THE MOTHER of a Southampton teenager who was stabbed to death has appealed for his escaped killer to turn himself in.

Patrick Michael D'arcy, 20, was convicted of killing teenager Shaun Fitzpatrick on the city's Harefield estate in 1999.

He was sentenced to eight years behind bars, but on Saturday failed to return from a day release from HM Young Offenders' Institute Portland, Dorset.

Now police fear he's heading for his old haunts on the Northam estate in Southampton.

In a message to D'arcy, Shaun's mum Heather said: "You're making me relive it all again. I'm going through all the feelings that I did when my son died. Then it was horrible and now your back it's all happening again.

"I think you should give yourself up and serve your time.''

Mrs Fitzpatrick can't believe her son's killer was out on the streets less than three years after Shaun died.

"I'm shocked that he even got out on day release,'' she said. It's very soon, especially after what he's done.

"It worries me. He's obviously a danger to society and I want him caught. If people hear of him they should contact the police straight away."

A jury cleared D'arcy of murder but convicted him of manslaughter on the grounds of provocation in July 2000.

D'arcy stabbed Shaun, 18, in the heart with a large kitchen knife in Exford Avenue after the pair had a row in the street. Mr Fitzpatrick died of a severed artery shortly afterwards.

The death of the popular young man provoked a huge outpouring of emotion in Southampton with flowers piling up at the spot where he was stabbed. Neighbours organised for a tree to be planted in his memory and about 300 people turned out for his funeral.

Detectives searching for D'arcy are warning the public to steer clear if they see him and to report it.

"Although D'arcy is deemed by the prison service to no longer present a danger to the public, of course he has in the past had the potential for violence and we would advise anyone who thinks they see him not to approach him but to call us straight away with any sightings," said Det Insp Dick Pearson.

"We ask the public to help us recapture this man and appeal to anyone who knows where he is to get in touch so that we can ensure a speedy return to prison," he added.

D'arcy is described as white, 5ft 6in, with dark cropped hair, brown eyes and a stocky build. He has a southern accent and has three distinguishing scars, one on his forehead, a three-inch mark on his left arm and a four-inch scar on his right arm.

Anyone who thinks they have seen him or knows of his whereabouts should call Bitterne CID on 0845 045 4545, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.