Can John Reid please tell me why a dangerous killer is on the loose in Cambridge? He slipped the net in Debenham’s yesterday while on a day trip to the city from nearby Haverhill Prison.
We have been warned not to approach Mark Ryder . He killed a man after escaping from a prison-organised boating trip to Brighton Marina in the 1990s; he was serving a jail term for stealing cars at the time and murdered a childhood friend who was a love rival.
Police have warned the public not to approach Ryder, but to contact them immediately. If he is regarded as so dangerous, why was he allowed to roam freely like this in a public place, particularly bearing in mind how he escaped before when out with prison officers and killed an innocent man?
He will not have any money and he is bound to be desperate. And the chances are nobody would recognise him from the pic submitted by police to the media because he doesn’t look anything like that now. Today he is described as having shaved hair, greying at the sides and short on top.
This makes me wonder, do the prisons update pics of inmates who are serving a long sentence? This mugshot was probably taken during Ryder’s arrest, it’s not even in colour, does nobody have a recent photo of him? If not, why not, and how can the public be expected to recognise him, or even the police?
Good point Ellee, maybe they should take a recent picture whenever they are released – come to think of it, he must be on a prison CCTV image somewhere.
Geoff, let’s hope so. It did cross my mind that his description is similar to how you look!
He may have to stay on the loose until a vacant place in prison can be found.
I don’t think the prison service take up-to date photographs, unless he moves between prisons (I think they take a photo every time). When was he last moved?
Unfortunately, it will be the police that issue the photograph, not the prison service, and I suspect there is either an issue of confidentiality or lack of communication. I honestly doubt the former would be the problem, as common sense dictates, but you never know…..
Alan, so in cases like this, there is no up to date pic to issue to the public as a warning and to help in the police search, that seems very poor, regardless of whether it is the responsibility of the police or prison service.
Hi Ellee! I agree with what you write.
Just a note to say I have just returned from the desert (central Australia), with my good friend Dr Jim Fowler..back in Sydney for a few days then off again for a few weeks.
You can see our adventure on http://www.maalie.blogspot.com
will make more comments when I return
Indeed – it is not right at all that there are no up-to-date photos made public. It’s all about joined up government, you see..
If it wasn’t so serious, it would be funny. The prisoner must be laughing at the incompetence of the police and prison service. You really couldn’t make it up!
[…] Richard Spring, Conservative MP for West Suffolk, has called for an inquiry into the high number of killers who have absconded, as well as submitting a written Parliamentary question demanding an explanation following the audacious escape of murderer Mark Ryder (pic left) two months ago. He gave prison guards the slip while shopping in Debenhams in Cambridge, he had been based at Highpoint Prison, Haverhill. […]