A pensioner jailed three years ago for raping a child in Fife has died behind bars.
William Tucker died in jail in Bishopbriggs last week, prison bosses have confirmed.
He was given a prison sentence at Glasgow High Court in 2019 after being convicted of raping and sexually abusing a child in Fife, as well as at addresses in Glasgow and Argyll.
His campaign of sexual abuse towards the girl lasted from April 2008 until April 2012.
A probe will now take place to examine the 77-year-old’s death.
A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: “William Tucker, 77, a prisoner at HMP Low Moss has died on 5 October 2022.
“He was convicted at Glasgow High Court in 2019.
“Police Scotland have been advised and the matter reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
“A Fatal Accident Inquiry will be held in due course.”
Police trial continues
A police officer who knocked a teenager off his bike was involved in the hunt dangerous stalker Kevin Spratley, who planned to use a “kill kit” to harm his ex-partner. PC Kayleigh Simpson is accused of driving dangerously in a patrol car while pursuing the then-15-year-old and colliding with him on a cycle path in Glenrothes. She denies the charge and her trial continues.
Covid blamed
The owner of a luxury house building company has been fined after admitting domestic abuse, blamed on the effects of the pandemic on his business.
Calum Stewart, director of Limekiln Developments Ltd, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner toward his wife at their home in Pitlochry.
Depute fiscal Andrew Harding told Perth Sheriff Court: “The complainer was at home.
“Stewart came home drunk.
“He turned on the complainer and there was a struggle.
“He pushed her on the body.
“In another instance the accused became angry after being told to stop drinking as he had work in the morning.”
Defence solicitor Linda Clark, appearing in mitigation for Stewart, said financial constraints brought on by the pandemic had affected the business, which contributed to her client’s behaviour.
Stewart, 55, of Dysart Brae, Pitlochry, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner between November 21 2021 and March 1 2022 at the same address.
Sheriff Rory Bannerman, fining Stewart £300 plus a £20 victim surcharge, said: “Because there were two incidents, I cannot admonish you.
“I will impose a financial penalty.
“I will not impose a non-harassment order because of the attitude of the complainer.”
St Andrews rapist
A former greenkeeper at a St Andrews golf course is behind bars after nearly a decade of rape and sexual abuse. Craig Slezas, 33, was remanded after being convicted of sexually assaulting four women, raping three, during an eight-year campaign of offending.
Drugs and perjury
An “appalling” twice-convicted drug dealer will complete unpaid work after telling “a pack of lies” at a his trial.
Sheriff James MacDonald sentenced Joshua Drysdale, 22, at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for possessing cannabis at Don Road in Dunfermline on May 12 2020 with the intention of supplying it.
Drysdale, of the city’s Calais View, was ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and placed under supervision for 18 months.
He must also complete a substance misuse conduct requirement.
The sheriff pointed out Drysdale was previously convicted of a similar offence involving a Class A drug and the second offence was “nothing short of appalling.”
He added at trial, Drysdale “perjured himself” giving evidence.
Sheriff MacDonald said: “In the present case, a significant quantity of drugs were involved.
“You told a pack of lies.
“This offence undoubtedly merits a custodial sentence.”
However, the sheriff noted that a short prison sentence would likely be less effective at ending Drysdale’s criminal behaviour than social work involvement in the community.
Book embezzlement
Stephen Hamilton, who stole thousands of pounds from the Fife branch of an international book recycling project while acting as procurement co-ordinator, claims he did so because of a gambling addiction and low pay. Hamilton embezzled £3,775 from the Dunfermline branch of Better World Books, a social enterprise that sells books online to raise money for local libraries and other literary programmes.
Child abuser’s prison drugs
A child abuser from the west of Scotland was caught in a Perthshire jail with illicit drugs.
Mark Frizzell appeared at Perth Sheriff Court to admit having heroin and gabapentin in HMP Castle Huntly on June 6 last year.
Class C drug gabapentin, known as “gabbies,” is a drug used to treat seizures and neuropathic pain but is banned from being used recreationally.
Social work reports were ordered ahead of sentencing on November 9.
Allegations Frizzell had intended to supply the drugs to others were removed from the charges.
The 50-year-old was jailed in 2018 after inflicting years of physical and mental abuse on two terrified young sisters and nearly killing one of them by strangling her in a fit of unprovoked rage.
Frizzell, of Port Glasgow’s Mid Auchinleck area, urinated on the child’s bed as she lay in it in a depraved bid to frame her for wetting the sheets before dishing out “punishment” by hitting her so hard she cried out in agony.
His campaign of abuse included forcing the youngsters to spit in their mother’s tea and taking his victims to drug dens, where they had to watch as he and friends smoked heroin.
