The Justice Minister Naomi Long has apologised after a convicted killer, with a history of absconding, spent nine months on the run from Magilligan prison after being granted day release.
James Meehan, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of Jim McFadden in Londonderry in 2007, was finally arrested in the Republic of Ireland last week.
Ulster Unionist Party justice spokesperson Doug Beattie questioned how a man who had absconded from prison before and who went on the run during his trial was allowed day-release.
He said the rules for testing prisoners’ suitability for graduated release should be tightened as the prison service said most inmates do stick to the terms of day release.
Justice Minister Naomi Long apologised to Mr McFadden’s family for their experience.
She told Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme : “We do not always get it right.”
“Even when we follow the correct processes in the correct way, there will be a small number of prisoners who do not take advantage of every opportunity for rehabilitation, reform, and rebuilding their lives as constructive members of society, ” she said.
“Whilst we cannot control their decisions, we nevertheless take our responsibilities very seriously – particularly regarding the distress that this small number of prisoners can cause, not only to families like Mr McFaddens but also to the wider community, both in terms of confidence in the justice system and the impact on resources within the prison service itself.”
The minister said she had discussed a review with the director general of prisons about potential changes to pre-release testing and compassionate release.
“I want to look at where we can make the system more robust,” Minister Long said.
She said there would always be consequences for any prisoner who goes unlawfully at large, with any time spent outside their sentence added to the end of their tariff.
Speaking to Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme on Wednesday, Beattie said Mr McFadden’s family had been “let down terribly” in this case.
“It is wholly inadequate that this man who is a known flight risk is allowed out on day release,” he said.
“We do need to prepare prisoners for release after their sentence, I have no issue with that, but when people like Meehan are known to abuse the system and abscond, then the system needs to be changed.”
Beattie said “a chaperoning system” could be introduced for certain prisoners being considered for day release.
He added that he would also like to see greater cross-border cooperation to apprehend prisoners who abscond between Northern Ireland and the Republic, noting that in Meehan’s case it took too long to arrest him even though his location was known by authorities.
Former Justice Minister and Independent MLA Clare Sugden said victims must be “front and centre” to any decisions regarding potential day release of prisoners.
Meehan remains in custody in the Republic of Ireland and is due in court again on 10 September, as an extradition process continues.
The Northern Ireland Prison Service said about 4,000 people move through prisons each year, and “while every step is taken to mitigate risk, it is not an exact science and on occasion some prisoners will make poor decisions”.
A spokesperson said pre-release testing was a vital part of rehabilitation and resettlement back into society, particularly for those who have served long sentences”.
“It is the responsibility of the NI Prison Service to prepare these individuals for release and reintegration back into society,” they said.
“The reality is that a small number will fail this test.
“The alternative would be to simply release people without any prior testing which would pose a far greater risk to public safety.”
