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.
    • Gordon Collins, 67, of HMP Glenochil, has died on 07 May 2024.
    • John Ballantyne, 62, of HMP Addiewell, has died on 12 May 2024.
    • Lee Barry Thomson, 52, of HMP Glenochil, has died on 20 May 2024.
    • Alex Daly, 66, of HMP Addiewell has died on 01 June 2024.
    • Kevin Malia, 48, of HMP Barlinnie has died on 06 June 2024.
    • James Kinnen, 80, of HMP Glenochil has died on 11 June.
    • Archibald Hunter, 79, of HMP Barlinnie has died on 14 June.
    • Scott McClymont, 25, of HMP Low Moss has died on 22 June.

    • Alexander McDonald, 47, of HMP Low Moss, has died on 08 July 2024.
    • Jonathan Beadle, 17, of HMP & YOI Polmont, has died on 13 July 2024.
    • Gary Martin, 44, of HMP Addiewell, has died on 15 July 2024.
    • John Gartland, 55, of HMP Addiewell, has died on 19 July 2024.
    • Arthur Norman Duncan, 72, of HMP & YOI Grampian, has died on 13 August 2024.
    • Lee Douglas Macdonald Dyce, 37, of HMP Inverness, has died on 22 August 2024.

Deaths in Custody 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.

Bereavement support

When a loved one passes away in prison it can be difficult to recover from the grief of the loss in such circumstances.

Find out what support is availible to you.

Support for Family and Friends
Chaplin with group of prisoners at Low Moss