Mercy Muroki: Releasing monsters like Paul Robson is playing Russian roulette with the public’s safety

A convicted sex offender who is serving a life sentence for attempted rape and indecent assault has gone on the run from HMP North Sea Camp in Lincolnshire – an open prison.

Paul Robson went on the run on the weekend, just weeks after he was moved to the open prison after being denied parole FIVE times.

The police have said this: "If you see Robson, please do not try to approach him, or try to apprehend him yourself."

Why is that? well because they say, and I quote, "He presents a particular danger to young women and children"

Well, thanks for stating the obvious.

The man was sentenced to life after he broke into a womans house, tied her up, put a pillowcase over her head, and held a knife to her throat as he attacked her.

The man has a history of violent sex attacks on young women.

According to reports in the Oxford Mail, Robson was sent to prison for assaulting a 12-year-old girl in 1988.

After an early release from prison, he then abducted and assaulted an 8 year old girl in 1990.

He was released early again, then went on to approach two young girls aged 9 and then was jailed again in 1996 for attacking a woman.

It was in 2000 when he was finally handed a life sentence for yet another sickening crime.

Robson, in my view, has proven that prison is no deterrence to him – that he exploits his freedom to commit more crimes.

What on Earth is the parole board doing sending a man, who was declared a "menace to females" by the sentencing judge, who the police deem a "risk to the public" to an open prison?

And the Ministry of Justice should also be ashamed of itself for approving this man's transfer there.

In explaining the decision to send Robson to an open prison, a spokesman for the Parole Board, said, and I quote: "A move to open conditions involved testing the prisoner's readiness to any potential return to the community in future"

Well Paul Robson has well and truly – and very unsurprisingly – failed that test. And the public pays the price.

All we can do is cross our fingers, hope and pray that Robson does not have the opportunity to harm anyone else.

And above all else, I hope this is a lesson to the Parole Board and the Ministry of Justice, that releasing monsters like this – who have been sentenced to life for a reason – is playing Russian Roulette with the public's safety.