Suspected cathedral vandal dies in custody

Police are investigating the death of a 19-year-old man in custody at a Highland police station at the weekend.

He was being held on suspicion of a vandalism attack at Dornoch Cathedral

It is understood he was Daryl Shearer, whose family live at Helmsdale, Sutherland.

Northern Constabulary would not officially name the dead man because all his relatives had not been informed.

The death occurred yesterday morning at Dingwall police station, where it is understood Mr Shearer was being held in connection with vandalism at the cathedral on Friday night.

In September of last year, he appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court and admitted vandalising the door of a Christian bookshop in Telford Street, Inverness.

A police spokesman said the death would be investigated fully.

He added that the investigation would, with the approval of the Dingwall procurator fiscal, be carried out by a senior officer from a Northern Constabulary division other than the one covering the Dingwall station.

An officer has been selected but he was not being named yesterday.

The Crown Office in Edinburgh confirmed that the Dingwall fiscal had been notified of a death in custody.

A post-mortem examination will be held later this week at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to establish the cause of death.

Meanwhile, a family liaison officer has been appointed to support the dead man’s family.

Last night, a man who answered the door of a house said by locals to be Mr Shearer’s parents’ home said they did not wish to comment.

Dornoch residents were shocked to discover that their cherished cathedral, where the Rev Susan Brown christened pop star Madonna and film director Guy Ritchie’s son, Rocco, had been seriously damaged on Friday night.

A wedding due to take place at the 13th-century cathedral on Saturday had to be switched to another venue as police forensic experts were called in to investigate.

Entry had been made by forcing the vestry door. The office was then smashed up, a fire extinguisher let off, several windows broken, protective panels around the cathedral organ kicked in and cash stolen.

Legal papers enabling the wedding to go ahead and the order-of-service papers were also taken.

Mrs Brown said she was heartbroken by the incident.

“I was almost physically sick when I looked at the mess because it seemed so wanton,” she said.

“You can understand people stealing money, although not approve of it, but understand them needing cash. But why do they need to trash everything in the process?”