Green light is given for more ‘lifers’ at Ford prison

Arun District Council’s cabinet approved the alterations to the existing agreement between the prison and the council during its meeting on Monday evening (September 15).

It followed a plea from Ford’s new governor, John Wilson, to Arun to change the categories of offenders held at the prison – which will now include arsonists.

During the debate, concern had been raised about the number of recent, high-profile cases of prisoners who had absconded from the jail.

However, Nigel Croad, Arun’s resources director and deputy chief executive, explained that the rate of absconds at the prison could fall if it had more inmates serving longer sentences.

Mr Croad said: “In terms of risk (Mr Wilson) would much rather see a greater portion of those on an indeterminate sentence or life and long-term prisoners, because they have the most to lose.

“They are at the least risk, in terms of managing them, once they have passed through the rigorous risk assessment to move in the first place from a closed prison to an open prison.”

Regular quarterly meetings with Arun’s senior officers, as well as an annual visit by councillors to the jail, were also approved.

Ford currently holds 200 ‘lifers’ out of a population of 521 prisoners.