UK: 'Skull Cracker' Michael Wheatley absconds from open prison

[webfact]

'Skull Cracker' Michael Wheatley absconds from open prison

(BBC) A violent armed robber dubbed "the Skull Cracker" has gone missing after being allowed out of an open prison.

Michael Wheatley, 55, was given 13 life sentences at the Old Bailey in 2002 for a string of brutal raids on banks and building societies.

Kent Police said he failed to return to HMP Standford Hill open prison on the Isle of Sheppey.

Officers are now searching for Wheatley, with the public advised not to approach him.

Police said Wheatley, originally from Limehouse in east London, had links across south-east England.

He earned his nickname for using an imitation handgun as a blunt weapon to hit people - including a 73-year-old woman - during his robberies.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-27280228

-- BBC 2014-05-05

[chiang mai]

He got 13 life sentences, why was he in a an open prison.

[Tatsujin]

13 life sentences and was in an "open" prison? That just beggars belief.

[Credo]

Of course he absconded, it's not like he has a lot to lose by running away.

Perhaps he'll end up a stowaway on some ship and end up in the US where they try out one those new drug cocktails for the lethal injections.

[Rimmer]

Off topic Pattaya Bashing post removed

[Thaiready]

Prison system lacking something there....."Steel Bars"

[klauskunkel]

"Open Prison" - did somebody steal the gates?

[lee b]

Someone like this should be in a maimun security prison for life without parol. What on earth was he doing in an open prison.? This used to shock me as why these kind of things happen, but not anymore. ! What a joke.

[WoopyDoo]

Open prisons are for people who are about be released, or those who have done very well during their detention and given a 'high trust' status.

These open prisons are like holiday camps, not a place where you bang up someone on 13 lifer sentences, what the hell is going on??

He must have been given 'trustee' status to get in there, and chances are if he had shown full rehabilitation, he may well have had his sentence commuted to a single life term and been paroled after about 25 years, having already served 12 he may have tasted freedom eventually.... free at 68.

The guy will likely get caught, they almost always do, the police are very good in the UK... When they do get him hill regret what he has done and will be shipped straight to a highly secure prison and will also probably spend the next few years in a solitary confinement cell with only 1 hour a week out for a shower and zero privileges.

Stupid man... He has just turned a very good situation into a very bad situation for himself.

[RIJoe]

Open prison is an oxymoron!

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[theoldgit]

Open prisons are for people who are about be released, or those who have done very well during their detention and given a 'high trust' status.

These open prisons are like holiday camps, not a place where you bang up someone on 13 lifer sentences, what the hell is going on??

Indeed Open Prisons are for those about to be released and/or are not considered to be a risk to the public.

This guy was on temporary release so bars wouldn't have prevented him, he may have been on home leave or working in the community. He would have been risk assessed before being given temporary release, so as you say would probably have been a well behaved prisoner, or nearing a parole date, but despite what politicians would have you believe, there is a lot of pressure on Governors to release prisoners and to downgrade their category.

I will add that police often use the stock phrase that this person is dangerous, but don't add that he was in open conditions.

As has been said he will be caught and will probably regret his actions.

[tingtongteesood]

Only in Thai....hold on ! Well I guess all the real prisons were full and rather than doing something smart like removing someone on a minor wrap to put this scummy <deleted> in where he belongs, they decided to just leave him in the holiday camp and wait for an opening. Hope someone will lose their job over this ridiculous escape that should never have even had the slightest opportunity to happen.

[ChoakMyDee]

Not surprising in a nanny state where criminals are afforded more rights than victims.

[siampolee]

chiang mai post # 2

He got 13 life sentences, why was he in a an open prison.

Because of all those social workers who find ways to defend the violent scum like the escapee.

In my years of being involved in law keeping within the U.K. those bleeding heart social dogooders managed to wangle releases from custody of many objectionable characters who in many cases went on again to re-offend.

Any of you recall that fruitcake Lord Longford who campaigned endlessly for the release of both Myra Hindley along with her fellow low life creature Ian Brady?

