OFFICERS FROM the PSNI, the Garda and Interpol are searching for a Lithuanian rape suspect who has been released in error from prison in Co Antrim.
Devidas Paliutis (27) who is originally from Lithuania, was being held on remand in Maghaberry prison on a series of charges including serious sexual offences, unlawful and injurious imprisonment and theft.
He appeared at Newry Magistrates’ Court, via video link from Maghaberry prison, on Wednesday. The mistake was discovered on Thursday but was withheld from the media in order to facilitate the police search for him.
According to a statement from the Stormont justice department the Prison Service was advised that the holding charges had been withdrawn from the Magistrates’ Court. However, they failed to act on the notification that other charges had been substituted, for which he was returned for trial to the Crown Court, and erroneously released Mr Paliutis.
“The PSNI, an Garda Siochána and Interpol have been advised and are co-ordinating efforts to have Mr Paliutis returned to custody,” the statement said. “Steps are being taken to safeguard the interests of the victim of the alleged crime.”
Justice Minister David Ford has ordered an inquiry into the circumstances which led to the release and is to invite the Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice to review the findings.
The freed suspect is said to have brown eyes, brown hair, and is of medium build, with a left ear piercing, a vaccination mark on his upper left arm and scars on both knees and on his forehead.
Mr Ford said: “It is clearly an embarrassing incident; it needs to be set against the fact that several thousand similar cases are heard either by video link or in court every year but any one case is clearly worrying.”