Killing has similarities to failings around June 13 attacks, says MP
PRISONER KILLED OAP DAY AFTER EARLY RELEASE
AN MP says the investigation into the death of a Nottinghamshire grandfather has “many similarities” to failings surrounding the Nottingham attacks.
Terry Radford was killed by a man who had been released early from a prison sentence the previous day under a scheme which a coroner has since dubbed “preposterous.”
The 87-year-old had been waiting for a bus in Mansfield when a car drove into him. He died at the scene. Gavin Collins killed Mr Radford on April 19, 2019, just a day after he was released early from HMP Ranby.
An inquest heard Collins had been released from the jail’s segregation unit where he had been housed because he posed a risk to staff and other prisoners.
Coroner Laurinda Bower said: “The public may rightly be concerned that prisoners deemed ‘too risky’ to reside within the general prison population – with its strict curfews and regime, use of locked cells, and trained prison personnel with protective gear – can still be released early from their sentence under the terms of the policy.”
Collins had been serving a threeyear sentence for burglary and theft. For the killing of Mr Radford he was eventually jailed for 21 years for manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The killer had been placed in segregation at HMP Ranby after setting fire to his cell twice and injuring a prison staff member with a plastic knife.
Lee Anderson, the Reform UK MP for Ashfield, led a debate about the case in Parliament on Wednesday.
Attended in person by Mr Radford’s family, Mr Anderson ended his opening remarks by saying: “There are many failings in the whole investigation, and many similarities, sadly, with the stabbings in Nottingham city last year. The family feel that no lessons have been learned.
“They want to know what actions have been taken against the individuals responsible, and whether any of them have been dismissed, downgraded or transferred from the prison service. The fact that they are not allowed to know makes them feel as if there has been a cover-up. Their wish is that none of these people are still working within the prison service, as that would be an absolute travesty.”
Speaking directly to the justice minister attending, Mr Anderson added: “I want to ask the minister to look at the family here in the public gallery. This family, who lost Terry. We have two of his sons here, they have lost their dad, their loving father.
“They have come here today for justice. They want closure. I want him to look at them in the eyes when he rises to speak and to tell them what happened to those governors.”
Despite Mr Anderson’s pleas, the justice minister was unable to confirm what action had been taken against those who made the decision to release Gavin Collins early.
Edward Argar said: “In the light of the investigation, [the prison and probation service] did decide that there were sufficient grounds to bring disciplinary proceedings against staff at the prison... Although it pains me, I am legally unable to disclose the details of those disciplinary proceedings, as I am advised that to do so would be acting in breach of the law.”
The minister also said Mr Anderson could join him for a meeting with prison and probation service officials to discuss the disciplinary process. The minister also pledged that the framework to release someone under the home detention curfew scheme was being strengthened.
Mr Anderson responded by saying: “The family will be very disappointed with the outcome of the debate. I know that. Although I was encouraged by some of the things the minister said about strengthening the framework... we have governors who cannot carry out the most basic of tasks.
“Anybody in this room today would know that Mr Collins should not have been released on that day. Strengthening frameworks is all well and good, but when there is incompetence at the highest level, they are supposed to be carrying out the framework, it will not work.”