THREE mistakes led to an alleged killer going on the run from Les Nicolles Prison, it was revealed yesterday. Craig Rouget, 18, fled from a work party cleaning up cigarette ends outside the front entrance on Easter Saturday, but he should never have been in the group.

The governor has completed an interim report on the escape.

It found that:

* A senior officer told a prison officer to get the clean-up done, but assumed all the procedures would be followed.

* The prison officer then selected two prisoners who were not suitable for the task. Inmates on remand should not be on external cleaning parties.

* An internal cleaning party was used outside the main entrance door. It should have been an external one that would have undergone a full risk assessment.

The findings were discussed yesterday by the Home Department.

‘It wasn’t a case of bad management, but a case of human error,’ said minister Geoff Mahy.

‘There were three errors which actually contributed to the eventual outcome.’

Additional operational security measures have been introduced to try to avoid a repetition.

‘If each of these three things had followed procedures, it would not have happened. The procedures were there, but we’ve added to these to increase the security,’ said Deputy Mahy.

He could not give specific information on the changes.

‘Although humanity must play a big part in looking after everyone in prison, overriding all of this must come first and foremost security,’ said Deputy Mahy.

‘If this had occurred on the day of the incident, then possibly the mistakes would not have happened.’

A full report should be completed on Friday.

The governor will then decide whether disciplinary action is needed.

‘The Home Department has full confidence in the management and staff of the prison and regret that these mistakes occurred,’ said Deputy Mahy.

Mr Rouget escaped on Saturday 7 April at 4.10pm.

He ran to his parents’ house and they returned him to the prison 16 minutes later.

Deputy Mahy said that contingency plans were activated immediately and worked effectively in conjunction with the police.

Mr Rouget has denied murdering James Dean on 9 September and is currently on remand awaiting a Royal Court trial.

The hearing is provisionally booked for the two weeks from Monday 16 July.