Latest news with #BailandReleasefromCustody
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Daily Record
Probe into murder of 'Good Samaritan' dad could expose 'systemic failings'
"Good Samaritan" Alan Geddes was killed by Stuart Quinn after he let Quinn stay at his home a day after he was released from prison. Scottish Government ministers have been urged to widen scrutiny laws so incidents like the horrific murder of a Scots dad "will never be repeated". Alan Geddes, 56, was stabbed 40 times by Stuart Quinn in December 2019 after he had offered him a room for the night at his home in Aberdeen. The "Good Samaritan" had met Quinn, who was homeless, during an evening out. Quinn had only just been released from prison a day earlier and went to a homeless unit, only to find it closed. He was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years behind bars for murdering Alan Geddes. The Geddes family called for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into his death, but their requests were denied despite "obvious failures" leading to Quinn's release without being given any support in the community, reports Aberdeen Live. However, North East MSP Douglas Lumsden has since called on justice secretary Angela Constance to increase the remit for statutory inquiries. Ms Constance said a review of the fatal accident system "as it relates to death in custody" commenced in January this year. During justice questions at Holyrood, Conservative MSP Mr Lumsden said: "The question was concerning deaths outside of custody settings. "In 2019 Aberdeen father and good Samaritan Alan Geddes was murdered by a man released from prison just hours earlier. "In 2023, the Mental Welfare Commission released its damning report, highlighting a list of failures in the runup to the release of Stuart Quinn and if government agencies had acted differently, the outcome could have been different. "Alan's sister Sandra continues the fight for answers and this case is crying out for a Fatal Accident Enquiry. "Would the cabinet secretary agree with me that when someone commits murder just hours after release from prison there has obviously been failures and the criteria for a statutory FAI must be widened to cover these situations?" He has previously tried to seek amendment to the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023, which would have meant offenders released from prison would have access to a post-custody outreach service. However, this was voted down. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Ms Constance responded: "I know that Mr Lumsden has been a keen advocate on behalf of his constituent, Sandra Geddes, who I had the pleasure of meeting as a result of an intervention from Mr Lumsden when the bail and release bill was going through parliament, and there was a number of changes at that time in and around through-care standards in legislation and of course, the imperative nature of good release planning. "Whilst the current review that I have commissioned is focused on deaths in custody, I should say to Mr Lumsden any wider learning points from the review will be given due consideration, in a broader context." Mr Lumsden later added: "There's clearly been systemic failings around the release of a man who went on to commit this horrific crime. "That's why I'm calling for a fatal accident inquiry so that we can learn why it all went so badly wrong, so it will never be repeated. "And so no other family have to go through what the Geddes family have had to go through."
Daily Record
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Parents of murder victim Claire Inglis warn new bail law risks women's lives
Claire's parents want First Minister John Swinney to explain why victims are being placed 'in the line of fire" via new laws that make it easier for violent domestic abusers to be bailed from court. The parents of a murder victim have warned new laws making it easier for violent domestic abusers to be bailed from court put women's lives at risk. Claire Inglis, 28, was killed by Christopher McGowan - who had 39 previous convictions including one for a serious attack on an ex-partner - after he was freed to live at the Stirling flat she shared with her son. McGowan had been bailed three times to Claire's home when he battered and strangled the young mum, burned her face with a lighter and choked her with a wet wipe. But we can reveal shocking new regulations in the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act which came into force on May 14 will make it even easier for thugs like McGowan to be released on bail. They removed a 'presumption' for courts to deny release to anyone accused of violent, sexual or domestic abuse if they have a past similar conviction unless the court can determine a good reason for refusing it. Opposition politicians have accused the Scottish Government of a cost-cutting exercise to free up prison space which puts women's safety at risk. Claire's parents Ian, 62, and Fiona, 64, whose campaign for tougher bail restrictions is backed by the Sunday Mail, have directly asked First Minister John Swinney to explain why victims are being placed 'in the line of fire.' Fiona, from Stirling, said: 'These shocking reforms do not protect victims. Instead they put women's lives at risk. 