HMP Shotts death of murderer who killed vulnerable pal to be probed

The death of murderer Darrin Callander at HMP Shotts is to be probed.

Callander beat his vulnerable friend Brian Scott, 54, at his home and left him to die in April 2013. Callander, 48, was found dead in his cell at HMP Shotts, Lanarkshire, in the early evening of Saturday, September 18 2021.

Callander was serving a life sentence with a minimum of 14 years and six months, increased from the original sentence of life with a minimum of nine years and nine months. Callander had a string of convictions for violence, carrying weapons and obstructing police.

READ MORE: Faces of jailed Glasgow drug smuggling gangsters who thought they were 'untouchable'

READ MORE: Gangland attack on Glasgow Daniels hit man took place on day of attempted murder trial

The High Court in Glasgow heard Callander had been drinking with Mr Scott, known as 'Tucker', and another man before the murder. According to the witness, Callander suddenly jumped up and pulled Mr Scott — who was in poor health and used a walking stick — to the floor.

He kicked, punched, and stamped on Mr Scott, smashing his ribs, rupturing his spleen and leaving him with fractured vertebrae and brain damage. The attack lasted five minutes as Callander ignored desperate pleas from the witness to stop.

Callander returned to the scene the next day and found his friend's body lying where he had been left. It was only when two other friends discovered the scene that emergency services were called.

The Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has announced a Fatal Accident Inquiry will be held to establish the circumstances Callander's death. COPFS said it is obliged to investigate deaths in custody and that the inquiry is mandatory.

A Preliminary Hearing will be held on 7 January 2025 at Hamilton Sheriff Court. The inquiry will establish 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.

Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS, said: “The Lord Advocate considers that the death of Darrin Callander 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.”

Sign up to our daily Glasgow Live newsletter here to receive news and features direct to your inbox

Join Glasgow Live's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.