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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think he shouldn't have been in an open prison?

39 replies

KookaburraSits · 14/02/2022 11:23

news.upday.com/uk/manhunt-launched-for-sex-offender-who-presents-danger-to-women-and-children/?utm_source=upday&utm_medium=referral

Newcastle-born Robson was jailed at Oxford Crown Court in 2000 after he entered a woman’s home through a cat flap before tying her up, putting a pillow case over her head, and brutally assaulting her while holding a knife to her throat.

"He had only been released from prison three weeks before the attack and was on licence – with the sentencing judge describing him as a “menace to females”.

Open prisons are meant for rehabilitation and "are only for prisoners considered a low risk to the public" and yet police have stated, "Robson is a dangerous sex offender and while he presents a particular danger to women and young children, I believe he can cause real harm to anyone he comes across.

“If you see Robson, please do not approach him, and do not try to apprehend him yourself. Call 999 immediately."

Why was he in an open prison if they still saw him as a danger?

OP posts:
FourTeaFallOut · 14/02/2022 11:31

Jesus YANBU. Wtf? Which fucking idiot put him in an open prison?

DazzlePaintedBattlePants · 14/02/2022 11:33

I’ve just read this and it’s a complete joke. If he reoffends then whoever decided he was fit for an open prison should be done for gross negligence.

GirlInACountrySong · 14/02/2022 11:33

The police won't have put him in an open prison

That's the judicial system.

MedusasBadHairDay · 14/02/2022 11:35

Is this another "not considered a risk to the general public", where they mean general public to mean men?

PickledOnionSandwich · 14/02/2022 11:36

How did he get through a cat flap?

Original poster
KookaburraSits · 14/02/2022 11:43

@PickledOnionSandwich

How did he get through a cat flap?
Maybe it's the rapist equivalent of a mother lifting a car off her trapped child. He was that desperate.
OP posts:
FourTeaFallOut · 14/02/2022 11:43

Apparently he can cause real harm to any one he comes across. Sounds like an ideal candidate for open prison Hmm

Original poster
KookaburraSits · 14/02/2022 11:44

@MedusasBadHairDay

Is this another "not considered a risk to the general public", where they mean general public to mean men?
That was my thought too. He was still on license when he committed his last assault, for God's sake.
OP posts:
User754355 · 14/02/2022 11:49

Are those the best photos available of him! How are we supposed to 'not approach him' based on those terrible images. Don't they have a mugshot?

It's absolutely outrageous that he was in an open prison. Angry

peacocktail · 14/02/2022 11:49

Have we been given a picture of him, maybe they have one of him relaxing when he was still in an open holiday camp

Akire · 14/02/2022 11:52

Think this was on radio but said he is extremely dangerous to woman and young children. How can it be same person who isn’t a risk at all? Unless a man wrote one press release and women the other!

jimmyhill · 14/02/2022 12:12

Why he was in an open prison: they can't keep him locked up indefinitely (he had served 20+ years of a life sentence) so they were preparing him for release.

AbNormalPeeps · 14/02/2022 12:12

I made the mistake of reading this story late last night (live on my own). It's just terrifying, I hope heads roll for whoever put him in an open prison and that hopefully he's located before he can hurt anyone else. The fact he's chosen to escape suggests his evil urges must be quite strong at the moment.

watcherintherye · 14/02/2022 12:25

he entered a woman’s home through a cat flap

ShockShockShockShock

There must be more to it than that? Like he reached through the cat flap to access keys. Surely?

I naively thought open prisons were for crooked accountants. Apparently not.

watcherintherye · 14/02/2022 12:34

I don’t believe it was a normal cat flap. It must have been a flap big enough for a dog.

Cheeseonpost · 14/02/2022 12:39

Well tbh it’s not really about what most lay people think

He was nearing the end of his sentence, so was moved to cat D, it’s usually a lot better this way than waiting until they time out and get released without any support there.

On the positive side him absconding will help ensure he goes back inside.

GlitterDragon · 14/02/2022 12:59

As if there’s 7% of mumsnet that think it’s reasonable for a criminal of this magnitude to be in an open prison....

Original poster
KookaburraSits · 14/02/2022 13:03

He was nearing the end of his sentence, so was moved to cat D

Technically, he wasn't as he was serving a life sentence. He was up for parole but would have been on license for the rest of his life. Not that that stopped him attacking a woman last time.

On the positive side him absconding will help ensure he goes back inside.

Agree. I just hope he's found before he attacks someone else.

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 14/02/2022 13:05

It’s very scary especially as Boston is only 16 miles from me.

There are warnings all over my fb page and local fb groups about being careful right now

Hmmph · 14/02/2022 13:14

My thoughts too.

If he was safe enough for an open prison and being prepared/ considered for release he is not a danger to the public now.*

If he is a danger to the public now, he should never have been in an open prison.

The fact he wandered off doesn’t make him more dangerous than he was last week (apart from he now has potential victims).

*I don’t think anyone who has done what he has can be considered “safe”.

AlexCabot · 14/02/2022 13:26

@Soubriquet

It’s very scary especially as Boston is only 16 miles from me.

There are warnings all over my fb page and local fb groups about being careful right now

I'm 20 miles from Boston and it's definitely worrying.
ThatsALotOfPassionfruit · 14/02/2022 13:42

I read something last night about his record and it’s absolutely terrifying. I can understand those of you in the local area being worried, I live miles away and am worried!

GCMM · 14/02/2022 14:05

Why is someone who is still considered extremely dangerous to women and children ie the majority of the population, in an open prison?

Akire · 14/02/2022 14:07

The radio said he’s deemed less so for his age. It only 58 not 78

lucillelarusso · 14/02/2022 14:13

He's no danger to the general public, the general, and important public are men and those born male, those born only female and women, not so much.