Missing murderer James Meehan proof 'inept' system has failed, says UUP's Doug Beattie as convicted killer at large for a second time

That’s according to Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie, who says the failure of the authorities to learn from convicted killer James Meehan’s past misdeeds shows the system is “inept”.

And Mr Beattie lays the blame for that directly at the feet of Justice Minister Naomi Long, accusing her of presiding over a “farcical” situation that’s harming the murder victim’s family.

Meehan should be serving a life sentence for the brutal killing of Londonderry man Jim McFadden in 2007 – but after absconding from prison for the second time inside three years, he’s recently been spotted in the pubs and shops of Kells in Co Meath.

Father of four Mr McFadden died from a ruptured heart when he was kicked and stamped on the chest outside his home. The previous day, he’d been at a wedding reception in Co Donegal also attended by Meehan, his wife and her son – all three of whom got jail sentences for their roles in his death.

The confrontation was said to have followed an earlier row over insults directed at Mr McFadden’s daughter.

In 2022, Meehan went missing while on leave from prison. Vanishing from the Limavady address where he was meant to be staying, he reappeared in Co Meath, where he’s originally from.

On the run for 14 months, towards the end of 2023 he was extradited back to Northern Ireland – only to do it all over again.

Near the end of last year he was on day release from Magilligan Prison when he fled the country once more.

Now Mr Beattie accuses the justice system of failing to take heed of its own mistakes, asking: “Lesson learned? Not a bit of it.

“Yet again [Meehan] has absconded to Meath in the Irish Republic where he has been sitting happily for nearly three months. The Garda know where he is, they have visited him, but he remains at large while extradition paperwork is prepared by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

“This is a farcical situation and one that the Justice Minister must get a grip of."

Answering questions from Mr Beattie, Ms Long this week stated she is “content” that arrangements for prisoners on day release “remain appropriate” - something the UUP man branded “wholly unacceptable"

"What the family of the victim has gone through due to this inept system seems to be ignored,” he said.

“Our justice system is staffed by some exceptional men and women who work extremely hard, but it is losing all credibility due to poor departmental management. Confidence in our justice system is at a low level; instances like this just add to the view that victims are secondary to perpetrators.”

The Department of Justice has been contacted, but has yet to issue any comment.

Meehan also absconded during his 2009 trial, missing his sentencing hearing before handing himself into police.

He was sentenced to life with a minimum for 14 years for murder, while his wife and her son were both given jail time for manslaughter.