One of Northern Ireland's most notorious murderers is back on the streets.

Stephen Scott, who murdered his pregnant teenage girlfriend Sylvia Fleming in one of the most savage crimes of the last 25 years, was spotted at his mother's house in Warrenpoint.

It's believed he is on a pre-release scheme, preparing him for eventual freedom.

Sentenced in 2000 for the murder in Omagh in 1998, he was convicted and ordered to serve a minimum 19-year prison term.

The brutal killing of Sylvia Fleming was shocking in its savagery and the depth of anger it stirred.

The defenceless teenager was pregnant when she was killed, cut into eight pieces and buried by Scott, a psychopathic bully so violent he is said to have scared even Johnny Adair while in prison.

The killing caused so much outrage in Omagh that it sparked three nights of rioting, with relatives of suspects being burnt out of their homes.

Sylvia was just 17 when her life was ended in April 1998.

She had been training as a hairdresser and working at a local nursing home.

She had met Scott through friends and, despite a nine-year age gap, was said to have worshipped the 26-year-old part-time fireman.

Expand Close Stephen Scott in Warrenpoint last week. (Credit: Sunday World) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Stephen Scott in Warrenpoint last week. (Credit: Sunday World)

However, her family did not trust Scott, who was known in the area as a "Jack the lad".

He was also said to have a liking for violent sex.

Sylvia moved in with Scott shortly after they started seeing each other, but the relationship deteriorated when he became too controlling.

She left him and moved into a friend's house, but soon discovered she was pregnant.

She kept in contact with Scott and, on Friday, April 3, 1998, she visited his flat at Lisanelly Heights in Omagh.

He took the teenager to his bedroom and gave her alcohol and sleeping pills, blindfolded her and tied her to the bed.

He then taped up her eyes and mouth, injecting her with insulin before she was strangled or smothered - her exact cause of death was never established.

Her body was hauled from the bedroom and hidden in his attic.

The following day, after going swimming, Scott carried her body to the bathroom and hacksawed her into eight pieces.

Scott and two accomplices even stole £25 from Sylvia's pocket to buy bin bags to wrap her remains and cleaning products to try and cover their tracks.

They then carried Sylvia's dismembered body in the bin bags, moving her around the house, before burying them about a mile away at a housing development on Circular Road.

Eight weeks passed before Sylvia's body was found under a partially-built property.

Police were led to the site by one of Scott's accomplices after they had spotted him acting suspiciously on the outskirts of Omagh.

Seven parts of Sylvia's body, including her head, were found under the dining room. Now, 17 years later, Scott has returned to his family's home town in Co Down.

The Sunday World newspaper reported that people in the town were concerned about Scott's presence.

A neighbour was quoted as saying: "People don't want him here.

"I can understand why the poor girl's family don't want him in Omagh - but we don't want someone as sick and evil as him in our community."

Belfast Telegraph