A Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of a man at HMP Bowhouse in Kilmarnock has begun.
Brendan Reilly, 34, was found dead in his prison cell on the morning of June 11, 2021.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service have filed a First Notice to Begin the Court Process for a Fatal Accident Inquiry into his death. Reilly was imprisoned after stabbing a man to death just hours after being released from the Polmont Young Offenders Institute in 2005.
He has been serving a minimum 15-year term for stabbing 20-year-old David Wilson three times during a horrific incident in Port Glasgow.
The Preliminary Hearing will be held on May 15.
Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who supervises COPFS deaths investigations, stated: “The death of Brendan Reilly occurred while in lawful custody, hence a Fatal Accident Inquiry is required.
The filing of the First Notice allows FAI procedures to begin at the order of the Sheriff.”
The purpose of a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) is to determine the cause of death, the circumstances surrounding the deaths, and what, if any, reasonable precautions could have been taken and could be implemented in the future to reduce the risk of future deaths in similar situations.
FAIs, unlike criminal processes, are inquisitorial in character and serve to establish facts rather than assign blame.
This inquiry will look into the circumstances surrounding Reilly’s death, with a particular emphasis on SPS guidance about morning checks and how management ensures compliance with the guidance. The inquiry is also likely to look into the issue of drug supply within the prison, as well as regulations and procedures in place to limit it, both then and now.
