Murder bid victim 'sick' at redacted incident report

A woman who was almost killed by a convicted murderer on home release has said she feels "sick" that a report into the incident has been almost completely redacted.

Robbie McIntosh attacked Linda McDonald in 2017 while he was on home leave from jail where he was already serving a life sentence for the murder of Anne Nicoll.

Linda McDonald said she had fought for years to see the critical incident review, but when she received it last week almost every section had been redacted.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has offered her a meeting to discuss the reason for the redactions.

In a letter accompanying the report, SPS director of policy Sarah Angus told McDonald that the "significant redactions" were due to data protection regulations.

Angus wrote: "Essentially what is left is those details you received in the previous subject access request.

"I know how frustrating this can be, but I also recognise and fully understand your point in that not having the report itself only exacerbates your personal experience of trauma and of having no control."

Linda McDonald was walking her dog in Dundee's Templeton Woods when McIntosh ran towards her and started battering her with a dumb-bell.

McIntosh only stopped bludgeoning her when two passers-by came to her aid.

At the time of the attack in August 2017, he was serving life for stabbing Anne Nicoll to death on Dundee Law 16 years earlier.

He was being considered for parole in that case and had been allowed home leave in preparation.

Linda McDonald said she felt "absolutely sick" when she saw the redactions.

She said: "They say that they are trauma-informed, but they're obviously not aware that the person opening that is going to see sheet after sheet of blank paper.

"It's important for me for closure, it's important for me to have every piece of paper, every piece of information, no matter how good or bad.

"It's not me being over-sensitive, it's not my PTSD, it's not me just being the grumpy old woman."

She said she would accept the SPS's offer of a meeting.

A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: "We recognise the devastating and lasting impact of crimes of this nature.

"We always seek to be as open and transparent as possible while also upholding our legal obligation to safeguard personal information.

"We have also written to Mrs McDonald offering to meet with her and answer any questions we can."

A Scottish government spokesperson said: "We understand that this will be an incredibly upsetting and frustrating time for Linda McDonald and her husband.

"After meeting with Ms McDonald to hear about her devastating and traumatic case, the first minister has since written to her to respond to her questions about accessing the incident report.

"The first minister appreciates that there are legal limits that the Prison Service are not permitted to breach but wants the maximum transparency in this case."