Police in Northern Ireland have launched an urgent manhunt for convicted murderer Gary Anderson after he failed to return to prison following day release on Monday.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed that the 29-year-old is now unlawfully at large, and officers have made a direct public appeal urging him to hand himself in immediately.

If you are in the area or believe you might have seen him, the advice from the authorities is very clear: do not approach him directly under any circumstances. According to the description released by police, Anderson is approximately five feet 11 inches tall, of slim build, and has brown hair.

A spokesperson for the PSNI issued a direct appeal to the fugitive and the public, saying: "We appeal directly to Gary to hand himself in. We would also ask anyone who has seen him, or who knows of his whereabouts, not to approach him directly but to contact police on 101, quoting reference 555 of 14/09/26."

For those who want to provide details without giving their name, officers pointed out that information can also be shared via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which police state is 100% anonymous.

To understand why this search is being treated with such urgency, we need to look back at the conviction itself. Anderson was sentenced in 2023 to 15 years behind bars for the murder of Karol Kelly.

Mr Kelly, a father of five, died in Grafton Street in Londonderry during the early hours of March 4, 2018. He was stabbed multiple times during an altercation, and following a legal process, Gary Anderson and his brother Sean Anderson were both found guilty of the killing.

What we don't know yet is the specific prison facility Anderson was released from on Monday, or the exact route he may have taken since disappearing. Police haven't released any confirmed sightings or direction of travel at this stage.

The priority for investigators right now is gathering credible leads from the public and bringing Anderson back into custody as quickly as possible.

If you do spot someone matching Anderson's description or have any information that could assist officers, please use the official 101 line or Crimestoppers rather than intervening yourself. I'll be following this one — check back for updates.