The wife of a murderer who led the 1984 Peterhead prison riot claims he was treated ‘barbarically’ as he died from cancer.
John Gallagher died in Raigmore Hospital on February 2 – before his lawyer’s application for him to be freed on compassionate grounds could be heard.
His wife Sylvia, 62, maintains the 72-year-old should have been released from HMP Inverness earlier, instead of spending his final days under constant guard by staff from prison escort firm GeoAmey.
Mr Gallagher was originally jailed for 20 years in 1979 for the murder of Thomas Woods at a butchershop in Glasgow.
He gained infamy after leading fellow Peterhead prisoners in a rooftop revolt back in 1984.
Mr Gallagher had been recalled to HMP Inverness on drug charges just one week after his cancer diagnosis in November 2023.
He had around two years left to live.
His wife Sylvia likened his situation to Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Al Megrahi, who was released eight-and-a-half years into his life sentence after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Syliva told the Daily Record: “The way my husband was treated in his dying days was just barbaric.
“The two guards were there 24/7 and they were there when he died.”
John Gallagher ‘was prisoner right to the last’
Gallagher’s lawyer Graham Mann added: “We wrote to the Scottish ministers and asked for his immediate release but it didn’t happen.
“There was never any relaxation in the hospital and he was a prisoner right to the last.
“It was handled insensitively and inappropriately in what was clearly his dying days.”
Mr Gallagher’s death is due to be examined in a Fatal Accident Inquiry, which is standard procedure for deaths in custody.
An Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: “Every death, whether in prison custody or our communities, is a tragedy, and our thoughts remain with Mr Gallagher’s family.
“While it would not be appropriate to comment on an individual ahead of any Fatal Accident Inquiry, any application will be carefully considered to determine if there are compassionate grounds justifying release.”
GeoAmey, who were responsible for Mr Gallagher’s transfer, said: “GEOAmey is not involved in decisions relating to the release or sentencing of people in our care.
“All people escorted from prison establishments to hospital remain subject to the terms of their custodial sentence therefore must remain under constant supervision.”
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