Public confidence 'damaged' by on-the-run killer case, says Long

Public confidence in the justice system has been "damaged" by the circumstances surrounding the temporary release from prison of convicted murderer Gary Anderson, Justice Minister Naomi Long has said.

Anderson, who is one of two brothers jailed for life in 2023 for the 2018 murder of Karol Kelly in Londonderry, remains at large a week after he absconded while attending his father's funeral in Londonderry last Monday.

Long, who is to meet the murder victim's family, is ordering an independent review into the circumstances surrounding Anderson's release from Maghaberry Prison.

That happened after a court overturned a decision by the prison service to refuse him permission to attend the funeral.

A day before the funeral last Monday, a judge granted Anderson a two-hour compassionate temporary release (CTR) from Maghaberry Prison to attend.

Anderson's brother Sean also challenged the decision not to release him from Magilligan Prison to attend the funeral, but that was upheld by the same judge.

The funeral service took place at St Mary's Church in the Creggan area of Derry last Monday morning.

Anderson was not given permission to attend cremation in Letterkenny, County Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland that afternoon.

At some stage on Monday morning, he absconded from his court-approved civilian chaperone.

CTR can be granted to prisoners when a family member has died or is seriously ill, but the decision to release them takes into account the circumstances of the case and any risks involved.

Questions have been raised over the granting of Anderson's CTR following the publication of the full 15-page judgement from the judicial review into the Prison Service's decision. , external

The judgement found that the decision to refuse Anderson's request was based on inaccurate information about the risk he posed.

The decision had been taken by the duty governor at Maghaberry Prison.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Rooney found that an internal assessment of Anderson's likelihood of reoffending had been recorded at a higher level than the score held on the Prison Service's internal system.