99% of those bleeding heart social workers live in areas where they have little or no contact with lowlife scum nor do they even consider or understand the anguish suffered by the victims of those creatures they deem as socially debarred and vigorously campaign for on a platform of social injustice..

Nowadays sad to say '' the victim is the criminal and the lawbreaker is the victim.''

[lee b]

Someone like this should be in a maimun security prison for life without parol. What on earth was he doing in an open prison.? This used to shock me as why these kind of things happen, but not anymore. ! What a joke.

sorry maximum security !! oops

[GentlemanJim]

I thought people like Jeffery Archer stay in open prisons, the type that rob the tax man and would faint at the thought of using physical violence or robbing and hurting someone in their seventies. The type that is not a danger to society..that's why they are in an "open' prison. Let's hope he does not hurt anyone while he is out doing his bucket list.

[PoorSucker]

Off topic post removed.

[RickBradford]

One of the open prisons' governors was asked why so many people absconded and what could be done to prevent the problem.

His reply: "The problem is not that they are running away. The problem is that they are not coming back."

Somewhere along the line, the notion of "prison" has completely been lost.

[Thaiready]

I have a better solution...if guilty of murder give them the death penalty carried out within 48 hours. I know some of you bleeding hearts disagree....but that what needs to happen. In the US they have people spending 20 years on death-row.....thats BS. I may be Old School but a murder spending a lifetime on death row getting fat rubs me wrong.

[jacko45k]

Of course he absconded, it's not like he has a lot to lose by running away.

Perhaps he'll end up a stowaway on some ship and end up in the US where they try out one those new drug cocktails for the lethal injections.

I am expecting him to turn up in LOS next year.

[jacko45k]

I have a better solution...if guilty of murder give them the death penalty carried out within 48 hours. I know some of you bleeding hearts disagree....but that what needs to happen. In the US they have people spending 20 years on death-row.....thats BS. I may be Old School but a murder spending a lifetime on death row getting fat rubs me wrong.

Until you figure out how to legally murder your own people without going beyond 'cruel and unusual', maybe hold that thought.

[mad mary]

Looks like he's been busy again.

'Skull Cracker' link to Sunbury building society raid probed

Police are investigating whether an armed robber nicknamed the "Skull Cracker" who absconded from a Kent prison may have struck again.

A branch of the Chelsea Building Society in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, was robbed earlier.

Michael Wheatley, 55, went missing when he was released on a temporary licence from an open prison on Saturday.

He was given 13 life sentences in 2002 for a string of raids on banks and building societies.

Wheatley was last seen in Twickenham, south-west London, on Monday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27305266

[Basil B]

Just to update he was caught Wednesday and has been charged with the Sunbury raid, today he is in court. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27336796

This is just a Magistrates hearing where because of the severity of the offence they refer it to the Crown Court,

As I recall he was on day release, (allowed home for the day or weekend) which is a privilege open to most prisoners (not just those in open prisons) particularly towards the end of their sentence or on compassionate grounds, and although he had 13 life sentences he had a minimum 8 year before being able to apply for parole, clearly he had been knocked back a few times, now is unlikely to ever get to an open prison or have any day release in the foreseeable future if ever and if found guilty of additional charges likely to get full life sentences without the possibility of parole.

As for open prisons, yes they are a holiday camps, and it has been said most escapes from open prisons happen withing the first 24 hours of a prisoner arriving, I had cause to visit someone in one down in wales a few years back, the big joke was they kept sheep.

[theoldgit]

It's also worth bearing in mind that when a life sentence prisoner is eventually released they remain on licence for the rest of their life, that means they can be recalled to prison at any time without the need for a further court appearance.

I suspect that if this guy is convicted of this latest offence that it will be a good ten years before he gets anywhere near being released on licence.

[Basil B]

I would hope it would be more, trying to make sentencing of the guide lines, given he has previous that would be 15-18 years, as it seems the previous were very violent and he committed this crime (I think there is no doubt in the fact that he is guilty of this armed robbery in Sudbury) I hope the Judge recommends 15 years at least before being considered for parole, not to say a 70 year old can still be just as menacing.