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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Escaped rapist 'had bought car' | Escaped rapist 'had bought car' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A convicted rapist who has been on the run for two days had bought a car in "breach of his release conditions", the Prison Service has confirmed. | A convicted rapist who has been on the run for two days had bought a car in "breach of his release conditions", the Prison Service has confirmed. |
| Life-sentence prisoner Mark Thomas Clarke, 40, had been living at home with his parents in north Belafast since the summer of 2007. | |
| Clarke, "a high risk sexual predator", was being paid a wage for working in the construction industry. | Clarke, "a high risk sexual predator", was being paid a wage for working in the construction industry. |
| The Prison Service said it regretted that Clarke had absconded. | The Prison Service said it regretted that Clarke had absconded. |
| He escaped while attending a training course at Nutt's Corner, County Antrim, on Tuesday. | He escaped while attending a training course at Nutt's Corner, County Antrim, on Tuesday. |
| The head of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Robin Maysfield, said the authorities were doing all in their power to find him. | The head of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Robin Maysfield, said the authorities were doing all in their power to find him. |
| "He had been very carefully assessed, he had been through an extensive series of programmes including alcohol awareness, anger management, enhanced thinking skills and elements of the sex offender treatment programme while he was in custody," said Mr Maysfield. | "He had been very carefully assessed, he had been through an extensive series of programmes including alcohol awareness, anger management, enhanced thinking skills and elements of the sex offender treatment programme while he was in custody," said Mr Maysfield. |
| "He had a serious history, he has committed appalling crimes but he was working through the system with a view to release." | "He had a serious history, he has committed appalling crimes but he was working through the system with a view to release." |
| Nexus, a group which counsels victims of sex abuse, said the case raised serious questions. | Nexus, a group which counsels victims of sex abuse, said the case raised serious questions. |
| Chris Smallwood from Nexus said Clarke had made a "complete ass" of the system. | Chris Smallwood from Nexus said Clarke had made a "complete ass" of the system. |
| "This man has gone off the radar. This causes high levels of fear and anxiety," he said. | "This man has gone off the radar. This causes high levels of fear and anxiety," he said. |
| "No-one knows where he is, that's quite worrying". | "No-one knows where he is, that's quite worrying". |
| He added: "The main issue for us here is, we are led to believe... that this guy was being monitored and supervised by the Prison Service within the community where he was released. | He added: "The main issue for us here is, we are led to believe... that this guy was being monitored and supervised by the Prison Service within the community where he was released. |
| "I would like to think that the Prison Service itself will be carrying out some form of investigation as to who made the decision to release this man into the community." | "I would like to think that the Prison Service itself will be carrying out some form of investigation as to who made the decision to release this man into the community." |
| 'Making progress' | 'Making progress' |
| Clarke was jailed in 1996 for kidnapping and attempted rape at knifepoint and was given a minimum nine-and-a-half year tariff. | Clarke was jailed in 1996 for kidnapping and attempted rape at knifepoint and was given a minimum nine-and-a-half year tariff. |
| Those offences happened 15 months after he was freed early from a nine-year sentence for rape. He had served four and a half years. | Those offences happened 15 months after he was freed early from a nine-year sentence for rape. He had served four and a half years. |
| Clarke was in the third stage of a pre-release programme monitored by the Prison Service when he fled. | Clarke was in the third stage of a pre-release programme monitored by the Prison Service when he fled. |
| The Prison Service website said: "When he (Clarke) was advised that he was being returned to prison until the circumstances of his case were fully reviewed, he absconded and staff were unable to apprehend him. | The Prison Service website said: "When he (Clarke) was advised that he was being returned to prison until the circumstances of his case were fully reviewed, he absconded and staff were unable to apprehend him. |
| "Clarke has spent significant time in custody beyond his nine year tariff and had progressed to living in the community. He had obtained a job and was making progress. | "Clarke has spent significant time in custody beyond his nine year tariff and had progressed to living in the community. He had obtained a job and was making progress. |
| "He remained under the supervision of prison and probation staff. He was also being monitored by the PSNI at weekends when a curfew was in force." | "He remained under the supervision of prison and probation staff. He was also being monitored by the PSNI at weekends when a curfew was in force." |