Pair fined for Holyrood paint-hurling protest

TWO haemophiliacs threw red paint on to the new Scottish Parliament building on its first day of operation because of years of frustration over the Government’s refusal to hold a public inquiry into the use of infected blood supplies.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Andrew Gunn, 29, of Inverness, and Bruce Norval, 39, of Fortrose, near Inverness, were each fined 100 after pleading guilty to throwing the paint on to the walls of the Holyrood building on September 7.

Fiscal John Barclay said both men were involved in running various groups campaigning for a public inquiry into the treatment of haemophiliacs during the period when infected blood supplies from the US were used for blood transfusions by the NHS. The campaigners are also seeking compensation resembling that paid in other countries.

Mr Barclay said Gunn had been escorted from the public gallery in the debating chamber when he began shouting at the MSPs and demanding a public inquiry. Shortly afterwards, police and security guards saw Gunn and Norval approach the building and throw red paint over the walls and doors.

Sheriff Daphne Robertson said she took their situations into account - Gunn has HIV and hepatitis and Norval hepatitis and liver cancer - but she had to impose a fine.