Now Councillor Myles, whose ward covers Noranside, has urged the public not to panic over the recommendations, arguing that the wide range in severity of sex offences makes it dangerous for the public to lump the prisoners into one catch-all category.

He also added that because prisoners are individually assessed by professionals before moving to the open prison estate, the dangers to the community will be minimal.

“I think we have to be very careful what we say on any issues concerning such an obviously emotive subject,” he said.

“Sex offenders can be categorised in a large block — some of which involve quite mild offences and others which are really quite fierce.

“And I don’t think it is for us to comment on the suitability of any individual.

“They are assessed by professionals, and it’s very difficult for outsiders to comment over the suitability of a prisoner.

“Is a sex offender worse than a murderer?

“It’s not for me to say, because I don’t know the situations behind each offence, so to generalise the issue might do more harm than good,” he added.

A spokesperson for Rape Crisis Scotland, which operates a centre in Dundee, would not be drawn on the suitability or otherwise of sex offenders in open prisons, but stressed that “whatever arrangements are made, the safety of women should be a paramount consideration”.

RESIDENTS CONCERNED

The report recommending more sex offenders should be sent through Castle Huntly and Noranside Prisons before being released has caused concern among some local residents living in Longforgan, in the shadow of Castle Huntly (writes Debbie Kerr).

Anne Kane, a village shop assistant, said the security of the prison would have to be assessed before considering the move.

She said, “I think more sex offenders being sent nearby would worry me. I don’t know what the answer is to it, because I know everybody says ‘not in my back yard’.

“It wouldn’t matter if they were sex offenders or violent criminals — they would worry me just as much, because Castle Huntly has such a bad name for its security. If people want to get out they will. It is a bit worrying with so many families living here so close to the prison.”

Another resident, Rosalind Girolami, said, “They have to go somewhere, I know that, but I don’t think more sex offenders should be sent so near to a small community with this many families and a small school nearby. There are a lot of young children in the village, so I think that would raise people’s fears.

“Everybody says ‘not in my back yard’, but I really don’t think people like that should be in such close proximity to young families.”

Jeff Stonier, who has lived near the open prison for many years, said proper management would prevent real danger to the community.

“If they managed it properly, then it might work,” he said. “I do not particularly want them here, as there are a lot of children about near the school, so that would be a worry. I don’t know how to solve the problem, as it is easy to say ’not in my back yard’.

“People do have to be brought back into the community at some point, and you have to try and look at it sensibly. A lot of it is down to how the place is managed. It must be the most difficult job to instil discipline, especially in an open prison.”

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said, “I can see both sides of the argument. People do need rehabilitation, but I think it is about the level of supervision on these people. If people knew they were being properly supervised they would feel more secure.

“In the past there have been far too many absconders from Castle Huntly, and from a purely selfish point of view I would probably prefer they were not so close — yet at the same time they have to go somewhere.”

Alan Muir, chairman of Longforgan Community Council, said the community is always in communication with the local prison.

“We have been involved with the castle over a long period of time now,” he explained. “We are focused on communication with them. I am also involved with the prison visiting committee, so we do keep quite close tabs on what is going on with Castle Huntly.

“The importance of the screening program to decide on who is eligible for inclusion to an open site is also in place to protect people. Work involving the selection of prisoners has been a lot more stringent recently, which has led to more confidence.”

ABSCONDING RATE STILL TOO HIGH

In his inspection report on the open estate published today, Dr Andrew McLellan acknowledged there had been “significant change” at Castle Huntly and Noranside.

Much of this change, Dr McLellan noted, had been driven by reaction to the absconding and subse-quent rape of a schoolgirl by Castle Huntly inmate Robert Foye.

“The criteria for admission to the open estate have been tightened considerably,” said Dr McLellan, “so there are far fewer prisoners in the open estate than there used to be. In September 2007 the population was 496; by the time of this inspection it had dropped to 350. Among these the proportion of short-term prisoners has dropped.”

The report stated that, in the past year, there had been 19 absconds and 19 failures to return to the two prisons which make up the estate.

The inspector said, “It is still a high number, but it is lower than it used to be. Most of these absconds are technically ‘non-returns’.

“It is not that the majority have escaped, but that they have not returned to prison after a period of home leave or community placement.”

The Tele has long campaigned for the public to be given more information about the criminals — many of them with violent histories — who go on the run from the open prisons.

It was only after the horrific Foye case came to light, however, that the Scottish Prison Service came under political pressure to introduce improvements.

A Scottish Prison Service review of the Foye case last year found he met the criteria to be transferred, but it made a series of recommend-ations on improving the system.

Yet the inspector identified faults with the new admission procedures — a lack of preparation in closed prisons for the move and delays of up to three months in getting home leave after admission which can lead to “real frustration”.

Falls in the total number of prisoners and the proportion of inmates on short-term sentences has, it was stated, led to a more positive atmosphere with “better prisoners more suited to open conditions”.

The inspector said he had found evidence the use and availability of illegal drugs within the two prisons had been reduced.

“This is not merely due to the lower numbers; even proportionately to the lower numbers there is significantly less drug use,” continued Dr McLellan.

“This may be partly because of the smaller number of short-term prisoners. More certainly it is due to the more stringent requirements for admission to the open estate.”

The inspector also said, “So many reports have stated that sex offenders get the worst preparation for release in Scotland’s prisons, despite their being the prisoners whom the public would expect to receive the most thorough preparation for release.

“The number of sex offenders in the open estate at the time of inspection (September) was two.

“Of course it is difficult and dangerous and controversial to give any form of access to the community to imprisoned sex offenders.

“But it is more difficult and more dangerous, and it should be more controversial, to return them to the community at the end of their sentences without any previous testing in the community and without proper preparation for release.”

He added, “If the open estate is the best preparation for release to be found in Scottish prisons, then the most dangerous prisoners (not just sex offenders) are the ones who need it most.

“It is not easy to understand why some prisoners are given parole directly from closed prisons. Indeed, in this year alone at least 38 prisoners have been released on parole from adult male closed establishments.”