Murder victim’s family ‘let down’ after killer on the run again

Ms Bradley said the police told their family last week that Meehan had failed to return to prison from day release.

The family told BBC News NI they had objected to him getting day release before and this time, given that he had gone on the run before.

“I can’t get my head around how they have let him out again.

“I feel let down by the justice system, I feel completely let down – I really can’t believe we are here again.”

Ms Graham said he “should never have been let out on day release in the first place”, branding the decision as “ridiculous”.

Ms Bradley said she believed their family would now likely have to go through a lengthy extradition process in an effort to get him back behind bars.

In a statement issued by the Department of Justice (DoJ), the NI Prison Service said in order to prepare prisoners for “release and reintegration back into society”, they begin a “graduated release into the community” following a risk assessment and representations from victims.

It added that while some prisoners abscond while on release, this “should be considered in the context of approximately 4,000 people entering and leaving our prisons every year”.

“Managing those individuals is challenging and while every step is taken to mitigate risk, this is not an exact science and on occasion they will make poor decisions that lead to them being unlawfully at large,” it said.

BBC News NI has also contacted the Parole Commissioners for comment.

An Garda Síochána said they could not comment as it was a matter for the PSNI.