A PRISONER was wrongly freed from HMP Hewell because he shared the same surname as another inmate who was due to be released.
The man, who has been named in media reports as Anthony Douglas, walked out of the Tardebigge jail last Wednesday (July 2) after being mistaken for another offender who had finished his sentence.
It is not know how much of his sentence he had left to serve or why he was in prison, but Douglas was eventually arrested the next day after the error came to light.
He is now back in prison and it is believed a member of staff has been suspended following the mix-up.
A Prison Service spokesman said they took public protection extremely seriously and the type of incident was a very rare but regrettable occurrence.
He added:“The police were notified immediately and he was recaptured on July 3.
“An investigation by a senior governor has been launched.”
It is not the first time the prison has come under fire for its security.
A murderer serving two life sentences for kidnapping and killing a teenage boy absconded from the open part of the jail last October.
Alan Giles, 56, had been allowed out on day release but failed to return.
Following a nine day search by police he was eventually captured and returned to the site where he
was sentenced to a further six months.
Last month a man from Sandwell, who had been convicted for burglary, was also re-arrested after failing
to return to the prison while on day release.
The 33-year-old went missing after being allowed to travel to West Bromwich.
