Cost of Running Thorn Cross Rises

Statistics released by the Ministry of Justice showed that the cost of keeping an inmate at Thorn Cross Prison rose by 2.3 per cent, to an average of £31,221 in 20017/18. The rise reflects a trend across jails in England and Wales, where the average cost of keeping an inmate in a prison for a year was £37,543 – up 6.1 per cent from £35,271 in 2016/17. National chair of the Prison Officers’ Association Mark Fairhurst said the prison service was “in crisis”.

“Assaults on staff are at a record high and serious assaults are even worse,” he added.

“That, combined with the maintenance costs and the number of people being sent to jail means rising costs. If they reviewed the sentencing guidelines and sent less people to prison, that would help.”

Wigan Man Serving Life Sentence Absconds from Thorn Cross Prison

Damien Long, who was jailed for life for a seven-day crime spree, escaped from Thorn Cross Prison, it was reported on November 3, 2018. The 32-year-old pleaded guilty to six counts of robbery, one count of kidnap, and two counts of aggravated burglary at Liverpool Crown Court in 2009. Long’s family are appealing to him to hand himself in. A prison service spokesperson said: “Public protection is our priority so when an abscond takes place police are immediately notified and become responsible for locating the offender. Those who abscond are returned to closed prisons where they may have to serve additional time behind bars.”