Locals are opposed to high-risk prisoners being held at Prescoed

Marc Barnett walked out of HMP Prescoed hours after Martin Aspinall and John Elms, both serving life, left.

Barnett, serving a burglary sentence, was recaptured on Sunday, a few hours after the others were rearrested.

Usk Mayor Kay Peacock said she was "absolutely astounded" to hear of the third security breach.

There is already resentment among residents and local politicians about the Home Office decision to move sex offenders nearing the end of their sentence to Prescoed for rehabilitation.

Locals want the project halted and that category of offenders to be housed in a closed jail.

Usk town councillor Alex Leathwood said: "The town has done a great service for the prison over many years helping rehabilitate prisoners and we welcome that, and the town has benefited from it.

"But that's with the generality of prisoners - not high-risk prisoners. This is just a step too far."

Aspinall (left) and Elms have been charged with escaping custody

Mr Leathwood said the town wanted answers to a "few more questions".

"We want to know more details as to what happened over the weekend - why these three were able to walk away as they did. We want to know why we weren't given the whole truth," he added.

Ms Peacock has said the town council is demanding a meeting with prisons minister Gerry Sutcliffe.

She said she was "absolutely astounded" to hear a third prisoner had absconded.

"I can't believe that they haven't told us, not till today five days after," she said.

"I'm beginning to think if there is security up there now. There might be officers on the gate, but are there any officers in and around all the buildings which are up there?"

A search involving tracker dogs, the police helicopter and specialist officers was mounted for Aspinall, 46, and Elms, 34, after it was realised that they had absconded on Friday night.

Elms was jailed in 1996 for raping a teenage girl and Aspinall was jailed in 1992 for raping a minor and kidnap.

Policy review

The pair had been moved to Prescoed only last week but police said they had not been given a date for release.

They were at large for 48 hours, and were recaptured on Sunday after a member of the public spotted them near a country hotel five miles from Prescoed.

Meanwhile, Barnett left the open prison on Saturday and was arrested by Gwent Police in Caerleon on Sunday.

He had been sentenced to three-and-a-half years for burglary with intent to steal at Cardiff Crown Court in January this year. The Prison Service has already said there is likely to be a policy review after the child rapists absconded.

A Prison Service spokesman said they did not automatically give a briefing if an absconding occurred.