Murdered officer George Taylor to receive national bravery award he was killed in 1976 by Peterhead prisoner Robert Mone and Thomas McCulloch From AberdeenLive
E-mail titled “Robert Mone Dundee school siege and Carstairs escape - Saorsa
Gu Siorraidh” sent to Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland at Scot Court
Tribunals via MHTSTeam2@scotcourtstribunals.gov.uk on Sat 02 Oct /2021
18pm 18 mins
Dear Sir / Madam,
Robert Mone Dundee school siege and Carstairs escape - Saorsa Gu Siorraidh
A Mental Health Tribunal was held on 24 September 2021 for James Alexander
Cruickshank with Legal Convener Dr Marian L B G Gilmore QC, Dr James Deans
and Ms Suzanne Mccrea. I wish to say I think it is great the Legal Convener is of
Lesbian Bisexual and Gay persuasion. This is good news for equal rights for those
from marginalised communities.
I have advised my psychiatrist to watch the programme mentioned below, which was
aired on BBC Alba on 1 October 2021 and is available for 29 days on the BBC
iPlayer. I have summarised the key points, but it is worth watching. I have also
added commentary surrounding my own school years.
When I was in Primary 7, I bonded with my teacher – Paul H Wilson who played
Wishy Washy in Aladdin – who gave me into trouble for being bullied when I was in
Primary 6 and made me stand up and sit down in quick succession – I was in tears
at the time. Paul H Wilson spoke to my class before I went to secondary school and
said some people can stand out like a sore thumb. He was preparing me for life. My
Mum thinks fondly of everyone and tells me to be nice. So, I can be too trusting –
NHS staff can take advantage of those deemed vulnerable.
I have been fighting back over the last year – using digital information and electronic
communications is safer than guns.
Watch the TV programme mentioned below – video is more true to life, but BBC
programmes often involve actors. It takes guts to film on the frontline.
Regards
James Cruickshank
From: James Cruickshank <itisjames@live.co.uk>
Sent: 02 October 2021 18:04
To: john.callender@nhs.scot
Subject: Robert Mone Dundee school siege and Carstairs escape - Saorsa Gu Siorraidh
Dear Dr Callender,
You need to watch this BBC Alba programme available on the iPlayer
now for the next 29 days. Mum watched it last night 1 Oct 2021.
Robert Mone Dundee school siege and Carstairs escape - Saorsa Gu
Siorraidh - contains some upsetting scenes 24 Feb 2010 first broadcast
available for 29 days on 2 October 2021. BBC Alba programme in
Gaelic and English with English subtitles. BBC Alba on the iPlayer -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qyv9s/robert-mone-saorsa-gusiorraidh
Robert Mone, The life and crimes of Dundee murderer Robert Mone who
remains active in his bid for parole.
Robert Mone was solider - he never said sorry. He murdered a girl and
received 8 years of treatment at Carstairs. He planned a muderous
escape. Mone knew what he would do would have tragic
consequences.
Mone could not control his own destiny, so he should never have been
let loose on the community.
1 November 1967, Robert Mone walked into his former school in
Dundee. Aged 19 he was carrying a gun. Mone was imprisoned for life,
but his criminal actions continued. Mone is still in prison but is eligible
for parole. Mone has been allowed out on excursions and is being
prepared for release visiting a museum in Glasgow on day release from
prison.
Robert Francis Mone born in 1948 in Dundee
Ordinary child.
Mother left - taking other children with her.
Robert Mone was left with his father.
Father had bad reputation in the community - aggressive and extremely
unpopular.
Robert Mone was bright - bullied by his father who was dysfunctional
heavy drinker. Scots government website says Scotland has prolific
problem with alcohol and drugs.
Robert Mone sexually abused by neighbour aged 12
Robert Mone recounted assault by secondary school teacher
Mone attended St John’s Catholic School in the Hilltown area of Dundee
taught by Marist brothers
Robert Mone alleges he was sexually assaulted by one of the Marist
brothers at his school.
Robert Mone angry child in primary and secondary school.
Women says Robert Mone alleges rape by young boy.
Mone trusted his father who abused him - Mone got the better of his
father. Robert Mone found his father pathetic - he pitied him.
Robert Mone was vulnerable - ended up in a remedial class in school -
he resented being placed in that class.
Robert Mone expelled aged 15 from school, socially inept, and outsider -
Robert Mone viewed himself as an absolute failure.
Robert Mone like “Live grenade in the classroom".
Robert Mone joined the army aged 16 - left home, moved to London.
Joined Gordon Highlanders - posted to Germany, faced court
martial. He was persuaded to give evidence against two senior officers,
accussed of grassing by other soldiers.
Being prepared for demoted role within the army.
Robert Mone posted back to Yorkshire, England - he drank heavily and
suffered from mental health issues and depression.
Robert Mone returned to Dundee, where his Dad maintained an
unstable, often violent lifestyle.
Robert Mone attempted suicide on at least one occasion - aged 19,
deeply troubled. He had no-one to talk to, so army not the best choice
of career.
Robert Mone diagnosed with depression - bought a gun in London. He
got drunk every day - intended returning to the army. His Granny
stopped him. He said if he had killed his father and himself, seven
people would still be alive.
