Group monitoring killer McIntosh apologises for impact on victims

The group tasked with monitoring Robbie McIntosh has apologised to Linda McDonald.

Elaine Torrance, independent chairman of the Tayside Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Strategic Oversight Group, said: “I have met with the victim.

“We’re obviously really sorry this incident happened and for the impact on her and her family and, indeed, on previous people who have been involved with this prisoner.

“It’s been a terrible time for them all and we have to acknowledge that.

“I would say that the Significant Case Review is actually about the process and looking for improvements. It’s not about apportioning blame.

“The independent report states that the prisoner was responsible for this attack and actually it couldn’t have been predicted.

“However, it does indicate there are some improvements that can be made in the process. One of them was the risk assessment process when people are on home leave, and also the minuting of meetings. That is a local issue and has already been addressed.”

In the lead up to the incident at Templeton Woods McIntosh had been on community work placements and temporary home releases.

Ms Torrance said this was part of a process to prepare him for eventual permanent release into the community. When his social work case was transferred from Dundee to Angus Council, this change was not recorded on ViSOR, the dangerous persons’ database, and neither was his home release.

Ms Torrance said: “The report does say the monitoring and support could have been more robust.

“In Tayside at the minute there are more than 300 people who are being managed by the MAPPA arrangements. This is one incident

– a very serious incident and nobody is minimising that – but I think the arrangements in general work well.”

The report does say the monitoring and support could have been more robust. ELAINE TORRANCE, MAPPA