Covid bereaved relatives demand answers over pandemic deaths

The Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry began formal hearings on Tuesday.

Alan Inglis (right) reads a statement outside the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry (Lesley Martin/PA) (PA Wire)

A man whose asthmatic son died alone in his prison cell after testing positive for Covid-19 has said the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry must deliver accountability.

Speaking on the second anniversary of the death of his son Calum, 34, Alan Inglis said he was never seen by a nurse and died “without help, without dignity”.

Calum Inglis tested positive for Covid-19 on October 12, 2021, while serving a short sentence at the privately run HMP Addiewell in West Lothian and died on October 24 after his health deteriorated rapidly.

Mr Inglis gave a statement outside the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry as it got under way in Edinburgh on Tuesday, and called for answers over the “barbaric” way his son was treated.

He said: “On 12 October 2021 my son Calum tested positive for Covid-19 while serving a short term in Addiewell prison, West Lothian.

“Calum was unvaccinated and was asthmatic. Within the next 12 days Calum’s health would deteriorate rapidly. Throughout this entire period he was not seen by a nurse.

“He reported being breathless and coughing up significant amounts of blood. In the last four days of his life he repeatedly requested medical attention via his cell intercom, to be promised by the prison officers that someone would see him.

“On 24 October 2021, two years today, my son was found unresponsive in his cell. He died alone, without help, without dignity.

“The Scottish Covid Inquiry must find out which protocols the prison were following at this time, protocols that would allow such barbaric behaviour to take place, and to examine the staff work culture within that prison where staff must have known how ill my son was, yet did nothing.

“I am looking for accountability and looking to this inquiry to deliver it.”

HMP Addiewell is a private prison run by Sodexo Justice Services on behalf of the Scottish Prison Service.

This is a landmark day for Scottish Covid bereaved

Margaret Warterton

A spokesperson at HMP Addiewell said: “We understand that this continues to be a very difficult time for Mr Inglis’s family and our thoughts and condolences remain with them.

“It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage, but I can confirm that we are continuing to work with all relevant authorities in advance of any future fatal accident inquiry.”

A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: “Our thoughts continue to be with the family and loved ones of Mr Inglis.

“The Scottish Prison Service is fully committed to working with the Scottish Covid Inquiry and supporting its important work.”

Margaret Waterton, 67, who lost her mother Margaret Simpson, 86, and her husband David Waterton, 71, during the pandemic, said: “Covid has been absolutely devastating for me and my family and every man, woman and child in Scotland has felt the impact of Covid.

“This is a landmark day for Scottish Covid bereaved, for the people of Scotland.

“We are looking now for the inquiry to deliver for us truth, justice, accountability, so that the decision-makers can learn from our lived experience the impact that their decisions or lack of decision-making had upon us.”

The Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry will investigate the response by the Scottish Government to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The first phase of hearings will look at the health and social care impact of the pandemic while later phases will look at education and young people, business and financial and welfare support.