HC Deb 26 January 1988 vol 126 c187W
52. Mr. Corbett

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what requests were made by prison officers at Her Majesty's prison Gartree to Royal Air Force flight controllers at the time of the helicopter escape of John Kendall and Sydney Draper; and if he will make a statement.

55. Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what requests were made by prison officers at Her Majesty's prison Gartree to Royal Air Force flight controllers at the time of the helicopter escape of John Kendall and Sydney Draper; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Freeman

On the afternoon of 10 December 1987, the Leicestershire police telephoned the London air traffic control centre at RAF West Drayton to inform it that a helicopter-assisted escape from Gartree prison had taken place and to ask for assistance. Under standing instructions, immediate steps were taken to provide all possible assistance to the police in apprehending the fugitives. Subsequently, a member of the staff at Gartree prison telephoned the control centre, making a similar request. By then action was already in hand, although the helicopter was airborne for too short a period for it to be tracked successfully.