World's End killer Angus Sinclair died alone, incontinent and bedbound, in one of Scotland's toughest jails

World’s End killer Angus Sinclair died alone in his cell, incontinent and bedbound, in one of Scotland's toughest jails, a death probe heard.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Sinclair, 73, of whom a sentencing judge said the description "monster" was inadequate, had suffered from deteriorating health for about a year and a half prior to his death last year following a series of strokes and transient ischaemic attacks, an inquiry at Stirling Sheriff Court heard.

Karon Rollo, fiscal depute at the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit, said the fatal accident inquiry was a mandatory one because Mr Sinclair had died at Glenochil Prison, Clackmannanshire.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: "At the time of his death, Angus Sinclair was lawfully detained in custody serving sentences of life imprisonment in respect of charges of rape and murder imposed in 1982, 2001 and 2014."

World's End killer Angus Sinclair died alone, incontinent and bedbound, in one of Scotland's toughest jail cells, a court has heard. Pic: Neil Hanna/Crown OfficeWorld's End killer Angus Sinclair died alone, incontinent and bedbound, in one of Scotland's toughest jail cells, a court has heard. Pic: Neil Hanna/Crown Office
World's End killer Angus Sinclair died alone, incontinent and bedbound, in one of Scotland's toughest jail cells, a court has heard. Pic: Neil Hanna/Crown Office

She said that for a year before he died, Sinclair had required "assistance with personal hygiene and dressing".

She said: "He had an increased frequency of falls, decreased dietary and fluid intake, increased episodes of incontinence, and a DNA CPR (do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation notice) was in place."

For the last five days of his life he was "unable to mobilise", was confined to bed, and was cared for by prison medical and nursing staff.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He was last seen alive by nursing staff at about 1:40am on March 11th, 2019, locked in his cell in the jail's Abercrombie wing.

Ms Rollo said: "At 3:50am the same day he was checked by nursing staff and found not to be breathing."

Ambulance staff attended and pronounced life extinct half a hour later, and a post mortem was carried out at the City of Edinburgh mortuary.

Ms Rollo said: "Cause of death was certified as bronchopneumonia, ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She invited the court to make a formal determination in accordance with the evidence.

She said: "It appears that he passed away in his cell overnight and was discovered by staff in the morning.

"He was a man with health issues."

The court heard earlier that Sinclair's next of kin were aware of the inquiry but had opted not to attend or participate, and no criticism of his care at the hands of either the Scottish Prison Service or the NHS had been made.

Sheriff Wyllie Robertson said: "I shall issue a determination making the formal findings I am invited to do."

World’s End murders

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sinclair had been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 37 years for the murder of Christine Eadie and Helen Scott, both 17, in Edinburgh.

His victims were last seen alive leaving The World's End pub in Edinburgh's Old Town more than 40 years ago.

The sentence, in 2014, the longest ever imposed by a Scottish court, meant Sinclair would have been 106 years old before he was eligible for parole.

He was convicted of four killings, including the World's End murders, but was suspected of killing four more women in Glasgow the same year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sinclair, who grew up in Glasgow, was 16 when he carried out his first killing in 1961.

He raped and strangled seven-year old neighbour Catherine Reehill before disposing of her body, but he was released in his early 20s after serving just six years.

In 1977, six women disappeared after nights out, and were found dumped on deserted farmland or waste ground.

Three of the victims - Hilda McAuley, Agnes Cooney and Anna Kenny - were killed in Glasgow.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Teenagers Helen Scott and Christine Eadie went missing after last being seen at the World's End pub on Edinburgh's Royal Mile in October 1977.

They were found dead six miles apart in the East Lothian countryside the next day.

Despite the biggest manhunt in Scottish police history, the identity of their killer remained a mystery for decades.

In 1982, Sinclair was jailed for life after he admitted 11 charges of rape and indecent assault.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Almost 20 years later, when he was being prepared for parole, a cold case review revealed that his DNA had been found on Mary Gallacher - who was murdered in Glasgow in 1978.

He was given another life sentence after being found guilty of her murder.

Following that case, police began to examine the link between Sinclair and several other unsolved cases.

He first stood trial in 2007, accused of killing Christine Eadie and Helen Scott, but the case collapsed due to insufficient evidence.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Then, following a change to Scotland's double jeopardy law, he was prosecuted a second time and found guilty of the murders in 2014.

A court insider said on Wednesday: "The closure of this FAI brings down the final curtain on a man described by the judge who sentenced him for Christine and Helen's murders as 'a dangerous predator capable of sinking to the depths of depravity'.

"It's not surprising his surviving family chose to stay away."