A Dundee paedophile refused medical treatment hours before his death in prison.
Rapist Gordon Fraser died less than a year into his seven-year sentence for historical sex attacks on two children.
The 79-year-old had targeted a schoolboy and his stepsister in the late 70s and early 80s.
During sentencing in October 2021, he was told by judge Lord Weir his crimes amounted to a “gross breach of trust”.
Fraser, who had a range of health problems and needed a mobility scooter to get around, was found dead in his cell at HMP Addiewell, West Lothian, on June 5 the following year.
A sheriff has now ruled that Fraser, who had cerebral palsy, died of natural causes and received a “high level of care and treatment” during his time behind bars.
Confined to his cell for ‘protection’
A fatal accident inquiry determined that his death was caused by complications from a broken blood clot linked to deep vein thrombosis and diseases in his heart and lungs.
It emerged that Fraser had been secured inside his cell “for his own protection” throughout his jail term, as there were no suitable disabled cells in the prison’s protection wing.
He was assigned carers who assisted him on a daily basis with tasks like dressing and eating.
Fraser was taken to St John’s Hospital, Livingston, on the morning of June 3 2022.
Sheriff Valerie Mays, who led the inquiry, noted the prisoner had presented with breathing difficulties.
“Mr Fraser declined admission to hospital,” she wrote.
“It was reiterated to him by a medical practitioner that he had aspiration pneumonia and that by self-discharging, he was likely to get more unwell and there was a possibility of death.
“With that knowledge, Mr Fraser chose to refuse medical treatment in hospital and to self-discharge and return to HMP Addiewell.
“He had the capacity to make that decision.”
The sheriff noted that Fraser received support from the prison chaplaincy team.
“In his last hours he looked peaceful and was observed to be breathing,” Sheriff Mays said.
He died in his cell just before 3pm.
Crimes dated back to 1978
Following the publication of the FAI results, Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks who leads on fatality investigations for the Crown Office said: “We note the sheriff’s determination.
“The Procurator Fiscal ensured that the full facts and circumstances of Mr Fraser’s death were provided at the mandatory Fatal Accident Inquiry.”
By denying his crimes Fraser, originally of Turnberry Avenue, Dundee, forced both his victims – now adults – to give evidence at his trial.
The court heard how he lowered the boy’s trousers and underwear, touching his private parts and forcing him to commit sex acts between January 1978 and January 1980 when the youngster was aged between 10 and 12.
He also committed two historical sexual offences against the girl when she was between five and 12-years-old.
Fraser was convicted of causing her to look at pornographic material, taking photographs of her or pretending to do so and performing sex acts on her, including spreading chocolate on her chest and licking it off.
He was also found guilty of raping the girl at an address in Dundee.
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