Police in Kent have launched a public appeal to locate a convicted robber who absconded from an open prison on the Isle of Sheppey. Michael Dunn, aged 53, left HMP Standford Hill without authorisation at approximately 8.55am on Saturday, 10 January 2026.
Details of the Absconder and Public Appeal
Dunn was sentenced to six years and four months in prison in September 2023 after pleading guilty to robbery offences committed in Maidstone. Authorities have released a description of his last known clothing in the hope the public can help trace him.
He was last seen wearing a grey hooded top, dark-coloured trousers, black trainers, and a black hat and scarf. Kent Police confirmed that officers are pursuing multiple active lines of enquiry to find him and have reiterated their request for anyone with information to come forward immediately.
Rising Concerns Over Open Prison Security
This incident follows a pattern of recent absconds from low-security Category D facilities. Just days earlier, on New Year's Day, three prisoners absconded from HMP Leyhill in South Gloucestershire. All three have since been apprehended.
Open prisons, which have minimal security, are designed to house inmates nearing the end of their sentences to aid rehabilitation. However, policy shifts aimed at easing overcrowding in higher-security jails have led to prisoners becoming eligible for transfer to open conditions earlier.
In November 2025, serving prison governor Mark Drury, representing open prison governors, issued a stark warning. He told Sky News that public safety was "at risk" due to the increasing number of inmates being sent to minimal-security prisons. He noted that institutions which had seen no absconds for years were "suddenly" experiencing a rise.
Government Expansion and Recent Data
The Ministry of Justice has not released the most recent figures, but data for the year ending March 2025 recorded 57 absconds from open prisons. Of those, 15 individuals remained at large after 30 days.
Coincidentally, it was confirmed in November that HMP Standford Hill is slated for expansion. This forms part of a government initiative to create an additional 14,000 prison places across the estate, highlighting the ongoing pressure on the UK's penal system.
Kent Police continue their search for Michael Dunn and urge anyone who sees him or has information on his whereabouts not to approach him but to contact them immediately.
