Killer's dozen day releases without telling victims' family 'catastrophic failure': DUP
A double killer being allowed to walk the streets without officials warning the family of his victims that he was out has been branded a ‘catastrophic administrative failure’.
In May 2017, pensioners Michael and Marjorie Cawdery were stabbed to death in their Portadown home by Thomas McEntee.
A paranoid schizophrenic, McEntee repeatedly came to the attention of police as well as health staff in two districts in the days before the killing, yet wasn’t taken in under mental health laws.
A coroner later criticised that, stating that the deaths were “entirely preventable” while highlighting failures in communication between police and health services.
McEntee was sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. This week, UTV reported he’s been let out more than a dozen times since February under pre-release testing – all of them without informing the family of the elderly couple he killed.
On Wednesday, Justice Minister Naomi Long apologised to the family, admitting their “pain and loss has been compounded” by what she described as an “administrative error”.
For DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley, it’s not just an administrative error, but a catastrophic one.
“This case still horrifies everyone in Portadown,” said the Upper Bann MLA. “Michael and Marjorie Cawdery were good people killed at home in the most brutal circumstances.
“I want to ask the minister directly how this happened, who is being held accountable, and what urgent steps are being taken to ensure that such failures never occur again.
“For this family to now learn, eight years later, that the man responsible for their loved ones’ murders was allowed out of prison on thirteen separate occasions without them even being informed is indefensible. It not only compounds the trauma but undermines the sense of justice.
“This was not a small oversight. This was a catastrophic administrative failure which robbed the victims’ family of their right to be informed and consulted under the Prisoner Release Victim Information Scheme.”
According to UTV, McEntee was out on day release 13 times since February as part of testing to see if he can be allowed back in the community. On four of those occasions he was let out on his own, without supervision.
Mr Buckley said it’s “simply wrong on every level” for that to happen while the family were unaware. “It raises serious questions about oversight and risk management,” he added.
UTV reported Ms Long has launched “full check of all cases where a prisoner is serving a life sentence” and victims are registered with the prisoner release information scheme.
Stated the Justice Minister: “As soon as the Prison Service became aware of the error, they immediately contacted the family to offer a sincere apology and to provide them with all the relevant information. The Prison Service also notified the Victims Commissioner and Parole Commissioner.
"I would reiterate my apology and that of the Prison Service for the hurt this has caused."
An external review of schemes to keep victims informed has also been commissioned, said Ms Long, to “ensure they are trauma informed, and victim centred.”