Fugitive sex offender Paul Robson will not be returned to open prison

A "dangerous" sex offender who has been on the run for more than 48 hours will not be returned to an open prison once he is captured, the Ministry of Justice has said.

A manhunt is continuing for Paul Robson, who walked out of HMP North Sea Camp in Boston, Lincolnshire, on Sunday. He had been there for less than three weeks.

The 56-year-old has been described as a "particular danger to women and young children".

The authorities have faced questions over why Robson, who was jailed for life in 2000 following a number of violent sex assaults, was serving his sentence in a category D minimum security prison.

On Monday, Labour wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab seeking reassurances over public safety.

Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed said he wanted to know "why such a dangerous criminal was deemed fit to be in an open prison where he could abscond".

And the Conservative MP for Boston and Skegness Matt Warman said Robson's escape was a "failure of the system".

The Ministry of Justice said Robson would be returned to a secure prison once captured and would not be eligible for parole again for at least two years.

A spokesperson said: "Absconds from prison have more than halved since 2010 and are now extremely rare.

"Following a decision by the Deputy Prime Minister last year, there will now be greater scrutiny of Parole Board recommendations on open prison moves.

"The Deputy Prime Minister will oversee the decisions in the most high-risk cases personally."

Robson's previous crimes include one incident in which he broke into a woman's house through a cat-flap and put a pillow case over her head before assaulting her at knifepoint.

His original tariff expired in August of 2009 but he has since been refused parole on five occasions.   

In February 2021 the Parole Board recommended moving him to open conditions after rejecting his latest bid for release.

He was moved to North Sea Camp on 21 January.

Police say he may be wearing a black long-sleeved Berghaus top, a grey t-shirt, dark bottoms, a dark coloured woollen beanie hat and a light-grey donkey-style jacket with orange on the shoulder.

The public have been warned not to approach Robson but to report any sightings via 999.