JOHN ELMS AND MARTIN ASPINALL RECAPTURED IN MONMOUTHSHIRE AFTER ESCAPE FROM OPEN PRISON

In a significant development in the ongoing concerns over prison security and the management of high-risk offenders, two convicted sex offenders who had recently escaped from an open prison in Monmouthshire were successfully apprehended by law enforcement authorities. The individuals, identified as John Elms, aged 34, and Martin Aspinall, aged 46, were located and detained near a hotel in Usk, a town within Monmouthshire, south Wales, around 2:40 pm on the day of their recapture.

According to a spokeswoman from Gwent Police, the two men were found in close proximity to the Rat Trap Hotel in Llangview, where officers had been conducting questioning. Both Elms and Aspinall, who are registered sex offenders, were taken into custody after being questioned at Newport Central Police Station. Their escape from HMP Prescoed, a prison situated near Usk, had been ongoing since Friday evening, causing concern among local residents and authorities alike.

Elms’s criminal history is particularly troubling. He was sentenced at the Old Bailey in March 1996 for the heinous crime of raping a teenager at knifepoint. Prior to this, he had served a four-year sentence for indecent assault against a 15-year-old schoolgirl. The judge at his sentencing described him as a “danger to the public,” highlighting the severity of his offenses and the risks he posed.

Similarly, Aspinall’s criminal record includes a conviction from December 1992 for the rape of a minor and kidnapping. The Prison Service has not confirmed reports suggesting that the victim was a five-year-old girl, but Aspinall remains classified as a high-risk offender. Both men were serving life sentences, underscoring the gravity of their crimes and the ongoing threat they represent.

Following their recapture, the incident has prompted calls from political figures and community leaders for a reassessment of how sex offenders are managed within open prison facilities. An MP, David Davies of Monmouth, publicly criticized the Prison Service, urging the authorities to remove sex offenders from open prisons altogether. He expressed outrage that such individuals could escape and remain at large, emphasizing that the community’s safety must be prioritized.

Davies pointed out that the prison authority claims that only suitable, low-risk prisoners are housed in open conditions, yet the recent escape suggests otherwise. He called for an apology from the prison authorities and insisted that any other dangerous offenders currently in Prescoed should be transferred to more secure facilities. The community’s protests against housing sex offenders in open prisons have been ongoing, and this latest incident has only intensified those concerns.

Details about the prison itself reveal that Prescoed is a purpose-built facility with a capacity of approximately 170 inmates, constructed in the 1930s. The prison is described as a “hutted camp,” with six modern, detached living units, each containing 20 single rooms. According to the prison’s website, inmates are allowed to keep their own room keys, a feature that has come under scrutiny following the escape.

Gwent Police have issued alerts in areas where the offenders are believed to have contacts. Elms is known to have connections in London and Hampshire, while Aspinall has links to Bolton and Lancashire. The authorities are actively investigating these contacts to prevent further incidents and to ensure the offenders do not pose a threat to the wider community.

In recent months, the prison system has seen other high-profile escapes. Last month, David Cook, a 59-year-old convicted murderer, handed himself in after being on the run for over a week. Additionally, Gareth Tuvnes, aged 24, who was sentenced to four years in January 2005, escaped from Prescoed and engaged in a month-long crime spree, during which he stole mailbags and committed various thefts.

The incident involving Elms and Aspinall underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the prison system in managing high-risk offenders and maintaining public safety in Monmouthshire and beyond.