Justice secretary says sorry to woman attacked by convicted killer

Scotland's justice secretary has apologised in person to a woman who was attacked by a convicted murderer while he was on home leave from prison.

Robbie McIntosh, 34, battered Linda McDonald with a dumbbell in Templeton Woods, Dundee, in August 2017.

McIntosh was previously jailed for life in 2002 for stabbing a dog walker to death when he was 15 years old.

Mrs McDonald met Humza Yousaf at Holyrood where the minister apologised for how the system had let her down.

McIntosh was convicted in 2018 of the attempted murder of Linda McDonald

Following the meeting, Mrs McDonald, 55, said: "That's all I ever wanted - for them to acknowledge that mistakes were made, so that no-one else could be hurt.

"He (Mr Yousaf) apologised wholeheartedly to me and my family for the failings.

"He has no idea the impact that has made on me.

"I don't blame the psychopath who attacked me that day. I won't waste my energy on him, he's mentally ill, there's no cure.

"I blame the Scottish prison service for giving him the opportunity to attack me by giving him home leave when all the signs were there."

Skull fractures

A significant case review last year concluded the decision to release McIntosh was "flawed".

Mrs McDonald said: "It was a mistake to let him out."

McIntosh was being prepared for possible release on parole at the time of the 2017 attack on Mrs McDonald.

He had been sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison in 2002 after being found guilty of murder.

McIntosh stabbed 34-year-old civil servant Anne Nicoll almost 30 times during the attack in Dundee in 2001.

Linda McDonald had been walking her dog in Tempeton Woods in August 2017 when she was attacked by McIntosh.

He fled after being disturbed by two dog walkers who heard Mrs McDonald screaming. She sustained multiple injuries including two skull fractures.

A multi-agency report said McIntosh had not shown any "violent behaviours or attitudes" that would have suggested an attack was imminent or could have been predicted.

However, it said there were flaws within the balance of information shared to assess risk, particularly from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to Scottish Ministers when seeking approval for home leave.

'Despicable act'

A Scottish Prison Service (SPS) spokeswoman said the assault on Mrs McDonald was "a despicable act of cruelty and violence which we condemn".

She added: "The Scottish Prison Service deeply regrets that someone who was on licence from our care subjected Mrs McDonald to such a painful and traumatic experience.

"The SPS accepted all of the recommendations within the significant case review that relate to the SPS without reservation. "