Prisoner held at hospital indefinitely after attack

Court: Makeshift weapons used included a sharpened toilet brush handle

A violent inmate once dubbed Scotland’s most dangerous prisoner has been detained at the State Hospital in Carstairs indefinitely for a brutal attack.

Ewan MacDonald attacked prisoner officers and other inmates at HMP Grampian in Peterhead just days after arriving.

The 26-year-old made makeshift weapons, including a sharpened toilet brush handle and a radio aerial, for the attack which left one guard with 15 years of service so traumatised he quit.

Yesterday, judge Lady Stacey heard that MacDonald poses a high risk of danger to the public.

She ordered him to be detained at the State Hospital under a compulsion and restriction order. He will only be freed when he is no longer deemed a risk.

Psychiatrist Dr Gordon Skilling, from the hospital, told prosecutor Lisa Gillespie that MacDonald has a dissocial personality disorder.

Dr Skilling said: “He has perpetrated a series of violent crimes involving carrying and using weapons, including improvised weapons.

“He will have little regard or remorse for his actions.”

The High Court in Glasgow heard MacDonald suffers from persecutional delusions and does not accept he has a mental illness.

Dr Skilling added: “He exhibits violent behaviour.

“There was a recent violent incident within the State Hospital and he would exhibit violence to the public at large.”

MacDonald, who was handcuffed in the dock, was flanked by six security guards and a nurse from the State Hospital. Six police officers were also in court.

MacDonald, who faced 13 charges including attempted murder, was deemed unfit to stand trial and an examination of facts hearing was held.

The attacks were said to have occurred at Shotts, Grampian, Low Moss and Perth jails between

July

2018.

Lady Stacey ruled that MacDonald carried out 11 of the charges.

He was acquitted of trying to kill one prison officer and seriously assaulting another at Perth jail.

During the examination of facts hearing last year, Robbie Christie, a guard at HMP Grampian in August 2017, said MacDonald had only been there a few days when he launched an attack on prison officers.

Mr Christie said MacDonald slashed 2017 and March and stabbed him and two colleagues with a sharpened toilet brush.

Mr Christie said: “Every time I was hit, it was puncturing my body.

“The incident was a big blur. The blood was in my eyes.

“I have never been back to the prison since. I have been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.

“At the time, I had been an officer for 15 years.”

Another prison officer at Shotts needed “hundreds” of stitches after being attacked.

Fergus Ewing