Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA has demanded answers after a court overturned a Prison Service decision that life prisoner Anderson was unsuitable for compassionate temporary release.

Jon Burrows said:

“There are serious questions to answer about the circumstances in which a court overturned the Prison Service’s decision that this life prisoner was not suitable for compassionate temporary release.

“The Justice Minister has confirmed that Anderson was subsequently released with only a civilian chaperone. He had been convicted of a violent murder just three years ago and has now absconded, despite the serious concerns that had led the Prison Service to oppose his release.

“We urgently need to know why the Prison Service’s original decision was overturned and whether lessons must be learned to ensure future decisions are legally robust and capable of withstanding challenge.

“We also need a clear answer on whether the Prison Service sought to appeal the court’s ruling within the statutory time limit. If it did not, the Minister must explain why not.

“I will examine the judgment carefully when it is available, but this is plainly a matter of serious public interest and public protection. There must be full accountability across the justice system for what happened and meaningful learning from it.

“The Justice Minister must treat this case with the utmost seriousness and return to the Assembly with a full account of the decisions taken, the supervision arrangements imposed and firm assurances that every possible step will be taken to prevent anything like this happening again.”