Latest news with #FAIs
STV News
22-07-2025
- STV News
Inquiry to be held into death of landscape gardener hit by tree trunk
An inquiry is to be held into the death of a landscape gardener who died after being struck by a tree trunk. Andrew Pirie was working on June 25, 2020, when he was hit with a two-metre-long section of the tree. A Fatal Accident Inquiry is to be held into the 53-year-old's death as it occurred while he was in the course of his employment. The investigation will look at the circumstances surrounding Mr Pirie's death as well as what precautions could have been taken and could be implemented to prevent future accidents. Unlike criminal proceedings, FAIs are used to establish facts rather than to apportion blame. A preliminary hearing is set for September 3, 2025, at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on death investigations for COPFS, said: 'The death of Andrew Pirie occurred while in the course of his employment and as such a Fatal Accident Inquiry is mandatory. 'The lodging of the First Notice enables FAI proceedings to commence under the direction of the Sheriff. 'Mr Pirie's family will continue to be kept informed of significant developments as court proceedings progress.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
11-07-2025
- Scotsman
Death of Edinburgh prisoner to be investigated
The death of an Edinburgh prisoner, who died in 2023, will be formally investigated in November. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has lodged a First Notice to begin the court process for the inquiry into the death of John Barr, who died at the age of 71. Barr, an inmate within HMP Edinburgh, was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for medical treatment. A deterioration in his health required a move to palliative care at a community hospital in Granton where he later died on October 5, 2023. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Preliminary Hearing will be held on July 21, followed by a Fatal Accident Inquiry on November 4, both at the Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Mr Barr was in legal custody and in the care of the state at the time of his death. The COPFS is obliged to investigate such deaths, and a Fatal Accident Inquiry is mandatory. A Preliminary Hearing will be held on July 21, followed by a Fatal Accident Inquiry on November 4, both at the Edinburgh Sheriff Court. The purpose of the inquiry includes determining the cause of death; the circumstances in which the deaths occurred, and to establish what, if any, reasonable precautions could have been taken, and could be implemented in the future, to minimise the risk of future deaths in similar circumstances. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Unlike criminal proceedings, FAIs are inquisitorial in nature, and are used to establish facts rather than to apportion blame. Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS, said: 'The Lord Advocate considers that the death of John Barr occurred while in legal custody and as such a Fatal Accident Inquiry is mandatory. 'The lodging of the First Notice enables FAI proceedings to commence under the direction of the Sheriff.'
Daily Record
22-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Grieving families deserve better legal support say parents of baby who died at Scots hospital
'It's not fair you can be accused of who knows what and immediately get a solicitor but for an FAI there is nothing. Sitting through it without anybody in your corner is so unfair.' The parents of a baby who died at Scotland's largest hospital have called for better support during fatal accident inquiries. Freya Murphy was just seven days old when she died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital after being starved of oxygen during labour, causing severe brain and organ damage. A sheriff ruled maternity services staff levels should be reviewed in light of Freya's death. Parents Martin and Karen waited seven years from her 2018 death to the conclusion of a fatal accident inquiry (FAI). They called for families to get legal support, saying it is unfair to place a financial burden on people who want to know what happened to loved ones. Martin said: 'It wasn't easy but we did manage to retain lawyers so we could be represented during Freya's FAI. 'We felt we had to have our own legal representation to ensure questions we had were answered. If we hadn't paid for a lawyer we would not have been represented and that is what many families face.' Families whose relatives' deaths are the subject of FAIs can apply for legal aid but with funding stretched, the chance of receiving it is extremely low. In March the government lifted means testing for people whose relatives die in custody, entitling them to free and immediate legal support for an FAI. It is not the same for those whose loved ones die at work or in hospital. Freya's mum Karen said: 'How many families don't have the means and are just sitting there while other people discuss what's happened to their child or relative? 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. 'It's not fair you can be accused of who knows what and immediately get a solicitor but for an FAI there is nothing. Sitting through it without anybody in your corner is so unfair.' Their calls are backed by Scottish Labour's justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill MSP, who said: 'This heartbreaking case shows too many families are failed during the most difficult time. The state of Scottish legal aid is a scandal. The SNP must get a grip of the crisis so no bereaved family is priced out of justice.' Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: 'Publicly funded legal assistance is available to all who meet eligibility criteria on matters of Scots law, which includes civil legal aid for all fatal accident inquiries.'
