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On Tuesday, Justice Minister Naomi Long addressed the issue of a prisoner’s release, explaining that the prison service had initially refused his release following a comprehensive risk assessment. This evaluation took into account concerns about public safety, as well as the prisoner’s potential to abscond or re-offend. Long emphasized that the prison authorities had carried out all necessary checks and ultimately determined that releasing the individual temporarily would not be safe.
Despite the prison service’s opposition, the court later overruled this decision. Long pointed out that the service had “resisted it strongly” during the judicial review but was ultimately unsuccessful in maintaining the refusal. Nevertheless, she expressed the view that there was no need for a broader reconsideration of the temporary release scheme itself, considering this case an exception rather than indicative of systemic problems.
In contrast, DUP MLA Trevor Clarke, a member of the policing board, argued that the entire process warranted closer examination. Speaking on BBC Radio Foyle’s *North West Today* program, Clarke highlighted that the case revealed clear issues, especially given that the individual in question had not returned from temporary release. He criticized the safeguards in place, noting that a chaperone rather than a trained prison officer was assigned for supervision, and that even fundamental security measures, like the use of handcuffs, were not implemented.
By Wednesday, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) reported that the missing individual was last seen in the Eastway area of Creggan, Derry. Additionally, the PSNI confirmed ongoing cooperation with An Garda Síochána, the Irish police force, as part of their efforts to locate him
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