Household plea to place mom’s killer in high-security facility

The household of a carer who was stabbed to demise say Scottish ministers have executed nothing to construct a high-security psychological well being facility for girls.

Michelle Rutherford's daughter Amy says it’s “unacceptable” that there’s nowhere in Scotland the place her mom's killer can be handled in a facility in Wales.

Mrs Rutherford, 54, was killed Grayhall backed at court docket to remain at Stirling in March 2023By resident Kellyanne McNaughton.

Amy, her sister Lindsay and their father William have raised considerations with the Scottish Authorities and stated they wish to guarantee McNaughton doesn’t hurt once more.

Amy instructed BBC Scotland Information: “We're not significantly nervous about that individual.

“However we wish them to get the assistance and help they want, which is able to make everybody else safer and never put anybody else in danger.”

The household will later meet Justice Secretary Angela Fixed and Social Safety Minister Mary Todd to hunt progress.

Ms Rutherford was a care supervisor on the supported lodging the place McNaughton, 33, lived.

McNaughton was initially charged with homicide, however in January this yr prosecutors accepted a lesser cost of culpable murder.

The sentencing was delayed a number of occasions due to issues discovering a secure hospital for her.

Mrs Rutherford's household attended a number of court docket hearings the place they realized that discussions about shifting McNaughton to 2 clinics and to Rampton Safe Hospital in England had failed.

Amy stated the court docket course of was traumatic.

He stated: “We're probably not a precedence, they don't care what the impression is on households and ignore that complete facet.

“We're not as pushed as we wish to be.”

In June, it was confirmed that McNaughton would obtain therapy at Priory Hospital Llanarth Court docket in Monmouthshire, Wales – thought of a medium danger facility.

However the household say McNaughton ought to solely be in a excessive safety facility, the best safe psychological well being care in Scotland.

It’s for sufferers who pose a “critical and instant hazard to others if massive”.

Nevertheless, ladies in Scotland should not have entry to this degree.

McNaughton stabbed Ms Rutherford a number of occasions throughout the assault in March final yr.

After McNaughton reported listening to voices, employees tried to get him psychiatric assist however was instructed he wanted to see a GP to get a brand new referral.

Michelle's husband William stated sending McNaughton to a medium-risk facility in Wales would “endanger employees”.

“They've categorized these folks for a cause,” he stated.

“To me, when you’ve got a high-risk individual, they go to a high-risk facility — that facility is able to cope with that individual.

“Why would you set a high-risk individual in a medium-risk facility, it's not ready for them, the employees just isn’t correctly educated.”

Carstairs, a public hospital in Scotland, takes solely male sufferers.

In recent times a small variety of ladies with particular psychological well being care wants in Scottish prisons have been referred to Rampton Excessive Safety Hospital in Nottinghamshire.

A evaluate in 2021 stated it was “unsafe” to ship ladies in want of high-security psychological well being care to the UK and Carstairs must be reopened to ladies inside 9 months. This didn’t occur.

Nevertheless, the Scottish Authorities has now stated it’s proposing to reopen Carstairs to ladies.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance stated: “We’re planning high-security preparations for girls on the state hospital and work is within the early levels.

“We’re working with well being boards to enhance entry to care for girls who want high-security psychological well being care and can proceed to do that as a long-term proposal is developed on the state hospital.

“My ideas are with Michael Rutherford's household and I sympathize with them for all they’ve been by way of.

The household stated the timing of the proposal was questionable and nonetheless “too late for them”.

They really feel their mom has been misplaced in a lot of the media protection of McNaughton.

Michael Rutherford has labored as a caretaker and upkeep supervisor for 20 years.

Ayer loved household walks on the seashore and holidays collectively in Florida, USA.

Amy stated her hope is that different households don't must undergo the identical trauma.

“I don't suppose we are going to get justice,” he added.

“We're making an attempt to push this difficult, so one thing good is coming, so my mother isn't gone for no cause.”