'This new law is going to put women like my daughter in further danger. 'We shouldn't be doing any-thing that makes it easier for violent offenders, especially violent domestic abusers, to be freed from court rather than remanded from custody. 'The presumption against bail was introduced to specially protect domestic abuse victims. ' John Swinney needs to explain to me what he believes has changed that means domestic abusers are no longer a threat to women. "Why on earth are we allowing domestic abusers to be granted bail to homes where their victims live, where mothers and children have to be rehomed for their safety? ' McGowan had a long list of convictions, including for violence and a pattern of behaviour that was escalating, yet he was released to Claire's home where she lived with her little boy. 'Weeks later he murdered her and we believed she could have been saved. 'If he hadn't been allowed to go to Claire's home, she would still be alive today. 'The new rules won't save victims like Claire.' Ian added: 'The system is totally wrong, it is not there to protect people who need to be protected. It's putting vulnerable people in the line of fire. 'This is nothing but a costsaving exercise by the government as there are so many offenders and nowhere to put them. They need to build more jails not let them out to harm again. 'As a result, we will see more women like Claire die.' Victims' groups also opposed the reforms, claiming the law does not do enough to protect those affected by crime. Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said the regulations do not go far enough to safeguard victims - in particular women who have experienced domestic abuse. Highlighting Claire's case Wallace said it showed 'in heartbreaking detail the dangers of not adequately scrutinising an offender's criminal history.' She added: 'An accused person should not be bailed back to an address unless it can absolutely be guaranteed that the people in that home will be kept safe.' Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay has also criticised the SNP's bail reform. He said: 'My party and victims groups warned that the SNP government's new bail law will make it even harder to remand accused criminals in custody. "This is despite the fact the existing system is already deeply flawed with shocking cases like the murder of Claire Inglis by a thug who was repeatedly granted bail. 'The SNP are duping the people of Scotland by saying they care about victims while constantly weakening the justice system to the advantage of criminals. 'Victims can see that the real agenda is cutting corners to save money by a government which usually manages to waste it. 'The problem with this approach is that more innocent people will end up paying a very heavy price indeed.' The five bail orders in force against McGowan at the time of the murder were granted less than eight months before the killing, one just weeks before Claire's death. Concerns had been raised over McGowan staying at Claire's home two months before the attack and social workers had visited the address three days before the murder but could not contact her. In January First Minister John Swinney said rules have been changed after Claire's case and insisted tougher assessments on bail will be carried out by social workers. He said: 'The national justice social work practice guidance has been updated since this case.' But Fiona has said that less than six months later, the SNP's new bail regulations have made it easier for violent off-enders like McGowan to be freed. She added: 'We are living in 2025 and we are no further forward in protecting victims of domestic abuse than we were generations ago. Instead of moving forward, we are going backward. We are incredibly disappointed.' Charly Sharp, McGowan's ex-partner, was subjected to six years of violence at his hands. He was also granted bail to her home in 2019 despite a past conviction for domestic aggravation against her in 2014. Charly had said: 'He was given one too many chances. He should never have been given the chance to kill Claire.' The latest figures show there were 7988 bail-related offences in 2022-23 - such as breach of bail conditions - up 11 per cent from the previous year. McGowan, 29, was ordered to serve at least 23 years in jail for the 'beyond sadistic' killing of 28-year-old Claire in 2021. The Crown Office is considering a fatal accident inquiry. The Scottish government said:'The new bail test makes clear the court should specifically consider the protection of the victim from a risk of harm when making decisions on bail. This includes risk of physical and psychological harm, which can arise from coercive and controlling behaviour.' The Crown Office said: 'Prosecutors consider public safety and protection of victims from further harm among other factors when making submissions to the court on bail.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
