Row over second missing prisoner

John Brown was sentenced to life in prison in 1976

The Scottish Government has come under strong attack after it emerged another prisoner is on the run from a controversial open jail in Tayside.

Convicted murderer John Brown, 57, sentenced to life in 1976, failed to return to Castle Huntly on Wednesday, after being allowed out on home leave.

Last week another serious offender, Brian Martin, went on the run before later handing himself in.

Opposition parties accused the government of complacency.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said absconds "would happen", but each one was taken extremely seriously.

On Wednesday, Mr MacAskill ordered an independent inquiry into how Martin, known as "The Hawk", came to be moved from a closed prison to Castle Huntly, when the guidelines should have stopped it from happening.

This is making a mockery of the open prison estate Robert Brown Lib Dem justice spokesman

Martin, who was serving a 10-year sentence for a firearms offence, was transferred to Castle Huntly three years into his term.

Details of the latest absconding case emerged just hours after Alex Slamond was criticised on open prisons, during first minister's questions at Holyrood.

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said Mr MacAskill's future was now "hanging by a thread".

"We need answers on what happened in this case," said Mr Gray, adding: "Did Kenny MacAskill authorise this prisoner's move from closed conditions? The Scottish public deserve answers now."

Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken said: "I am especially concerned by the fact this murderer went missing yesterday, meaning either Kenny MacAskill and Alex Salmond knew about it and misled parliament at first minister's questions, or they were ignorant of the escape, which shows the depth of the crisis and how they have lost control of the system."

Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Robert Brown added: "A day after the justice secretary and the first minister himself assured Scotland they had a system in place to stop dangerous offenders escaping into our communities, another inmate has walked out of Castle Huntly.

"This is making a mockery of the open prison estate."

'Record low'

Mr MacAskill said his office was told of the latest case on Wednesday evening, after he made a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the Hawk case, but did not tell MSPs about it for operational reasons.

"We don't interfere as a justice department and I don't interfere as a justice secretary," he said.

"I have perfect faith in the operational matters of our police. We have recovered Mr Martin and the police are currently investigating matters relating to this individual."

The justice secretary added: "I am concentrating on making Scotland safer and stronger and delivering record numbers of police officers for our communities and indeed reducing absconds - sadly with this one - but still to a record low."

The Scottish Government ordered a tightening of the rules on open prisons in the wake of the Robert Foye case, last year.

Foye raped a 16-year-old schoolgirl in Cumbernauld after absconding from Castle Huntly, while serving a sentence for attempting to murder a police officer.

Meanwhile, police have been continuing the hunt for John Brown, who was transferred to Castle Huntly in February from Shotts jail - 33 years to the day after he was convicted.

He was described as about 5ft 5in, with short, brown hair and green eyes.

He is known to have family and friends in Glasgow - and anyone who knows where he is has been urged to contact police.