OXFORD Health says it has apologised to Michelle Storer and offered to meet her over Ian McLean’s escape.

The Oxford Mail questioned the trust, which runs Littlemore Hospital, for several days about why McLean was in an unlocked unit and how he was able to escape, slipping out of the country within hours.

Yesterday spokesman Alistair Duncan admitted Oxford Health knew about his history of a previous escape and it was only after he fled that it began to worry that he might be a danger to the public.

Mr Duncan said: “The trust deeply regrets any distress caused to Miss Storer.

“We have sent a letter expressing our apologies to her and are offering her the opportunity to meet with senior staff to discuss her concerns. “Prior to his disappearance, this man was not deemed to present a substantial risk to the general public, despite his previous offences. It was for this reason that he was, with Ministry of Justice approval, no longer residing in a secure unit. “However his sudden departure prompted fresh concerns about him, hence the police advised caution in approaching him.”

Mr Duncan said McLean had been moved into an unlocked unit as a step towards his release.

He explained: “Prisoners who are being rehabilitated are moved on from secure units as part of their preparation for safe community reintegration.

“The Ministry of Justice must always authorise this stage of a prisoner’s rehabilitation.”

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said a prisoner could be transferred to a mental health hospital on the advice of two medical practitioners.

She added: “If a prisoner no longer needs treatment in hospital, he will be remitted to prison to complete his sentence.

“Life sentence prisoners who are transferred to hospital for treatment under the Mental Health Act 1983 can be released only by the Parole Board. However, while a prisoner continues to need treatment in hospital, he has no right of access to the Parole Board.”