BEN BARNES FROM LEICESTER AND PLYMOUTH DEMANDS REARREST IN MELTON MOWBRAY AND NOTTINGHAM

In a startling turn of events, Ben Barnes, a convicted sex offender with ties to Leicester, Melton Mowbray, and Plymouth, has publicly called for his own re-incarceration, citing a profound lack of support during his transition back into society. Barnes, aged 52, was released on licence from Nottingham Prison in June after completing three and a half years of a five-year sentence for serious sexual offenses involving minors. His release was marred by a series of frustrations and perceived neglect from probation authorities, which he claims have hindered his efforts to rebuild a stable life.

Following his release, Barnes was mandated to reside at Trent House, a hostel located in Nottingham city centre. This placement came after he was transferred approximately 155 miles from HMP Dartmoor, near his hometown of Plymouth, to Nottingham. Barnes states that he had no prior connections to Nottingham, no family or friends in the area, and was essentially left to navigate his new life alone. His dissatisfaction with the support system became evident in December when he walked into Nottingham’s Central police station and demanded to be re-arrested for breaching his curfew, asserting that the conditions imposed upon him were unjust and unhelpful.

In a letter addressed to Inside Time, a national publication for prisoners, Barnes detailed his grievances. He explained, “Having been released under licence conditions I was forced into a hostel, in Nottingham, called Trent House. I had never been to Nottingham before and had no family, friends nor connections to the place at all! In spite of the position I found myself in, I made every effort to turn my life around and adhered strictly to the terms of my licence. Probation told me that I had to stay in Nottingham, despite the distance from family and friends. I asked to attend Brackenhurst Agricultural College, but this was refused. I then asked for training as a forklift driver, in British Sign Language, gardening, bricklaying, or plastering – anything that might give me a skill and a chance in the job market – but I was refused permission for any of these. I then asked if I could have a new CV made up, again the answer was NO! How are you supposed to get rehabilitated if probation refuse to help?”

Barnes expressed his hope that, upon his next release, he could be transferred to a prison closer to his home in Leicester or Plymouth, where he might have better access to support networks. He lamented the lack of assistance he received, stating, “The truth is that no one gave a damn about my situation. I received no support whatsoever from probation, and I think it’s disgraceful.”

His criminal record includes convictions from 2006 for indecently assaulting a 13-year-old girl and sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl, with offenses committed in Leicester and Melton Mowbray. These serious crimes have cast a long shadow over his attempts at rehabilitation, and his recent actions underscore ongoing frustrations with the criminal justice and probation systems.

In response, a spokesperson for Nottingham’s Probation Service stated, “We are unable to comment on individual cases, however protection of the public is our primary concern; and offenders released from prison on licence are subject to robust supervision and management. Licence conditions are also set by the Parole Board, taking into account reports from probation including assessment of risk and likelihood of reoffending. The location of an Approved Premises (hostel) to which a prisoner must reside on release depends on the Probation Trust/Area supervising them. Throughout their sentence and as part of their resettlement, a prisoner may spend time in several prisons around the country – categories decreasing depending on risk – and they would return to their supervising county on release.”