Three more prisoners go missing

[L-R]: Neil James Sherlock, Myles Thomas Bessell, James Robert Birch

Three more prisoners have absconded from an open jail, making a total of five at large in the past week.

Gwent Police have warned that the latest three missing from Prescoed in Monmouthshire should not be approached.

Neil James Sherlock, 33, Myles Thomas Bessell, 30, and James Robert Birch, 25, disappeared on Tuesday.

Sherlock, from Cardiff, and Bessell, from Bristol, have robbery convictions while Birch, from Worcestershire, was jailed for death by dangerous driving.

Police statement said the inmates, who absconded from the jail at Usk between 1730 GMT and 2000 GMT on Tuesday, may be a "potential risk to the public".

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 01633 838111.

Sherlock was convicted of robbery at Cardiff Crown Court in October 2000. He is white, 5ft 6in, of slight build, weighs 61kg and has brown hair and green eyes.

Bessell is 5ft 7in, of slim build, weighs 63.5kg, and has brown hair and green eyes. He was convicted of robbery at Bristol Crown Court in February 2006.

Five inmates have absconded from Prescoed, Usk, in a week

Birch, from Bromsgrove, was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving in June 2004.

He is white, 5ft 8in, of slim build, weighs 63kg, and has brown eyes and brown hair and extensive tattoos including Jim, fish and Mum on his left arm.

Their disappearance came two days after burglar John Thomas Kilpatrick, 38, also went missing from the open jail.

Meanwhile Christopher Joseph, 26, who went missing from Prescoed last Wednesday, is still at large. He was serving a sentence for driving offences.

In 2006 the UK Government agreed to look into the concerns of local people who said sex offenders should not be sent to the prison after a series of absconders went missing, including child rapists.