Committee seeks ‘urgent answers’ over on-the-run murderer

A Stormont committee has asked for “urgent answers” over the temporary release of a convicted murderer who has now gone on the run.

The Justice Committee is the write to the Prison Service, office of the Lady Chief Justice and Justice Department following controversy over the case of Gary Anderson.

Anderson absconded on Monday after being granted temporary release to attend his father’s funeral.

The public have been advised not to approach him.

The 29-year-old was sentenced in 2023 to 15 years for the murder of Karol Kelly in Londonderry.

Father-of-five Mr Kelly died in Grafton Street in the city in the early hours of March 4, 2018 after an altercation during which he was stabbed several times.

Anderson and his brother Sean Anderson were found guilty of the killing.

Both prisoners had applications for temporary compassionate leave to attend their father’s funeral turned down by the prison authorities.

Those decisions were challenged in the courts and while the decision to refuse leave to Sean Anderson was upheld, the court ordered that Gary Anderson could be temporarily released with conditions attached.

The office of Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan said that decision was made because the original decision to refuse the leave application was “not substantiated by the evidence which was provided to the court”.

Raising the issue, Justice Committee chair Paul Frew said: “I think there’s urgent answers for the department and the Prison Service, and I think this committee, would be quite within its right to ask for a full explanation of how he escaped and the role of a civilian chaperone in this instance.”

Mr Frew said he also wanted more information on whether Anderson was permitted to travel outside of Northern Ireland as part of his release.

Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson said the committee should encourage Justice Minister Naomi Long to meet with the family of murder victim Karol Kelly.

DUP MLA Brian Kingston said there are “all sorts of questions arising from this”.

The committee decided to write to the Justice Minister, the Lady’ Chief Justice and the Prison Service to seek clarity on a number of issues. It said it would also invited the minister and the Prison Service to attend to give evidence.

Independent unionist Doug Beattie said: “There’s clearly a disconnect between some elements of our criminal justice system.”

Ms Long has previously told MLAs the decision to release Anderson was taken by the court and not the prison authorities.

Police have appealed directly to Anderson, who has not been seen since Monday, to hand himself in