |
Murder victim Thomas Cressman's brother Rick said Mr Straw "should hang his head in shame" after the escape, which he blamed on prison incompetence. | Murder victim Thomas Cressman's brother Rick said Mr Straw "should hang his head in shame" after the escape, which he blamed on prison incompetence. |
Andrews was found at the Premier Inn, in Hollingbourne, in the early hours in a room with three people known to her. | Andrews was found at the Premier Inn, in Hollingbourne, in the early hours in a room with three people known to her. |
Police said she had been sleeping rough and had been in the hotel a short time. | Police said she had been sleeping rough and had been in the hotel a short time. |
A spokeswoman would not confirm whether the people she was with were members of her family. | A spokeswoman would not confirm whether the people she was with were members of her family. |
However they were not thought to have played a role in her escape and were interviewed, but not arrested, by investigating officers. | However they were not thought to have played a role in her escape and were interviewed, but not arrested, by investigating officers. |
Why was she in an open prison after just eight and a half years? What are we playing at? Rick Cressman | Why was she in an open prison after just eight and a half years? What are we playing at? Rick Cressman |
Police said Andrews, 42, of Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, had been medically checked and her care and future detention had now been handed back to the Prison Service. | Police said Andrews, 42, of Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, had been medically checked and her care and future detention had now been handed back to the Prison Service. |
The Duchess of York's former dresser, jailed for life in 2001 for fatally beating and stabbing Mr Cressman, escaped from East Sutton Park open prison in Maidstone on Sunday night. | The Duchess of York's former dresser, jailed for life in 2001 for fatally beating and stabbing Mr Cressman, escaped from East Sutton Park open prison in Maidstone on Sunday night. |
After her escape the Cressman family described the decision to move her to an open prison just eight years into her minimum 12-year- sentence as "inappropriate and offensive". | After her escape the Cressman family described the decision to move her to an open prison just eight years into her minimum 12-year- sentence as "inappropriate and offensive". |
The Prison Service, which has launched an investigation into how she managed to escape, said on Wednesday that Andrews would now be put in a closed jail. | |
Jane Andrews was found in a room at the hotel with three other people | Jane Andrews was found in a room at the hotel with three other people |
She also faces the possibility of extra time in prison. | She also faces the possibility of extra time in prison. |
Mr Cressman's brother, Rick Cressman, 58, welcomed the move to put Andrews in a closed jail where she could not "cause chaos". | Mr Cressman's brother, Rick Cressman, 58, welcomed the move to put Andrews in a closed jail where she could not "cause chaos". |
"That's where she belonged in the first place," he said. | "That's where she belonged in the first place," he said. |
He said he wanted to meet Mr Straw because of the "deeper questions and issues" which were raised by Andrews' escape. | He said he wanted to meet Mr Straw because of the "deeper questions and issues" which were raised by Andrews' escape. |
He said: "For instance, why was she in an open prison after just eight and a half years? What are we playing at?" | He said: "For instance, why was she in an open prison after just eight and a half years? What are we playing at?" |
"I think Mr Straw has an issue there and I think there are issues surrounding the sheer competence and control of people in open prisons. | "I think Mr Straw has an issue there and I think there are issues surrounding the sheer competence and control of people in open prisons. |
"Too much trust is being shown to people who, quite frankly, shouldn't have it in the first place and have not earned it. | "Too much trust is being shown to people who, quite frankly, shouldn't have it in the first place and have not earned it. |
"Jack Straw should be hanging his head in shame. It's absolutely appalling." | "Jack Straw should be hanging his head in shame. It's absolutely appalling." |
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: "I can confirm that Mr Straw has agreed to a meeting with Mr Cressman." | A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: "I can confirm that Mr Straw has agreed to a meeting with Mr Cressman." |
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