Drink-drive killer flees prison

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/humber/6271409.stm

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A drink-driver jailed for nine years for causing the deaths of two 13-year-old girls has absconded from an open prison.

James Hill, 32, was three times over the drink-drive limit and racing at speeds of up to 100mph when he crashed into Amy Jones and Kayla Young in 2003.

Hill, from Cleethorpes, fled from Moorland Open Prison, near Doncaster, on Monday, the Home Office said.

Kayla's mother said she was terrified he was already back behind the wheel.

Hill already had six drink-driving convictions when he lost control of his car near Grimsby and mounted the pavement, hitting the two girls as they were walking home from a park.

Road safety course

He had been to the pub with friend David Priestly before the pair started driving. Priestly was sentenced to five-and-a-half years and was released in 2006.

Christine Young said she had not known Hill was in an open prison but had been told of his disappearance by the Probation Service.

She said he had been attending a "Think First" road safety rehabilitation course when he absconded.

"The first thing he will do is get back behind the wheel," she said.

"It just worries me so much. He's never taken any notice of any of his bans before."

Mrs Young said her only consolation was the thought that, if and when Hill was recaptured, he would lose any right to early release.

Earlier this week, the Prison Officers Association called for an urgent meeting with Home Secretary John Reid to discuss the "serious problems" in open prisons.