Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Secretary Margaret Smith MSP has urged the Scottish Prison Service not to wash its hands of absconding prisoners.

The SPS has concluded that the decision to place Robert Foye, the prisoner who absconded from Castle Huntley prison, in an open prison was correct and that his subsequent rape of a schoolgirl could not have been predicted.

Commenting, Mrs Smith said:

“The Government must not allow the SPS to wash its hands of this case. I am concerned that our open prisons are being used as a temporary solution to prison overcrowding. This is unacceptable.

“While I accept that Robert Foye’s actions could not have been predicted, they could have been prevented.

“Robert Foye had been on the run for almost a week before he attacked the schoolgirl. This raises serious questions about the urgency of the response to absconding prisoners.”