An investigation has been launched into the death of a prisoner who was serving a six-year jail term for stabbing a 63-year-old with a kitchen knife at an ATM.
Mark Stephen of Fraserburgh died on Friday in HMP Perth.
The 37-year-old was sentenced at the end of January in the High Court in Glasgow where judge Lady Stacey called his crime “disgraceful”.
He is believed to have died not long after being moved from HMP Grampian, where he started his sentence..
The family confirmed last night that they did not know the full circumstances of Mr Stephen’s death.
His sister Julie Rennie said: “We don’t know what has happened. We’re going to identify the body tomorrow morning.”
Police confirmed an inmate had died in custody at HMP Perth and that it would be investigated.
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“At the moment we are treating it as an unexplained death,” a spokesman said.
The Scottish Prison Service said it could not comment on the circumstances and confirmed a fatal accident inquiry would be held.
The court heard Mr Stephen was desperate for cash – having lost his job following a serious bike accident – when he targeted Grahame Murray at the cash point at Saltoun Square, Fraserburgh on September 30 last year.
He put 63-year-old Mr Murray in a choke hold and demanded that he “give me the money” before stabbing him in a “frenzied manner” with a kitchen knife.
Stephen ran, dumping the knife and his blood-soaked hoodie, after Mr Murray began shouting for help alerting people in a nearby pub.
Advocate depute Eric Robertson said a hooded Stephen mumbled “give me the money” before getting his victim in a “choke hold”.
Mr Murray was rushed to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s high dependency unit, suffering from a number of wounds and a partially collapsed lung.
The court heard doctors hope he will recover fully but at the time he remained at risk of a further collapsed lung or infection.
Mr Stephen, a former fish processor admitted attempting to murder and rob Mr Murray.