Alan Geddes: ‘Cataclysmic failings’ claimed in death of Good Samaritan murdered by freed prisoner

Authorities have been accused of “cataclysmic failings” after a Good Samaritan was killed by a stranger who had been released from prison with no support just hours before.

Alan Geddes

Stuart Quinn was jailed for a minimum of 18 years in February 2021 after he pleaded guilty to murdering Alan Geddes, 56.

Geddes had met Quinn, who had been released that day, on an evening out and, finding he had nowhere to go, offered him a place to stay for the night in Aberdeen in December 2019.

A new report by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland investigated the circumstances leading up to the murder and found that had Quinn been offered support and accommodation on his release, it was “likely to have reduced the risk” to Mr Geddes.

Scottish Conservative north-east MSP Douglas Lumsden, who has supported the Geddes family throughout the case, said: “This damning report highlights the cataclysmic failings of Scotland’s justice system and how easy it was for a violent, high-risk offender to be released early with no consideration of the dangers he posed to the public.

“The lack of rigorous assessments in this case has exposed significant gaps in mental health, prison aftercare and supervision.

“Alan was a Good Samaritan who died merely because he stepped in when others had failed.”

The report found the killer, referred to in the report as Mr TU, was 32 years old when he had four relatively brief admissions to psychiatric hospital between March and June 2018, and was diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis.

On each admission, Mr TU presented with paranoid delusional beliefs and was detained under the Mental Health Act.

He spent most of 2019 in prison and in December that year, having been on remand, was liberated by the court with no support package in place and no accommodation.

It said: “The investigation concluded that following Mr TU’s unexpected release from prison in December 2019, although a support package and accommodation may have reduced the likelihood of further offending, evidence from a planned liberation in September 2019 indicated that even with a comprehensive support package in place and with accommodation provided, Mr TU rapidly re-offended, was rearrested and returned to prison.

“However, if Mr TU had been offered accommodation in December 2019 this is likely to have reduced the risk to the specific victim who invited him to his home because of his lack of accommodation.”

The report makes six recommendations for health chiefs including issues such as risk management, and hospital discharge planning. There are a further six recommendations for the Scottish Government, including on support for those released from prison.

A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: “Whilst we do not comment on individual cases, we endeavour to ensure that individuals liberated from custody have appropriate support networks in place to aid their transition back into the community.

“We work with a range of agencies to enable the continuity of service provision for those leaving our care.

“We will continue to work with the Scottish Government and community partners to ensure individuals have the best possible chance for successful reintegration.”

The Scottish Government said it would “carefully consider” the report before responding.