Follwoing on from a comment from Mike Nobes earlier this week, we see the Echo now reports as follows:
FOREIGN criminals sent to Bullwood Hall jail to be deported have been released early and allowed to stay in Britain, it has emerged.
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed eight foreign offenders were released early from the Hockley jail, as part of a new Government push to reduce prison overcrowding. They were also given ?174 to help them restart their life……
…..Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh, said: “Even though all experience shows prisoners released from prison leave the area quite quickly, and these people will have been taken to Hockley station to be put on a train, I am still not happy about this.
More info on this at Channel 4 News:
The Ministry of Justice said the decision to create foreign national prisons “reflects our need to deport foreign national prisoners (FNPs) as quickly as possible”.
There are five Borders and Immigration Agency officials working in each prison to identify immigration issues and expedite deportation procedures, a Ministry of Justice spokesman said.
Criminals sent to England’s two foreigners-only jails to be deported have been released early and allowed to stay in Britain instead.
Ministers opened prisons in Canterbury and Bullwood Hall, Essex, for overseas convicts so that they could be sent home once their sentence was complete.
The ?15million policy is designed to help immigration staff concentrate on having the robbers, burglars and drug dealers removed.
But at least 21 convicts sent to the prisons have already been freed under the Government’s controversial early release scheme.
and the Jamaica Gleaner
JAMAICA and Britain are in discussions on the transfer of more than 1,000 Jamaicans currently serving time in the United Kingdom (U.K.) prisons.
The issue surfaced yesterday in the British House of Commons after it was revealed that there were two prisons – Bullwood Hall in Essex and Canterbury Prison in Kent – that are currently housing only foreign inmates.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown told Parliament that there were 1,400 Jamaican prisoners in British penal facilities, the highest number of all foreign nationals. Nigeria has 1,000 while Vietnam and China have 400 and 300 nationals, respectively, in British prisons.
Looks like my fears regarding these foreign prisoners may be right, Chris?
There’s no info that any of these 8 prisoners have remained in the district after being released, but I’ll enquire.
In terms of the local economy, I would say that Bullwood Hall definitely benefits the district due to the employment it generates.
I doubt think it’s yet had any impact on public safety (although maybe someone from Hockley can advise me otherwise)