MLA seeking answers over who tipped off photographer about Howell’s visit to grave of father

SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly has voiced concern about the circumstances of double killer Colin Howell’s temporary release to visit the grave of his father.

The former dentist (below), serving a minimum of 21 years for killing his wife and his ex-lover’s policeman husband, was temporarily released on Thursday morning.

Photographs of a handcuffed Howell paying his respects in the cemetery appeared in a national newspaper.

Former Policing Board members Ms Kelly said that the Department of Justice should investigate the manner in which Howell’s release was leaked.

She said: “This sort of information gets into the public domain all too frequently and it should raise concerns within the Department of Justice.

“We have to ask whether family members of the victims knew of the release, temporary or not, or did they have to find out through the media coverage?

“If it’s the latter, this only serves to reduce public confidence in the public sector.”

She added: “But I’d like to think the Prison Service would at least be examining how the information came to be in the public domain if it was supposed to be a secret. And from that we have to ask, why was it being kept a secret at all?

“This is a case that was of significant public interest at the time and has been since. It’s very high profile. The Department of Justice has had a few knocks over the past couple of weeks and should be taking whatever steps necessary to restore public confidence.”

Howell’s father Samuel passed away on July 21 and he did not attend the funeral service, which was held at Portadown Baptist Church on July 28.

A source told the Belfast Telegraph his visit to the grave lasted just over an hour and he was accompanied by prison officers.

Howell is currently serving a 21-year jail term for the double murder of his wife Lesley (31) and Trevor Buchanan (32), the RUC officer husband of his then lover Hazel Stewart. Their bodies were found in a fume-filled garage in Castlerock in 1991.

Police originally thought the pair had died in a suicide pact after discovering their partners were having an affair.

The Northern Ireland Prison Service declined to discuss his release, saying it “does not comment on individual cases”.

❝ This sort of information gets into the public domain too frequently and it should raise concerns