'Fear and distress' at retirement home after fake letters

The letters were received at John Butterly House in Dennistoun

Residents in a Glasgow retirement home have been sent fake letters claiming that sex offenders would be allowed to use the facility.

Reidvale Housing Association said the letters to people at John Butterly House in Dennistoun were malicious and had provoked fear and distress.

The false messages - delivered to every resident in the complex - said the public would be allowed to "mix and mingle" with those living at the home.

It then said this would include recovering alcoholics, drug users and "perhaps even some of the sex offenders currently living in the G31 postal area".

Staff for RHA said residents had been told the letters were untrue. The letters follow vandalism at another RHA property in August.

Julie Smillie, the interim director of the RHA, confirmed that all residents in the complex had been sent the letters on Saturday.

She said: "The contents of this letter were designed to cause fear, alarm, and distress to our residents.

"To design and deliver a letter such as this to our elderly and vulnerable residents is reprehensible, and we apologise to all concerned for their understandable fear and distress."

A meeting was held with all residents on Monday explaining the situation.

Posts on social media from relatives of people at the home said family members had been left very upset by the letters.

DEI policy claims

The letter claimed DEI (Diversity, Equality and Inclusion) policies were why the home was to become open to the public.

It said this would allow non residents to come and use the lounge, kitchen and laundry room throughout the winter, before saying this would include people from "a wide range of ethnicities and religions", who could behave in ways we "may not approve of, or even understand".

The letter then stated vulnerable people would be encouraged to use the complex, listing the likes of sex offenders among that number.

It finished by again mentioning DEI policy - a topic that has been embroiled in culture wars in both the USA and the UK - by saying if it was "good enough" for the Labour government at Westminster and the SNP Holyrood administration, then it should be accepted at John Butterly House.

Last year shareholders voted to keep the RHA under community ownership rather than have it amalgamate with national property management firm Places for People.

However in recent months the association has had to involve Police Scotland, following a controversial decision to make East End charity the Halliday Foundation the new leaseholder of the area's Reidvale Neighbourhood Centre.

The charity said at the time it would make a centre a welcoming space for all and expand well-being and food services in the area.

Since then the centre has been heavily damaged by vandals, while the association warned it had contacted police following what it called online activity about the decision.