The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Murderer posted selfies while on home leave
DUNDEE: Outrage as Wayne Melvin incident follows that of Robbie McIntosh
A convicted murderer posed for a selfie on Dundee waterfront while on home leave from prison.
Wayne Melvin, who was told he must serve 15 years in prison for the brutal killing of Robert Smith, 51, in 2006, posted the snap on Facebook.
The images came to light just weeks after Law killer Robbie McIntosh admitting attempting to murder dog walker Linda McDonald while he was on home leave in August last year.
In one post made after a period of home leave in November, he wrote: “Pure depressing doing the drive back.”
One woman, who asked not to be named, said she was shocked at Melvin’s brazen use of social media.
He killed Robert Smith in an unproved attack in May 2006.
Melvin, who was 17 at the time of the attack, kicked and stamped on the head of the call centre worker, who was a complete stranger to his attacker.
The attack took place in Brook Street, Dundee, just a couple of miles from where Melvin posed for his selfie in July.
Mr Smith’s injuries were so bad that forensic experts originally thought he had been in a car accident.
The woman said: “Melvin goes on Facebook and has posted pictures of himself out of prison with the words ‘Dundee’ on them.
“He also uses Snapchat filters as he larks around and makes himself look like he has dog ears. Him and his sister have also enjoyed trips to Starbucks and nights out.
“His victim’s family would be outraged he’s back on the streets of Dundee.”
The woman also claimed Melvin had been using an illegal mobile phone to post updates from prison.
Figures released by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) in response to a freedom of information request revealed that 44 prisoners have reoffended while on home leave between 2012/13 and 2016/17.
During this time, 2,106 prisoners have spent time out of prison on home leave.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: “Many of these Castle Huntly prisoners will have committed the worst crimes possible, but have been given a morsel of freedom to help society judge whether they are reformed.
“This a generous gift and should only be offered when the SPS believes prisoners are not dangerous.
“We have seen its judgment is not always correct.”
A spokesman for the SPS said very few prisoners are granted home leave and that a critical incident review into the Robbie McIntosh case is under way.
He said: “The rules about people progressing to the open estate are stricter then they have ever been and there has been a reduction in the number of people in the open estates from about 500 in 2,000 down to about 200 now.
Regarding Melvin’s Facebook posts, the spokesman said restrictions on social media use can be part of a convict’s licence from home release and the SPS will investigate the Facebook page.