Kirkham Prison

[Quickenthetempo]

Is this place fit for purpose?

Another two escaped prisoners on Saturday night who managed to scale the fence.
Seems to be at least once a month a prisoner decides to leave of his own accord.

I know it's supposed to be a soft prison but

Just glad I don't live around there.

[Lord Beamish]

It’s an Open Prison. It’s not meant to be hard to escape from. The Inmates in there are usually in for Minor, Non-Violent Offences. 20 years ago a friend of mine was ther for 3 month out of Six, for Credit Card Fraud.
Those that can’t resist escaping, upon re-capture will end up in somewhere like HMP Preston, which is not so easy a ride.

[claretblue]

Just glad I don't live around there.

Brrrrr...I know - the draft from the open doors must be perishing!

[Suratclaret]

Have to climb the fence now...a number of years ago there was a hole in one of the fences and a friend of mine who worked there said the hole wasn't repaired so that any inmate who wanted to go walkabout could do so without damaging the perimeter fence. It's a category D prison so inmates are supposed to be low risk.
Kirkham was in the football news a number of years ago when it provided accommodation to Jan Molby the Liverpool player.

[SammyBoy]

I might be wrong but I was always under the impression that you could walk out of an open prison should you want to, but the inmates were trusted not to do so.

[claretblue]

I might be wrong but I was always under the impression that you could walk out of an open prison should you want to, but the inmates were trusted not to do so.

short, sharp, shock!

[Bosscat]

Is this place fit for purpose?

Another two escaped prisoners on Saturday night who managed to scale the fence.
Seems to be at least once a month a prisoner decides to leave of his own accord.

I know it's supposed to be a soft prison but

Just glad I don't live around there.

Perhaps they were checking out "Parking" for visitors in the local area

[Loyalclaret]

Pretty sure there’s a barrier you can walk through next to the office, similar to a car park. They probably scaled the fence to give themselves more time.

Most people are close the end of their sentence or minor crimes, the ability to easily escape is a test these are obviously failing.

[cricketfieldclarets]

It’s an Open Prison. It’s not meant to be hard to escape from. The Inmates in there are usually in for Minor, Non-Violent Offences. 20 years ago a friend of mine was ther for 3 month out of Six, for Credit Card Fraud.
Those that can’t resist escaping, upon re-capture will end up in somewhere like HMP Preston, which is not so easy a ride.

Not always the case. People also go there at the end of long sentences for more serious and violent crimes.

Bit daft escaping. They’ll be back in and serve their full term at a less ‘nice’ prison now.

[Blackrod]

Not always the case. People also go there at the end of long sentences for more serious and violent crimes.

Bit daft escaping. They’ll be back in and serve their full term at a less ‘nice’ prison now.

Beat me to it. A parole board may determine a murderer is now no danger and can serve the remainder of their sentence in one of these. Doesn’t fill me with confidence. Could be wrong but I bet the escapees havnt just been caught shoplifting from Greggs.

[Lord Beamish]

Beat me to it. A parole board may determine a murderer is now no danger and can serve the remainder of their sentence in one of these. Doesn’t fill me with confidence. Could be wrong but I bet the escapees havnt just been caught shoplifting from Greggs.

I bet nobody is in any Prison for stealing from Greggs; unless, of course they did it whilst out on licence.

I’d wager that the escapees are commuters of minor offences, rather than time-served lags sitting out the last 18 months of a sentence in a comfy Open Prison. They know what they will be going back to. The ones in for 3-6 stretch in Kirkham won’t.

[Quickenthetempo]

A little info about both escapees
https://www.lancashire.police.uk/news/2 ... cialSignIn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.lancashire.police.uk/news/2 ... cialSignIn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[claretonthecoast1882]

Someone will be along soon to be offended that one of the escapees has been described as black

[claret3561]

Open prison is a cushy number, you are told when arriving you can walk out anytime you want. The reason people dont do it is quite simple.
1 you normally only serve a third of your sentence, when your caught the full sentence applies.
2 once you've walked out you'll never go back, you spend the whole sentence in a lock up jail like Preston which isn't pleasant.
One of the main reasons people walk out is getting into debt through drugs and suchlike and they'd rather be in a lockup jail than suffer the consequences of not paying.

[evensteadiereddie]

Someone will be along soon to be offended that one of the escapees has been described as black

Er, the other lad's described as "white".

Good effort though, coast.

[Bosscat]

It’s an Open Prison. It’s not meant to be hard to escape from. The Inmates in there are usually in for Minor, Non-Violent Offences. 20 years ago a friend of mine was ther for 3 month out of Six, for Credit Card Fraud.
Those that can’t resist escaping, upon re-capture will end up in somewhere like HMP Preston, which is not so easy a ride.

LB m8 have a look at what these two were in prison for....

