PRISON chiefs today refused to say how a ‘dangerous’ prisoner came to go on the run, sparking a man-hunt by police.

The Ministry of Justice said it would not comment on individual cases regarding the search for ‘violent’ Andrew Francis, who went on the run on February 11. Police only released details yesterday.

He was an inmate at Spring Hill open prison near Aylesbury, which give prisoners greater freedom to be active in the community.

A MoJ spokesman said “Prisoners are classed as ‘absconders’ if they absent themselves from Prison Service custody without lawful authority and without overcoming physical security restraints such as that provided by fences, locks, bolts and bars, a secure vehicle or handcuffs.”

It said open prisons are the ‘most effective means of ensuring prisoners are tested in the community before they are released’.

It said: “To release prisoners directly from a closed prison without the resettlement benefits of the open estate would undoubtedly lead to higher levels of re-offending.

“Prisoners are rigorously risk assessed and categorised as being of low risk to the public before being placed in open conditions.”

Chief Inspector Colin Seaton of Wycombe police said he Francis is a “categorised prolific offender” with a “record of violence”.

Ch Insp Seaton added that he feared Francis may commit another crime (see link, bottom of story).

He said: “Thames Valley Police is keen to trace Francis and return him to prison.

“We are concerned he may become violent if he is confronted, as he has been violent towards officers in the past.

Anyone with any information about Francis’ whereabouts should contact Det Sgt Robin Hughes on 0845 8 505 505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.