Murderer Goes On-The-Run

A convicted killer on phased release from prison has evaded authorities in Northern Ireland.

Jonathan Peter Neill, 34, had been granted release from Maghaberry Prison to stay at a Coleraine hostel.

He last seen on Monday in the Molesworth Road area of Cookstown.

The PSNI and police in England have launched a coordinated search for the man.

This morning Neill's mother appealed for him to hand himself over to authorities.

Josephine Neill said she had no idea why her son had gone on the run.

She claimed Neill had changed, and was a "good boy", who did not pose a "danger to anybody".

"He has been out two years and he hasn't done anything wrong," Josephine told the BBC.

Neill is 6ft 2in, of slim build with black hair and brown eyes and has scars on his left wrist and right hand. He also wears an earring.

He was jailed for the 1991 murder of a lodger at his family home in London. Neill was 16 at the time.

His victim, Donald McKenzie, was stabbed 24 times while he was asleep in bed.

After the brutal attack, Neill carved 666 into the dead man's back.

At his trial, the only explanation Neill gave for the killing was that he "wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone".

Prior to the 1991, Neill had committed a string of burglaries in Northern Ireland.

He was released from prison in 2006 but later had his licence revoked after breaching its terms.

Prison officials recently believed Neill had made enough progress to be granted time at a hostel.

Today, police hunting for the killer warned members of the public not to approach him.

(PR/BMcC)