A CONVICTED rapist is on the run after walking out of a Gwent open prison, it was revealed this afternoon.

Police are searching for Robert Neil Stokes, who went missing from HM Prison Prescoed last night.

He was serving a nine-year sentence for rape and indecent assault and was moved to Usk ahead of his release date.

Neil Lavis, head of residence at Prescoed, said Stokes was not deemed high risk.

He said: "He was sent to Prescoed following an assessment by prison service staff, probation officers and psychologists.

"He had been assessed as low risk and was within 12 months of his release date."

But news of the absconder has inspired anger among the local community, who campaigned against the government's decision to place sex offenders at the open prison.

Back in May more than 3,000 people signed a petition against the plans. Now they say the incident has confirmed their worst fears.

Paul Starling, chairman of the Usk Community Residents Action Group, said: "This fulfils all of our warnings that the government simply cannot protect Usk.

"The government is playing Russian roulette with the safety of the public of Usk."

In May the parliamentary under-secretary of state, Paul Goggins, gave the go-ahead for sex offenders to be held at Prescoed.

Monmouth AM David Davies said that following this incident he would be writing to Mr Goggins to demand the immediate removal of all sex offenders from Prescoed.

He said: "We were given assurances this couldn't possibly happen. Clearly, that isn't the case.

"The human rights of sex offenders have been put before the human rights of children."

Sergeant Huw Jones, of Usk police station, said: "I can confirm a prisoner has walked out of HM Prison Prescoed. Efforts to locate the prisoner are ongoing."

A spokeswoman for the Prison Service said: "Last night we had a report of an absconder who is a sex offender."