Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Having Explosives in St Catherine’s

Published on: 20 Dec, 2013
Updated on: 21 Dec, 2013

A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of having items in relation to explosives following an incident at a Guildford hostel this afternoon (Friday, December 20).

Curious residents stand by the cordon in place across the Portsmouth Road 100 metres north of the hostel which was the centre of the police incident.

Officers were called to the address in the Ferry Lane/Portsmouth Road area of St Catherine’s Village at around 12.45pm after concerns were raised about items found at the property.

The police have said that an investigation followed and it has now been deemed that the items do not pose a risk to the  public.

A 100-metre cordon was put in place which was lifted at 3.50pm and the road has fully re-opened.

Surrey Police would like to thank members of the public for their patience while the incident was being investigated.

The editor of The Guildford Dragon NEWS who lives close by and who went to investigate, was advised by the police  to return to his house. “You will quite safe in there sir,” he was told by a police sergeant in attendance who said he was unable to give further details.

Police officers gather by the entrance to Ferry Lane close to the “approved premises” hostel.

A hostel at the centre of the incident, officially called “approved premises” is still often referred to locally as the “bail hostel”. It is run by the Surrey and Sussex Probation Service and is now, in fact, a hostel for those who have recently been released from prison, sometimes for serious offences, including murder. Its function is to allow prisoners to begin adjustment to normal life.

The following information comes from an information sheet published in question and answer format by the National Probation Directorate in March 2006, but still believed to be accurate.

What are Approved Premises?
Approved Premises provide controlled accommodation for offenders under the supervision of the Probation Service. They provide a greater degree of supervision for offenders than is possible in other forms of housing.
Approved Premises were formerly known as bail and / or probation hostels. Most Approved Premises are owned and managed by the National Probation Service for England and Wales. A small number are run by voluntary sector providers but all are required to work to the same operating standards.

Residents follow a structured regime, which includes an overnight curfew. There is 24 hour supervision at the Approved Premises by trained staff.

Who lives in Approved Premises?
Approved Premises accommodate offenders who have committed a very wide range of crimes. Approved Premises are not specialist accommodation or treatment centres for sex offenders; they hold a range of offenders on bail or on licence in the community for whom no other types of accommodation would be suitable.

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