Murderer on home release who tried to kill woman will stay in jail

Robbie McIntosh was denied parole again

A convicted murderer who tried to kill a woman while he was on home release will not be released from jail following a parole hearing.

Robbie McIntosh attacked Linda McDonald in 2017 while he was on home leave from jail where he was already serving a sentence for the murder of Anne Nicoll.

It is understood no application for release was made on McIntosh's behalf and the case will be reviewed in two years.

McIntosh was sentenced to a minimum of five years for the attack on Ms McDonald and was also given an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR), which means he may never be released from prison.

Linda McDonald was attacked by Robbie McIntosh with a dumb-bell

Ms McDonald was walking her dog in Dundee's Templeton Woods when McIntosh ran towards her and started battering her with a dumb-bell.

McIntosh only stopped bludgeoning Ms McDonald when two passers-by came to her aid.

At the time of the attack in August 2017, he was serving life for stabbing Anne Nicoll to death on Dundee Law 16 years earlier.

He was being considered for parole in that case and had been allowed home leave in preparation.

Ms McDonald previously told BBC Scotland News that she forgave McIntosh and that her anger was reserved for the checks she believes failed to keep her safe from him.

McIntosh was first eligible to apply for parole in 2022, following his five-year term for the attempted murder of Ms McDonald.

No application for release was made on that occasion.

Parole reviews are automatically held at certain intervals, although prisoners can opt out of them.

The Parole Board for Scotland said it did not comment on individual cases.