UK
Two young offenders flee secure unit on bikes during their cycling proficiency test
Two boys pedalled to freedom after being allowed out of a secure unit to take their cycling proficiency test.
The pair, aged 13, and 14, are serving custodial sentences at Barton Moss Secure Unit in Eccles. The 13-year-old had been convicted of robbery and the 14-year-old of assault. They were in a party of five juveniles from the centre who were being supervised by five adults when they cycled off yesterday morning.
It is believed they rode from the centre seven and a half miles to Manchester’s Victoria Station and got on a train. Police checked the train the boys were believed to be on but there was no sign of them. Both boys are originally from Lancashire and it is suspected they were intending to get back to their home towns.
The cycling course had started earlier in the week and the teenagers had also previously taken part in supervised community activities in preparation for leaving the centre early next year.
Salford council, which runs the secure unit, is now working with Greater Manchester Police to find the pair. Coun Margaret Morris, Salford council’s lead member for children’s services, said: “The teenagers were taking part in a supervised course when it appears they made a ‘spur of the moment’ decision to abscond. We will of course look at whether anything more could have been done to prevent this, but our priority now is to work closely with the police to ensure the boys are found safe and well, as swiftly as possible.”
A spokesman for GMP said: “The boys were being supervised but managed to get away from the staff. Both boys are on mountain bikes, one riding a silver Claude Butler bike and the other is riding red Kote mountain bike. They are both serving custodial sentences at a secure care unit.” Neither of the bikes have been recovered.
Barton Moss opened in its current form in 1995 and is a 20-place secure unit. It has high levels of supervision at all times plus specialist work on offending behaviour with about 100 staff employed in total. Education is provided on site for all residents with a team from the council. There are also sports and leisure activities and dental and health care on site.
Last year the Youth Justice Board extended its contract with the unit to provide beds for vulnerable young offenders.
Neal Keeling
16 September 2010
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