Whinging Dundee killer Andrew Innes complained during his trial he was not getting a good night’s sleep at HMP Perth.
The double murderer was remanded at the high security prison while he awaited trial.
The Courier can reveal the five-day trial was briefly paused on the second day, when defence advocate Brian McConnachie KC raised an issue of “fairness” outwith the jury.
Now we can reveal that Innes was on hunger strike at the jail.
He cannot eat solid food so all of his meals have to be liquidised.
It was confirmed he stopped eating after he was put on suicide watch.
Talk to me
Mr McConnachie said this meant guards had to check on his client every hour during the night, as part of an anti-suicide programme known as Talk To Me.
He said officers regularly visited his cell, switched on his light and spoke to him through the door hatch to check he was still alive.
Mr McConnachie said: “This takes the form of staff waking him every hour on the hour.
“They open the hatch on hatch door, turn on the light, speak to him and then turn the light off and then go away.
“He is unable to properly sleep. He is taken from Perth Prison at 7.30 am and brought here.
“He is concerned there is the possibility that he may fall asleep.”
He continued: “Mr Innes has objected to this policy but that has not been effective.
“His sister has also complained to the prison about what was happening.”
Concern over Innes appearance
The defence advocate was concerned about how his client may appear to the jury – particularly while watching 90 minutes of pre-recorded evidence from the young child he abducted and raped.
A half-hour video of her evidence played to the court the day before was described by Lord Becket as “the most harrowing thing I have seen in my career.”
Mr McConnachie said: “He is presenting this morning as extremely pale and tired.
“He has already been yawning and he may even fall asleep and that is something that may attract the attention of the jury.”
Mr McConnachie said jurors may have gained an “unfavourable” impression of Innes, “given that he is on trial for some of the most serious charges ever heard in this court.”
After a suggestion by Lord Beckett to find a solution, prosecutor Alex Prentice KC agreed to raise concerns with the prison governor.
When the jury returned, the judge told them: “It has been communicated to me that Mr Innes has not had a decent night’s sleep.
“He may show signs of being tired in the court as a result of this.
“It is no sign of disrespect towards anything.”
Self-castration attempt
The trial heard while on remand at Perth Prison, Innes tried to castrate himself using a set of cable ties.
But when he became squeamish at the thought of his testicles dropping off, he asked health staff to do it professionally.
They declined.
After being found guilty of rape and murder on Monday, the 52-year-old will now spend the rest of his life behind bars.
See here for full coverage of the Troon Avenue murder trial.