Sky News
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Smoke grenade error by police before Glasgow hotel attacker was shot and killed, inquiry hears
Police mistakenly used a smoke grenade instead of a stun grenade while responding to an attacker who stabbed six people before being shot and killed, an inquiry has heard. Badreddin Abdalla Adam Bosh attacked three asylum seekers, two staff members and a police officer at the Park Inn hotel in Glasgow on 26 June 2020, during the COVID lockdown. The 28-year-old asylum seeker, from Sudan, was shot by police and died in the incident in West George Street. A preliminary hearing ahead of a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the incident heard specialist firearms officers were deployed and used a smoke grenade while searching the building for Bosh. The inquiry heard that while this may have affected communications between those at the scene and in the police control room, it did not contribute to the death of Bosh. Shelagh McCall KC, representing the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) and a number of anonymous officers, said the smoke grenade caused a fire alarm to be activated in the hotel. That may have affected communications between officers, staff and residents at the scene, and communications in the control room where people were listening on the radio, she added. "A smoke grenade was entirely inappropriate to the situation," Ms McCall told the hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday. "A stun grenade was the intention." Ms McCall said an officer selected the wrong device from the gun safe and another then detonated it in the building "not appreciating that it was the wrong kind of device". She asked for the two officers, who are on a list of witnesses, and five others to be granted anonymity. Sheriff Principal of Glasgow and Strathkelvin, Aisha Anwar, agreed to grant anonymity orders for the seven - comprising firearms and tactical firearms officers - who will be referred to only by a number. Ms Anwar offered her condolences to friends and family of Bosh, saying there will be "chapters of evidence that will be difficult for his family and friends to hear and reliving the events... will be traumatic" for those he injured. "This inquiry will do all it can to ensure the difficult chapters of evidence are handled sensitively," she added. The inquiry has 83 people currently on the witness list. Solicitor Advocate Alan Cameron said it was too early to say how long the FAI might last or to fix a date for it to begin. A further preliminary hearing will take place on 23 June. Unlike criminal proceedings, FAIs are inquisitorial in nature, and are used to establish facts rather than apportion blame. The FAI will determine the cause of death; the circumstances in which it occurred; and to establish what reasonable precautions could have been taken to minimise the risk of future deaths in similar circumstances. A previous investigation by the procurator fiscal found the .
Sky News
17-02-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Inquiry begins into death of baby at Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow
A fatal accident inquiry has begun into the death of a baby girl at Scotland's superhospital. Sophia Smith was just 11 days old when she died at the Royal Hospital for Children at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus on 11 April 2017. The newborn became ill with an infection similar to MRSA, which developed into sepsis. Police Scotland previously carried out an investigation into Sophia's death, alongside other fatalities at the hospital campus including leukaemia patient Milly Main, 10, who died after a catheter became infected when she was in remission. In 2020, Sophia's case was handed over to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and a decision was made not to bring criminal charges. However, a spokesperson from COPFS previously said this could be reversed if more evidence emerged. Last year, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC said the circumstances of Sophia's death gave rise to "significant public concern" to justify a fatal accident inquiry (FAI). The inquiry got under way at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday, with Sophia's parents seeking answers as to why their daughter died. Speaking on behalf of Theresa and Matthew Smith, their lawyer said: "It has been a long road to get to this milestone that we have reached today. "We are pleased that a fatal accident inquiry has been finally set up and hope that by the end of this process we will know the truth about our daughter and why her life was so tragically and heartbreakingly cut short." The FAI is expected to examine the circumstances of Sophia's death, with a particular focus on what role infection played, and the standard of care and communication. Unlike criminal proceedings, FAIs are inquisitorial in nature, and are used to establish facts rather than to apportion blame.
