Five years after Allan’s death there’s still no justice.. we’ll take our fight to parliament
PROTEST TO BE STAGED OVER REMAND TRAGEDY Family in vow on grim anniversary
The family of Allan Marshall are to stage a day of protest and remembrance to mark the fifth anniversary of his death in custody.
Allan, 30, was being held on remand at Edinburgh’s Saughton prison when he had a towel put over his head and was dragged face down and feet first across a corridor by officers.
He died four days later in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary from multiple injuries after being placed in an induced coma.
Family and supporters will stage a demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on March 24 – the day of his violent restraint.
They will then travel five miles to Saughton where they will lay a wreath outside the jail followed by speeches.
The Scottish Prison Service has given the family permission to go into the prison grounds for the ceremony.
Allan’s relatives have also written to MSPs asking them to support their protest outside Holyrood.
A post-mortem found a pre-existing heart condition had contributed to his death but a fatal accident inquiry said the restraint had also been a factor.
His aunt, Sharon McFadyen, 41, of Rutherglen, near Glasgow, said: “Five years after his death, we’re no nearer getting to the truth of what happened to Allan that day in prison.
“No one has been held accountable.
“That is why we will be standing outside Holyrood and then Saughton Prison. Our aim is to get justice for Allan.”
The Marshall family are planning to sue the SPS, Police Scotland and the LordAdvocate for compensation over his death.
In his judgment last August, Sheriff Liddle described Allan’s death as “entirely preventable”.
Fami ly lawyer Jel ina Berlow- Rahman added:
“Al lan was subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment and denied immed i a t e med i c a l intervention. It is important people are held responsible for his death.”
The dad was being held after appearing at Hamilton Sheriff Court on a breach of the peace charge and remanded in custody because of unpaid fines.
CCTV footage published in the Sunday Mai l showed his f inal conscious moments as he was dragged naked across the floor.
An SPS spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Prison Service has agreed to a request from the family to lay a wreath outside HMP Edinburgh.
“The SPS submitted a full response to the 13 recommendations in Sheriff Liddle’s FAI determination including an organisational review of Control and Restraint procedures across the prison estate.”
A Scottish Government spokesman added: “Our thoughts remain with the family of Allan Marshall and the Justice Secretary has met wit h t he fami ly and expressed his condolences to them personally.
“Work is underway on the independent review into the handling of deaths in prison custody which will report later in the year.”