POLICE IN THE North are appealing for help in locating a convicted murderer who has absconded from prison for a second time.

James Meehan is serving a life sentence in prison following a murder conviction in 2009, when he was found guilty of murdering James McFadden outside his home in 2007.

McFadden was attacked after he had attended a wedding reception in Co Donegal.

On Monday, Meehan was on day release from HM Prison Magilligan, in Limavady in Co Derry, but has failed to return.

It’s the second time Meehan has absconded from prison.

In 2022, while on leave from prison, Meehan left the Derry address where he had been allowed to stay and failed to return.

Meehan was on the run for 14 months before he was found by authorities in the Republic.

He was then extradited back to Northern Ireland and returned to jail.

The PSNI has appealed to anyone who has seen Meehan, or who knows of his whereabouts, to not to approach him directly but to contact police on 101, quoting reference 1251 09/12/24.

Information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is anonymous.

The PSNI is also appealing directly to Meehan to hand himself in.