We publish information regarding all deaths in our custody as part of our legal obligations under the SPS Model Publication Scheme.

Information is published in calendar years, for the past 10 years, on a quarterly basis.

2024

With each death in custody, Police Scotland are advised and the matter reported to the Procurator Fiscal. Fatal Accident Inquiries are held in due course.

    • Ronald Saunders, 65, of HMP Perth, has died on 08 January 2024.
    • William Curtis, 71, of HMP Grampian, has died on 11 January 2024. 
    • Arthur James MacKenzie, 73, of HMP Low Moss, has died on 21 January 2024.
    • Matthew McLachlan, 41, of HMP Perth, has died on 26 January 2024. 
    • Gordon Smith, 75, of HMP Addiewell, has died on 31 January 2024.
    • Daryl Hooper, 41, of HMP Inverness, has died on 02 February 2024.
    • David Crawford, 59, of HMP Barlinnie, has died on 02 February 2024.
    • John Gallagher, 72, of HMP Inverness, has died on 02 February 2024.
    • Sean McLaughlin, 41, of HMP Addiewell, has died on 19 February 2024.
    • William Beattie, 62, of HMP Glenochil, has died on 20 February 2024.
    • Jason Irvine, 34, of HMP Edinburgh, has died on 21 February 2024.
    • Edwin Rose, 43, of HMP Low Moss, has died on 23 February 2024.
    • Robert Norris, 69, of HMP Addiewell, has died on 25 February 2024.
    • Tiffany Scott, 32, of HMP Grampian, has died on 29 February 2024.
    • Cieran Deegan, 32, of HMP Addiewell, has died on 03 March 2024.
    • Bertie Hall, 56, of HMP Edinburgh, has died on 14 March 2024.
    • Christopher Masson, 39, of HMP Barlinnie, has died on 22 March 2024.
    • Matthew Ferry, 33, of HMP Edinburgh, has died on 25 March 2024. 

    • Paul Farrell, 45, of HMP Edinburgh, has died on 07 April 2024.
    • Gordon Dewar, 34, of HMP Perth, has died on 07 April 2024. 
    • William Devine, 43, of HMP Barlinnie, has died on 07 April 2024.
    • Iain Brown, 48, of HMP Shotts, has died on 08 April 2024.
    • David Cox, 73, of HMP Glenochil, has died on 13 April 2024.
    • Lee Quinn, 28, of HMP Glenochil, has died on 29 April 2024.

2023

With each death in custody, Police Scotland are advised and the matter reported to the Procurator Fiscal, so a Fatal Accident Inquiry can be held in due course.

    • Paul McEwan Lindsay, 31, has died on 31 January 2023.
    • William David MacDowell, 81, has died on 15 February 2023.
    • Kevin Pullar, 36, has died on 26 March 2023. 

    • Kieran McGinlay, 33, has died on 24 April 2023.
    • Richard Reston, 46, has died on 29 April 2023. 
    • Richard Stevenson, 69, has died on 16 May 2023. 
    • Douglas Winning, 29, has died on 20 May 2023.
    • Robert Dickie, 55, has died on 27 May, 2023.
    • Leon Hutchison, 41, has died on 01 June 2023. 
    • James Bradie, 69, has died on 31 May, 2023. 
    • Leon Hutchison, 41, has died on 01 June 2023.
    • Shaun Keane, 37, has died on 20 June 2023.
    • Reece Sweeney, 24, has died on 20 June, 2023.

    • Rudolphus Zijlmans, 53, has died on 03 July 2023.
    • Ronald Simpson, 67, has died on 04 July 2023. 
    • Sean McGahey, 29, has died on 22 July 2023.
    • Robert Lovelock, 32, has died on Sunday 30 July 2023.
    • Alexander Pickering, 46, has died on Tuesday 01 August 2023.
    • Ryan Lafferty, 33, has died on Tuesday 01 August 2023.
    • Stuart Drury, 57, has died on Friday 03 August 2023.
    • Dominic Devine, 66, has died on Sunday 06 August 2023.
    • Brian Emans, 42, has died on 14 August 2023.
    • Duncan Anderson, 20, has died on  26 August 2023.
    • Ronald Martin, 50, has died on 10 September 2023.
    • Gavin Laidlaw, 47, has died on 17 September 2023.
    • Ronald McCafferty, 39, has died on 27 September 2023. 

    • John Barr, 71, has died on 04 October 2023.
    • Edward Cairney, 82, has died on 15 October 2023. 
    • Ross Walker, 44, has died on 03 November 2023. 
    • Peter Alexander, 24, has died on 05 November 2023. 
    • John Ferrier, 37, has died on 07 November 2023.
    • Alexander Fulton, 37, has died on 07 November 2023.
    • Jordan Devine, 22, has died on 10 November 2023.
    • Steven McCulloch, 39, has died on 17 November 2023.
    • Ian Glen, 36, has died on 23 November 2023.
    • Nicholas McKenzie, 37, has died on Tuesday 26 December 2023. 
    • Charles Cassidy, 58, has died on 28 December 2023. 
    • Stephen William Hiddleston, 43, has died on Sunday 31 December 2023. 

Deaths in Custody 2023

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  • 20th February 2024
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You may wish to note that:

  • We report deaths in custody in this section of our website once we have received notification that the individual's next of kin has been informed.
  • The term 'Event of Undetermined Intent' used in the tables is an outcome where the exact intent of the individual concerned cannot be ascertained.
  • A Fatal Accident Inquiry is mandatory into the death of a person who dies in prison under the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc (Scotland) Act 2016. There is one potential exception to this and that is that the Lord Advocate may decide an inquiry is not to be held if he/she is satisfied that the circumstances of the death have been sufficiently established in criminal proceedings. The decision to hold an FAI (and the timing of a Sheriff Court being petitioned to hold an FAI) is a matter for the Lord Advocate/Procurator Fiscal.  The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service are responsible for the hosting, administration and management of Inquiry. The Scottish   Prison Service’s role in the inquiry is as a participant only, but we assist the Procurator Fiscal throughout the investigative stage.
  • Information concerning details of any FAI preliminary hearings and inquiry dates can be found on the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service website. Copies of FAI determinations can be found on the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service website.

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Chaplin with group of prisoners at Low Moss