Christmas leave inmates still on the run

NINE prisoners who were granted temporary release from prison for Christmas have still not returned to complete their sentences.

The Prison Service has confirmed that the nine prisoners, none of whom are deemed to be serious criminals, are still at large more then three months after being allowed out for Christmas.

Two of the missing prisoners would already have completed their sentences if they had returned to see out the remaining months of their stay in jail. The remaining seven prisoners would all have finished their various sentences within the next few months.