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Daily Mail
May 23, 2014
On-the-run killers and other criminals should not be publicly identified because it is ‘unfair’ on them, Government officials say.
To the fury of MPs and victims, the Ministry of Justice is withholding the identity of 18 convicts who have absconded from open jail to protect their privacy.
Officials say they have not even bothered to consider whether releasing the information is in the ‘public interest’ – despite the fact it could help to trace the fugitives.
They claim that, under Freedom of Information laws, there is a blanket ban on releasing the criminals’ identities because it is their own ‘personal data’.
Last night, senior Government sources said Justice Secretary Chris Grayling was furious with the decision, which was taken without his knowledge. He is now intending to over-rule his own department and publish a list of all on-the-run criminals within days.
MPs said the decision – revealed in response to an FOI request by the Mail – was ‘idiotic’ and put the public at added risk.
It came as yet another two convicts absconded from open jail, taking the total to six in just four days.
Ex-Tory justice minister Nick Herbert said: ‘It is simply not acceptable to say naming a criminal who has escaped from prison is a breach of their rights. Unless there is an operation reason, they should be identified. It runs completely contrary to common sense.’
In individual cases, police have successfully appealed for the public’s help in tracking down the on-the-run inmates.
But the MoJ said that it was not prepared to release a comprehensive list, despite MPs pointing out that it could help to apprehend serious criminals.
Hell’s Angel David Richards killed a 16-year-old boy with a monkey wrench in 1984. He absconded nine years ago but has never been publicly identified. The Mail understands he is among the 18 names on the list.
Also on the list is a killer named Derek Passmore, who absconded last June.
Farcically, his identity was withheld from the Mail’s FOI request despite the fact that he featured on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme earlier this year.
Tory MP Philip Davies said: ‘The Ministry of Justice’s stance is idiotic. I’m almost embarrassed for them coming up with such tripe.
‘Surely the public, for their own safety, is entitled to know which prisoners are on the run.’
