Fury as staff discover convicted sex murderer had SECRET job with high-street chain
A JAILBIRD was let out to work for Boots alongside warehouse staff unaware he was a sex murderer.
Horrified employees only found out when strangler Stephen Thornton, 44, was moved to another prison.
He was transferred after making unwanted sexual advances to a fellow lag. The killer had spent a month at the Boots distribution centre on day release from Sudbury open prison in Derbyshire.
A worker said last night: “I can’t believe they let a man like that work alongside us.
“If he’s still causing trouble to men in prison surely he’d have been a danger to his work colleagues.”
RELATED STORIES
Lifer Thornton was being prepared for release 15 years after he and lover Ryan Diggle were caged for sexually assaulting and killing a lad of 17 in Leeds.
He was among 20 inmates allowed to work at the depot in Burton upon Trent 11 miles from the jail. Most were bussed in but some drove their own cars. Outraged staff say they were “kept in the dark” about the scheme.
Boots said they were aware of Thornton’s past but no longer let serious offenders have jobs.
A spokeswoman added: “A highly regulated vetting process takes place under Ministry of Justice rules. If hired, the offenders are paid at standard rates and a proportion of their wages goes a victim support fund.”