West Lothian prisoner who preyed on children was assigned carers before he died

Gordon Fraser died at HMP Addiewell on Sunday, June 5, 2022
-Credit: (Image: Vic Rodrick)


A paedophile who died in a West Lothian prison was assigned carers due to a number of health issues.

Gordon Fraser was sentenced to seven years in October 2021 for historical sex attacks on two young victims. He was found dead at HMP Addiewell less than a year later at the age of 79, reports the Daily Record.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry determined his cause of death was due to complications of pulmonary thromboembolism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ischaemic heart disease.

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Following his imprisonment Fraser, who also suffered from cerebral palsy, was discovered to be in very poor health and was assigned his own carers who came to visit him on a daily basis. On November 9, 2021, a "do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation" was implemented on Fraser at the prison due to his frailty.

The paedophile was admitted to St John’s Hospital in Livingston on February 22, 2022, and was treated for a urinary tract infection and a chest infection.

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He was admitted to the same hospital a number of times over the coming months for a number of health issues, including sepsis and pneumonia. After being taken to hospital on June 3 by ambulance, Fraser declined admission and self-discharged without treatment.

Fraser was advised that he was likely to get more unwell and there was a possibility of death. This was his last admission to hospital. Three days later he was found dead in his cell, at around 3.54pm on June 5.

The beast was jailed in 2021 after he was found guilty of historic sex crimes at Livingston High Court. He denied lowering a boy's trousers and underwear, touching his private parts and forcing him to commit sex acts between dates in 1978 and 1980. Fraser also pleaded not guilty to committing two historic sexual offences against a girl, but a jury found him guilty.

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He was convicted of causing the girl to look at pornographic material, taking photographs of her or pretending to do so, performing a number of sex acts on her, and raping her at an address in Dundee.

At trial, the pensioner, from Dundee, appeared in the dock in a mobility scooter and sacked his legal team following the guilty verdict. He was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.