Michael Andrew Jones was out of prison on licence after serving around 18 months for threatening his girlfriend with a chainsaw
Former Justice minister David Hanson is demanding to know why a violent rapist who went on the run from a Bangor bail hostel had been allowed to be “let out on licence”.
The MP for Delyn, has written to his former department after serial offender Michael Andrew Jones did not return to Ty Newydd Vale Probation and Bail Hostel in Llandygai .
Jones, 47, formerly of Sydney Walk, Flint , was jailed for four years and 10 months in March last year for threatening his teenage girlfriend with violence and two charges of assault . The term was later reduced by 10 months on appeal.
Jones who has up to 70 previous convictions was jailed for raping a woman, whose identity can’t be revealed for legal reasons, in 1998.
North Wales Police tweeted an appeal for his whereabouts on Thursday.
Mr Hanson said: “I have drafted a letter to the Ministry of Justice to find out the circumstances regarding him being let out on licence and what they are doing to apprehend him.
“I will also be tabling a question about the numbers of times people have absconded from bail hostels from Wales and in the UK.
“I think it’s a matter for the police’s professional judgement whether they release information about his history to the public and I can’t second guess that without knowing all the details.”
Jones, a high risk offender, was being monitored by the Probation Service.
Mr Hanson said he has also tabled a series of Parliamentary question relating to absconded prisoners from the probation service generally including how many were fitted with electronic tags.
It is not clear whether Jones was fitted with such a device.
The Ministry of Justice refused to give any details as to why Jones was on licence or if he had been fitted with a tag.
In the meantime police issued an appeal to the public via social media for help in tracking Jones down, yet no details of his violent history were released.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Public protection is our top priority. When an abscond takes place, police are immediately notified and are responsible for locating the offender.
“We take any breach of licence conditions extremely seriously and offenders who abscond can be sent back to prison.”
It has been estimated that probation officers are now handling up to 70 cases at a time.
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/why-bailed-violent-flint-rapist-12062349
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