John McHugh, Scotland's longest-serving prisoner, remains behind bars 51 years after murdering a head waiter in Prestwick. He was given a life sentence at the High Court in Ayr in May 1975 and told police after his arrest: "I am perversed with evil. I just murdered him to murder him."
Murder and escape
McHugh had spent time in a mental hospital after a drugs binge before he went on to kill John Stewart, the head waiter of the Towans Hotel. He was transferred from Shotts prison to Hartwood mental hospital in 1989 for a psychiatric assessment but escaped from the secure wing just two months later by climbing through a window and walking away.
A huge manhunt was launched in his former hometown, East Kilbride, and the public were warned not to approach him. He was recaptured within 24 hours, and his escape sparked demands for a full inquiry into why he was not being detained in the State Hospital at Carstairs.
Letters and allegations
McHugh broke 45 years of silence in 2020 when he sent a series of letters to speak out over claims that prison officers dished out beatings to fellow inmates. This followed a legal case by killer Hugh Collins, seeking damages from the Scottish Prison Service for beatings that he said amounted to torture and which he believes have brought on dementia.
McHugh's letter, from Addiewell Prison, says he had been in jail with Collins "a long time ago". His letter says: "I did see and hear so much of what some officers did to Hugh then and no one could do anything at that time. Hugh Collins was held down in the spiral dungeon."
He wrote: "This was a place under the bottom flat of C Hall, Perth Prison, November '77. I was in the bottom flat then in a cell right above the spiral dungeon, and when all the inmates were locked up that's when the Mighty Mob went down to beat and torment Hugh. I do feel somewhat responsible to speak up about this."
Methadone row and assault
The same year he penned the letters, McHugh sparked a political row after revealing he is still being given methadone after 45 years in prison. He made the claims when appearing at Perth Sheriff Court for attacking a prison officer at Castle Huntly jail.
The killer was found guilty of headbutting and injuring a prison officer and pulling down his trousers to expose himself to a female warder. He also damaged property by defecating into his hand and smearing faeces on his cell door and had a year added to his sentence.
