Police issue major update as body found in search for missing prisoner | UK | News

A body was found during the search for a missing person at Haverigg Prison. John Hosker, 43, disappeared from HMP Haverigg in Cumbria on January 8 after being allowed off the premises due to a work duty commitment.

Cumbria Police confirmed last night that a body had been found at Holme Knott earlier in the day following a call from a member of the public. The body has not yet been officially identified, but Hosker’s family has been notified. The death is not being treated as suspicious.

A Cumbria Police spokesman said: “Police discovered a body while investigating a report of a missing man from Haverigg Prison.

“The body was found at Holme Knott in Sedbergh at 2.05pm today following a phone call from a citizen.

“The man was declared dead at the scene. The death is not considered a suspicious incident at the moment. The family of John Hosker, who was reported missing on January 8, has been informed.”

Hosker was jailed for eight years in 2019 for child sex offending, but Cumbria Police maintained he was not a threat to others.

During last week’s search, Det Supt Vicki Coombes said the body was last seen in the Sedbergh area, where it was found at around 2.05pm yesterday.

A prison service spokesman said at the time: “Prisoners who fail to return after temporary release will face strict penalties, including being returned to a closed prison and being prevented from moving to open conditions for up to two years.”