Anger as bank robber with 55 convictions walks out of open jail
A BANK robber with more than 55 previous convictions involving 115 offences and serving an indeterminate sentence to protect the public has walked out of a Derbyshire open prison.
Derbyshire police have launched an appeal on social media to find 54-year-old John Hickinbottom, who failed to return to HMP Sudbury but have been inundated with hundreds of comments from people angry he had been placed in an open prison due to the danger it is claimed he poses to the public.
Hickinbottom is serving an “indeterminate sentence for public protection”. This is designed to detain people in prison who pose a significant risk of causing serious harm to the public through further serious offences until they no longer pose a risk.
He was already a convicted bank robber when, in 2016, he was sentenced to five years in prison after he recruited his recently bereaved niece and an ex-convict to buy drugs and bring them into Featherstone jail. While in jail, he was sentenced to four years in 2017 for his “significant” part in a criminal gang who used drones to smuggle drugs into prisons.
Hickinbottom absconded on Saturday. However, after revealing he was serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection, Derbyshire police received hundreds of comments from social media users.
Sarah Smith wrote: “I cannot believe that someone ‘serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection’ is not only put in an open prison but (predictably) found it as easy as all the others to simply leave.”
Jessica Downes said: “Serving a indeterminate sentence and he’s in a open prison! He obviously shouldn’t be in a open jail if he wasn’t sentenced to a set period of time in prison.”
Steven Padley said: “So he’s on an indeterminate sentence for public protection and he’s in a open prison? Really? Judicial system at its best.”
A Prison Service spokesman said: “Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) prisoners are only moved to open conditions after a Parole Board hearing and strict risk assessment.
“Offenders recaptured can expect to be returned to closed prison.”
Hickinbottom is described as around 6ft tall with blue eyes and brown hair. People who spot him are asked not to approach him but to contact police on 101.