One 7 years for wounding offences in the North Wales area.

The other had been jailed for six years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

So not exactly minor non violent offences

[Lord Beamish]

LB m8 have a look at what these two were in prison for....

One 7 years for wounding offences in the North Wales area.

The other had been jailed for six years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

So not exactly minor non violent offences

They’ll be back in hard chokey again, soon.

I also suspect that they’ll not be in the vicinity of Kirkham, either.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Inmates can be moved half way through a sentence if they've behaved themselves to an open prison.

[Bosscat]

They’ll be back in hard chokey again, soon.

I also suspect that they’ll not be in the vicinity of Kirkham, either.

Reckon you are right m8....

[cricketfieldclarets]

A little info about both escapees
https://www.lancashire.police.uk/news/2 ... cialSignIn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.lancashire.police.uk/news/2 ... cialSignIn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Would have put money on them being in for serious stuff. No other reason to try and bunk.

[bobinho]

Lord Beamish... two references you have made to life in a normal gaol being hard... just wondering where you get this notion from?

Only askin cos I have a couple of ‘mates’ who have done some pokey time. Both treat it as a rest, a chance to chill for a bit and recharge at their own pace.

I’m sure I wouldn’t like it, but I know I could do it. I’m equally sure there are plenty of others who wouldn’t like it or manage to do it but knowing what I do from these two lads, coupled with what I gather from the many prison documentaries I have seen, it ain’t that bad.

[Lord Beamish]

Lord Beamish... two references you have made to life in a normal gaol being hard... just wondering where you get this notion from?

Only askin cos I have a couple of ‘mates’ who have done some pokey time. Both treat it as a rest, a chance to chill for a bit and recharge at their own pace.

I’m sure I wouldn’t like it, but I know I could do it. I’m equally sure there are plenty of others who wouldn’t like it or manage to do it but knowing what I do from these two lads, coupled with what I gather from the many prison documentaries I have seen, it ain’t that bad.

Give it a whirl, if you like. I’m determined to stay out of Criminal Detention.

[Croydon Claret]

You have to be a special kind of stupid to escape from an open prison.
Pretty much all escapees get re-captured so you're just swapping the cushiest of prison experiences for a more grim one

[jjclaret]

Is this place fit for purpose?

Another two escaped prisoners on Saturday night who managed to scale the fence.
Seems to be at least once a month a prisoner decides to leave of his own accord.

I know it's supposed to be a soft prison but

Just glad I don't live around there.

https://tinyurl.com/y4quvnqp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apparently 18 over the past 12 months - that's 1.5 per month on average.

[claret3561]

[quote="Lord Beamish"][quote="bobinho"]Lord Beamish... two references you have made to life in a normal gaol being hard... just wondering where you get this notion from?

Only askin cos I have a couple of ‘mates’ who have done some pokey time. Both treat it as a rest, a chance to chill for a bit and recharge at their own pace.

I’m sure I wouldn’t like it, but I know I could do it. I’m equally sure there are plenty of others who wouldn’t like it or manage to do it but knowing what I do from these two lads, coupled with what I gather from the many prison documentaries I have seen, it ain’t that bad.


I've seen lots of car crashes on tv, they dont look that bad either until your in one, and if it's that easy for your mates how often do they go back for a rest.

[Burnleyareback2]

I had an acquaintance that finished up his sentence at Kirkham. Having visited him at several other prisons this looked to be a breeze.

His view was quite the opposite, you were almost pushed to break the rules and constantly tested. One bad move and you would sent back to a much tougher prison and longer sentence. Psychologically a different challenge.

[fatboy47]

working for Probation in the 80's I often came accross young offenders bragging to gullible kds about how they could do 6months DC or Borstal ""standing on my head""...

Some of these lads would be the same ones I'd seen on visits to Buckley Hall etc...crying their eyes out all day..absolutely desperate to get through their time.
Take anything any young jailbird tells you with a massive pinch of salt.

[bobinho]

One goes occasionally, although not for quite a while now. One is quite regular... as a judge once said to Norman Stanley Fletcher, "he accepts incarceration in a casual manner"

Like I said, it's no bother to them. They can choose to work for fag money, or they can doss all day, no shortage of recreational drugs, tv In the room, pool and table tennis on the landing, get their hands on fones and alcohol.... I spent years in some of the biggest shitholes in the world whilst serving in the Army, without anything LIKE that sort of comfort.

When I see one of them I always ask "How was it this time ………… ?" "Easy Bobby - If it was shite, I wouldn't want to go back but it's no trouble."

Personally, i'd miss everything about being out here, but I could get my head around it if I had to - but everyone's different.

[chipbutty]

A little info about both escapees
https://www.lancashire.police.uk/news/2 ... cialSignIn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.lancashire.police.uk/news/2 ... cialSignIn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mr K. Hunt