Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
James Meehan, who was serving a life sentence for murder, has gone on the run from Magilligan prison in Londonderry for the third time. The Northern Ireland Prison Service has called on him to return to custody immediately. Meehan, 55, was convicted of the murder of Jim McFadden in Derry in 2007. Co-defendants Brenda Meehan and Sean Devenney were also sentenced for their role in the crime. Meehan has previously been on temporary release, during which he absconded, leading to an arrest warrant being issued.
Mr McFadden’s daughters expressed their anger at what they saw as the justice system’s failure to act. Danielle Bradley commented that “I feel let down by the justice system, I feel completely let down – I really can’t believe we are here again”. Her sister Ashling Graham added that Meehan “should never have been let out on day release in the first place”. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show, former Police commander in Derry, John Burrows, said that temporary release was a privilege which had to be earned and that Meehan had “breached trust”.
Mr McFadden was attacked and killed after attending a wedding reception in Redcastle, County Donegal. His daughters, both teenagers at the time, witnessed the attack and still have flashbacks. They described their father as a “gentle soul”. He died of a ruptured heart after being dealt a number of blows to his chest.
The family said they had objected to Meehan being granted temporary release before. Similar to previous releases, it was carried out following a risk assessment and representations from victims according to a Department of Justice statement. The statement went further by pointing out that approximately 4,000 people enter and leave the country’s prisons every year meaning that managing absconding prisoners is challenging.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has launched an international manhunt for Meehan, who was previously found and extradited from the Republic of Ireland after 14 months on the run. Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie criticised the system, saying it failed to consider the interests of the victims
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.