A CONVICTED rapist and life-sentence prisoner who absconded while on a pre-release scheme this week was rearrested by the PSNI in west Belfast yesterday.
Mark Thomas Clarke (40) was arrested on the Springfield Road at around 2pm yesterday and was returned to prison. He is to be questioned by the PSNI for being "unlawfully at large".
Clarke was in the third stage of a pre-release scheme and had been living full-time with his parents since last year. However, he absconded when he learned he was to be returned to Maghaberry Prison for allegedly buying a car, which was in breach of his release conditions.
He was under the supervision of prison and probation staff, and was monitored at weekends by the PSNI when he was under curfew.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996 for kidnapping and attempted rape at knife-point with the stipulation that he serve at least 9½ years in prison.
His offences happened 15 months after he was released from a nine-year sentence for rape, of which he served 4½ years.
He absconded on Tuesday while attending a course in the Nutts Corner area of Co Antrim.
"One of the specific conditions of Clarke's temporary release was that he was not permitted to drive except whilst in work," the prison service said.
"Following a review of Clarke's circumstances, particularly in relation to a report that he had acquired a car, he was interviewed by staff at a training venue where he was on a course in connection with his employment," said a spokesman.
"When he was advised that he was being returned to prison until the circumstances of his case were fully reviewed, he absconded and staff were unable to apprehend him."
Clarke was likely to have been penalised for having the car but, on the brink of full release, is now virtually certain to be locked up for a considerable time despite having successfully met his pre-release scheme requirements up to Tuesday.
He had completed an extensive series of programmes including alcohol awareness, anger management and elements of the sex-offender treatment programme while he was in custody.