Court Orders Release Then Man Escapes | Belfast News

A convicted murderer on the run after being granted court-ordered temporary release for his father’s funeral has sparked national attention. Gary Anderson, serving 15 years for a 2018 stabbing, escaped custody despite prison officials initially denying his release — a decision later overturned by the court after his legal team challenged it. The Lady Chief Justice’s office confirmed the denial lacked sufficient evidence, leading to judicial intervention and conditional release. Police are now urgently seeking Anderson, who fled his chaperone — approved by the court — while Justice Minister Naomi Long stressed this was a judicial override, not a failure of the prison’s compassionate release system. No review of the scheme is planned, as the issue centered on the court’s authority over risk assessments. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Sources:https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/top-judge-explains-why-on-the-run-murderer-was-granted-temporary-prison-release/a/161527410.html More coverage & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/850e037cc7dbd424 Report issues to [email protected].