A Crown Office probe has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the release of a prisoner who went on to stab a north-east man to death in his own home.
Stuart Quinn, who had been liberated from prison the day before, stabbed 56-year old Alan Geddes 40 times after he had offered to give the homeless man a place to stay in December 2019.
The 35-year-old, who travelled on the day from Peterhead prison to a homeless unit in Aberdeen that was closed, had been seen behaving erratically in the hours before Mr Geddes’ death.
Mr Geddes, who was described as a “devoted dad”, allowed Quinn into his flat in the city’s Ruthrieston Crescent only for his charity to lead to his death.
Quinn was sentenced to 18 years for the killing at Glasgow’s High Court last month.
The victim’s sister, Sandra Geddes, has now met with justice secretary Humza Yousaf to call for an investigation into the circumstances around her brother’s death.
She told BBC Scotland News: “My questions are around the release. There are lots of issues here. We need to find out what went wrong.
“If the right procedures had taken place, my brother would have still been here today.
“His son would have had his dad. I believe it was a big failure by the system.”
Former neighbours of Quinn told the Press and Journal that police had failed to take warning signs about him seriously enough.
They believe it had been “inevitable” for years that he was going to harm somebody, having seen his violent and paranoid behaviour at close quarters.
North-east Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald, who accompanied Ms Geddes to her meeting with Mr Yousaf, said: “Sandra’s concerns – and those of the rest of the family – are really about two things in particular – the circumstances of Stuart Quinn’s release and whether he had any psychiatric assessment beforehand.
“We want to know what the decision-making process was around him leaving Peterhead prison and travelling into Aberdeen on the bus in some distress.
“Sandra also wants to know about his previous history of violence and what would appear to be psychotic behaviour.
“We need to know why he was released when he was released and why the danger he posed to the public was not picked up.”
Mr Macdonald said Mr Yousaf was able to tell Ms Geddes that a Crown Office probe had been launched.
A spokeswoman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: “The investigation into circumstances surrounding the death of Alan Geddes, under the direction of the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU), is ongoing and the family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments.”
Mr Yousaf said: “I was grateful for the opportunity to meet with Sandra Geddes and for her taking the time to tell me about her experience.
“I know that nothing I say can remove the pain felt by the family, but I have listened to her concerns about this case.
“Given that this matter is under consideration by the Crown Office Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit, it would not be appropriate to comment further at the present time.”
