A GWENT MP is calling for a UK government investigation into how a convicted murderer was freed from jail three years after absconding.

David Cook, 65, was jailed for life for a second time earlier this month after he was found guilty of murdering his neighbour, 64-year-old Leonard Hill.

But David Davies, Tory MP for Monmouth, says serious questions must be asked over the amount of extra time put on his sentence as a result of him escaping.

From the beginning of the trial the jury was informed that Cook was jailed in 1988 for murdering Sunday school teacher Beryl Maynard in Berkshire.

He was freed on life licence in 2009, but three years earlier he went on the run for more than a week fromHMP Prescoed in Usk.

Mr Davies said it was “vitally important” to know who assessed Cook as being safe to release on licence and subsequently monitored him.

“To my mind it is an absolute disgrace how a convicted murderer was freed from jail only three years after absconding from an open prison,” he said.

“Prisoners held at open prisons are supposed to be rigorously risk-assessed and it beggars belief that Cook was placed at Prescoed.”

A serious case review was ordered by the Wales Probation Trust.

A probation service spokeswoman said its deepest sympathies lie with the family and friends of the victim.

“Public protection is our priority and we do everything we can to uphold that, though sadly risk can never be eliminated entirely.

“The decision to release life-sentence prisoners is solely for the parole board, an independent body.”