The sister of a slain Aberdeen dad has said an investigation into the release of his killer must provide answers that can “protect other families” from violent and mentally ill criminals being released onto the streets.
Sandra Geddes, 65, called for the inquiry to deliver some clarity for her and her brother’s family, as the Crown Office confirmed it will now look into Stuart Quinn’s offending history as part of its probe.
Alan Geddes was stabbed 40 times by homeless Quinn after he gave him a place to stay in December 2019.
Quinn had been released from HMP Grampian in Peterhead and travelled to Aberdeen to find his temporary accommodation closed.
Ms Geddes said she believes her brother would “still be alive today” if the ex-con’s previous convictions and psychopathic behaviour had been properly assessed – as he may never have then been released.
The Crown Office said these aspects will now form part of its investigation.
Mr Geddes, who was described as a “devoted dad”, allowed Quinn to stay the night in his flat in the city’s Ruthrieston Crescent.
The 35-year-old thug was sentenced to minimum of 18 years for the killing at Glasgow’s High Court last month.
Ms Geddes said she believes “something went very wrong”, not only in relation to Quinn’s release, but equally in how the nature of his previous convictions and paranoid hallucinations were handled by authorities.
She also wants answers for Mr Geddes’s eight-year old son, Lucas.
“My first thoughts when I heard about Alan’s death were for his son, Lucas – he adored his dad”, Ms Geddes said.
“Alan went out that night telling Lucas he’d see him in the morning, and for his mum Lisa to have to tell him his dad isn’t coming back must’ve been absolutely horrendous for a mother to have to tell a little boy.
“I don’t want this to define his life and I hope, with me trying to get the answers here, it might help a little bit when he gets older – I can actually explain what happened and why it happened.”
Quinn, a former offshore worker, had a catalogue of convictions for violent offending before he murdered 56-year old Mr Geddes, including holding one girl hostage for over two hours.
A month later, he attacked another neighbour with a screwdriver.
Ms Geddes also believes Quinn was let down by the justice system, which ultimately led to the death of her brother.
She said: “I’m not an expert, but with all the issues Stuart Quinn has had up to the murder of my brother, that would have rung alarm bells to me that this guy has got serious, serious problems – and I often wonder if he was crying out for help and didn’t get it.
“I need to find out where this went wrong and even try to make it a law that prisoners with serious mental health problems can’t be released without somewhere to go, that they don’t just go from being in jail to on the street.
“I don’t think that’s where we want to go as a society because more people will die because the system failed.
“I believe if the system had done its job, my brother would still be alive today.
“But if it hadn’t been my brother, it would have been someone else, because it was inevitable he was going to kill someone.
“I don’t want another family to have to live with the heartbreak that we’ve had.”
Earlier this month, Ms Geddes met with justice minister Humza Yousaf to voice her concerns and call for an investigation into the circumstances around her brother’s death.
It is now being probed by the Crown Office Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit.
Ms Geddes said she is “apprehensive” about the outcome of the investigation, but added that she got a “good response” from Mr Yousaf.
She added: “The investigation is focussing on his release but I also want to know why Quinn wasn’t picked up prior to that – that’s a huge part of it.
“If he’d been assessed properly back in 2018 they surely would have seen he was psychotic? I think there are a lot of things that need to be looked at.
“Was he on medication? Was the prison low on staff? Was it a mistake? I don’t know.
“And that’s why the investigation has to look into these things because these things can’t continue to happen.”
A spokeswoman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: “The investigation into circumstances surrounding the death of Alan Geddes, under the direction of the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU), is ongoing and the family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman added: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with Mr Geddes’ family and the Justice Secretary was grateful for the opportunity to meet with Sandra Geddes and listen to her concerns about this case.
“It would not be appropriate to comment further at the present time.”
Good Samaritan was replayed with “brutal violence”
Alan Geddes offered to help homeless man Stuart Quinn when his accommodation fell through and had his kindness repaid by brutal violence in December 2019.
Stuart Quinn, 35, knifed Alan Geddes 40 times at the victim’s city home before boasting to police about the horrific murder.
Quinn – who had only been released from jail the day before the killing – pled guilty to a murder charge at the High Court in Glasgow in February and was jailed for a minimum of 18 years.
The court heard of Quinn’s movements in the hours leading up to his fateful meeting with Mr Geddes, 56.
He was said to be “upset and crying” on being released from jail in Peterhead as he had been due to receive help for personal issues.
He travelled south to a homeless unit in Aberdeen only to find it was shut.
After going to a pub, he ended up in the Private Eyes lap dancing club in the city.
The court heard Mr Geddes was also there with a friend. He ended up chatting with Quinn before the pair left together.
Mr Geddes initially offered to pay for Quinn to stay at the Copthorne Hotel in Aberdeen for the night, but it was full.
Mr Geddes – who was previously a model based in Europe before working offshore – then allowed Quinn into his flat in the city’s Ruthrieston Crescent.
Quinn’s neighbours told the Press and Journal that police had failed to take warning signs about him seriously enough.
They believe it had been “inevitable” for years that he was going to harm somebody, having seen his violent and paranoid behaviour in close quarters.
Quinn’s former neighbours, who lived alongside him in a block of flats on Mackie Place, Westhill, said more could have been done to potentially prevent the tragedy.
Another man recounted an incident in April 2018 where he was “nearly stabbed” with a screwdriver then punched in the face.