ANTHONY Craig is a free man, living a normal life in the Republic of Ireland, when he should be behind bars for an East Lancashire murder.

He maintains his innocence over the killing of John Kirby in the 1970s, but says he was forced to admit it as part of his bigger plan for freedom.

Once he confessed, he was moved to an open prison from where he escaped.

The case immediately brings back into question the appropriateness of less secure prisons for people seeing out terms for such serious offences.

But it also makes a mockery of the system.

The Irish authorities know who Craig is and where he is, and that information will have been passed over to the relevant people here, but he remains a free man.

He’s able to go about his business, even marry, while Mr Kirby’s family must wonder what’s happened.

Despite Craig’s pleas and trepidation at the thought of returning to jail, he’s not the victim.

Mr Kirby was the victim and his relatives live with the devastation of his untimely death.

No-one should be exempt from the justice system. Craig must serve out the rest of his time and possibly more for his abscondence.