David McCord (left) and Dean Michael Woods are both on the loose, the police said in two separate appeals (Picture: PA/Department of Justice)
Two convicted murderers are on the run in Northern Ireland with people warned not to approach them.
David McCord, who is serving a life sentence, was in the custody of prison staff at a property on Crumlin Road in Belfast on Friday afternoon when he fled.
The 54-year-old was last seen on Castlereagh Road on the east side of the city at 4.30pm, with police describing him as ‘unlawfully at large’.
McCord escaped from a facility where inmates nearing the end of their time behind bars work, the force said today in an appeal.
McCord was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2004 for the murder of his girlfriend, Nichola Dickson, the year before. He strangled and stabbed Nichola in her bedroom in Ballycarry, a village in County Antrim.
Dickinson’s loved ones were informed yesterday that her killer was on the loose, the Belfast Telegraph reported.
McCord was last seen in east Belfast (Picture: PSNI/PA Wire)
Dean Michael Woods escaped from police custody earlier this week (Picture: Department of Justice)
Her brother Gareth Smyth told the newspaper that his mum had planned to go to Belfast this weekend.
‘The fact that he’s out and about somewhere, I know she’s worried, but she would never admit that,’ he said.
McCord being on the lam comes only days after justice officials also revealed Dean Michael Woods is ‘unlawfully at large’.
Woods – who beat to death Brian Peden with a golf club in Coleraine in 1995 –was on ‘pre-release testing’ when he failed to return to Maghaberry Prison near Lisburn on Tuesday.
The 46-year-old was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1997, with his bds to have his 15-year minimum tariff reduced rejected by the High Court 10 years later.
‘The prisoner had clearly intended to carry out a violent attack,’ Chief Justice Kerr said.
‘He not only armed himself with a potentially lethal weapon, he aimed blows at the victim’s head in a manner calculated to maximise the injury inflicted.’
The Department of Justice say Woods is of a slim build, 5’6″ and has a ‘fresh complexion’.
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