Naomi Long accused of misleading Assembly over murderer's escape

Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long has been accused of misleading the Assembly regarding the escape of Gary Anderson, a convicted murderer who remains at large. Facing questions from MLAs, Long stated that her previous comments were based on the information available to her at the time and denied any intention to mislead the chamber.

Anderson, who was serving a 15-year sentence for the 2018 murder of Karol Kelly, absconded last Monday after being granted temporary release from Maghaberry Prison to attend his father’s funeral in Londonderry. An ongoing police hunt involves the Police Service of Northern Ireland and An Garda Síochána in the Republic of Ireland due to the proximity of the disappearance to the border.

Long has ordered a review into the sequence of events that allowed the temporary release and subsequent escape. She has also expressed a desire to personally apologize to the family of Karol Kelly.