Murderer serving life at Doncaster jail got job at Next using fake name

Darren Appleyard, who is serving a life sentence at HMP Hatfield got a job at one of the firm’s warehouses using an alias, The Sun has reported.

It said he was able to join a jail work experience scheme after changing his name by deed poll.

The Sun says Next has accused the Prison Service of withholding vital information which would have made 52-year-old Appleyard ineligible with the newspapers stating that bosses had no idea of his true identity or history of violence towards women.

He was convicted of murder and jailed for a minimum 17 years in 2007 for strangling pregnant girlfriend Lisa Collings, 29, in Wigan

The scheme was launched in 2018 but was closed to certain prisoners including killers and sex offenders.

Those accepted undergo risk assessments by the Prison Service and Next and are paid the same as other staff.

Next said that Appleyard worked for one week before his real name came to light.

It said: “We have been let down by the Prison Service as disclosure was not as it should have been.”

Murder victim Lisa’s dad Gerry Collings, 67, of Runcorn, Cheshire, said: “It’s scandalous.”

Appleyard is due for release from Doncaster’s HMP Hatfield, an open prison, next year.

A Prison Service spokeswoman said: “Prisoners only ever take part in work experience after robust risk assessments.”