It is a long established practice not to comment on individual cases and I do not propose to make an exception to this practice in this instance. I would like to say, however, that Castlerea place of detention is not an open prison. While it has been described as a "semi-open" institution it has, in common with traditional closed institutions, a high level of perimeter security including a 25ft high wall.
Transfers of prisoners between the various institutions, including to and from the place of detention at Castlerea, take place on a regular basis for sound operational reasons and are an essential element in the overall management of the prison system. The fact that a person is currently serving a sentence in Castlerea place of detention does not necessarily mean that the whole of his sentence will be served in that institution.
While I do not wish to generalise I will say that I do not consider it appropriate that persons convicted of sex offences should serve their sentences in open centres. There are approximately 265 persons convicted of sex offences in custody at present and I can assure the Deputy that not one of them is in an open centre.
