A MINISTER of state visited one of the region's prisons today (Thursday, April 21) to hear about a innovative scheme to get prisoners back to work in the outside world.

Andrew Selous, Minister for Prisons, met Angie Petit, acting governor of Yarm's Kirkleatham Grange prison, as well as employers and prisoners.

Ms Petit explained that 27 employers take on inmates from the jail and about 50 prisoners are currently employed to work outside the prison in the day time.

She said that the re-offending rate of prisoners involved in the employment scheme is half that of the national re-offending rate. About 12 prisoners even have their own cars in order to get to work. Other prisoners work in the jail's own cafe which is well used by people in the local community.

Others work in the car valeting service and in making works of art from wrought iron.

One inmate, a former soldier in the Light Dragoons who served in Bosnia, Jason Ridgeway, 35, of Stockton, has been employed by a major construction company.

After explaining he was jailed for drug dealing offences, he said that 40 per cent of his wages was taken by the state and he was still taxed on the rest but the work had had a "really, really positive effect."

"It is such a weight off my shoulders," he said. "My mam is poorly and it means I can do things with her when I'm on home leave."

Sean Lockyear, who was once jailed for ten months for fraud but now owns a hotel in Thirsk, is interested in taking on prisoners in his business as a way of giving something back. "I was lucky, I had chances, but there's lots of good people here with no opportunities and no second chance."

Mr Selous, said the employment scheme was a way of "preventing future victims."