Robert Mone had been looking at the school seeing everyone getting on
in life - he felt he was abandaned.
Robert Mone was indiscriminate - burst into a classroom where a
needlework lesson was taking place with a rifle.
Young teacher and 11 third-year pupils taken hostage - two hours of
terror followed. Robert Mone had enough ammunition or bullets - he laid
them on the teacher’s table.
Police reluctant to storm classroom while young girls hostage. The
ethos of Police Scotland is to protect life at all costs.
All Saints Day this took place on - teacher was Nanette Hanson aged
26. Robert Mone started speaking to her. Nanette had moved from
Yorkshire.
Robert Mone attacked and raped one of the young girls - attempted to
rape another one.
Nanette teacher attempted to liaise between Robert Mone and the
police. The teacher told police Robert Mone wanted to bargain.
Around 17mins, 39 secs into video, Mum tells me he is a horrible man -
he murdered four people. Since I have started watching it, Mum starts
revealing what she took in. When I was in Primary 7, the learning group
at school I was placed in - the bottom group was too basic. I could
easily do the tasks in that group, so I was moved to the middle group,
but was not good enough to keep up with my peers, so I was in a group
on my own. I liked being the centre of the teacher’s attention - I got
bespoke attention, which brought me on, nurtured my ability and
talent. However I am unemployed and classed as not fit for work by the
UK Government. My sister had to appeal to the General Teaching
Council for Scotland to become a fully qualified teacher in the 2002-2003
academic session since a Catholic teacher in Dundee was too
harsh. The General Teaching Council for Scotland overturned the
Catholic teacher’s judgement and my sister is a teacher at Woodside
primary school in Aberdeen in 2021 and has been since 2005 when she
moved from Dundee to Aberdeen.
Robert Mone had a relationship with a girl Marion - he had few
relationships.
Robert Mone fired 8 bullets in two hours - police found him singing and
dancing with the gun at his feet. He did not resist when handcuffed.
Robert Mone killed the pregnant teacher - murdered in cold blood and
showed no signs of remorse for what he had done.
23 January 1968, Robert Mone appeared at the High Court in Dundee
for a hearing of 18 minutes. Doctors diagnosed schizophrenia,
according to reports. The judge said Robert Mone should be committed
to the State Hospital at Carstairs indefinitely with no release date for the
rest of his life.
Robert Mone smiled and responed “Well done”. Declared insane and
unfit to stand trial. The court case could not continue. Declared unfit to
plead (known as plea in bar of trial in legal jargon).
Robert Mone knew the weaknesses of the prison system to exploit it and
take advantage - he complained about his incarceration.
Carstairs housed Scotland’s most dangerous criminals and was based in
remote location, effectively a prison run by psychiatrists and
occupational therapists. A lot of medication would have been used at
that time. Robert Mone studied law - locked up for 23-24 hours a day
with plenty of time to read. He advanced his education with London
University enrolling on a course. Robert Mone came very close to
getting an Open University law degree - very intelligent man. He
realised he had better chance of being realeased if in prison than
Carstairs. Two years after committed, another man named Thomas
McCulloch entered the hospital. He was diagnosed a psychopath
following a murder and attempted murder. McCulloch, a former painter
and decarator, opened a new brutal chapter in Robert Mone’s life.
33 minutes into video - Robert Mone and Thomas McCulloch took a
craftwork class with a plan to break out of the hospital learning to make
knives and rope ladders. Thomas McCulloch was the ringleader.
Robert Mone was up for parole and due to be moved to prison - no-one
can understand why he broke out of Carstairs.
Robert Mone and Thomas McCulloch made ID cards in prison with false
identities - they undertook extensive preparation and no-one
noticed. They planned to the last detail what they were going to do.
No digital communications, CCTV and mobile phones when Robert
Mone and Thomas McCulloch broke out of Carstairs.
Robert Mone threw paint stripper in his eyes, Thomas McCulloch
attacked a man with an axe.
Robert Mone and Thomas McCulloch beat them, used an
axe. McCulloch hit a nurse in the head - there was blood
everywhere. One man was scalped and the scalp placed on a chair
beside the bodies.
Leaving two bodies behind, Robert Mone and Thomas McCulloch fled
Carstairs with £25 and a torch. Wearing stolen clothes, they scaled the
hospital’s perimeter fence.
Nurses at the time wore long overalls and a peaked cap. Robert Mone
and Thomas McCulloch stole some when they escaped. They killed a
police man and wounded another one when they stopped them to see
what was going on. Robert Mone and Thomas McCulloch crashed the
police car, then flagged down a van. The two men driving the van were
attacked and almost killed. Robert Mone and Thomas McCulloch stole
the van, terrified a farmer and his wife.
Police chase occurred reaching speeds of 100Mph to apprehend two
killers.
Daily Record published “Mad Axemen Kill Three - horror after Carstairs
escape” - Dec 1 1976.
Robert Mone admitted killing the policeman and Thomas McCulloch
admitted to killing the patient and the nursing officer.
Robert Mone is highly literate, killing a policeman made him a hero to
other prisoners in jail.
Thomas McCulloch was released from HMP Castle Huntly in 2013 after
43 years in custody. Robert Mone continues to serve life in
imprisonment.
BBC Alba - spoken in English and Gaelic with English subtitles
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qyv9s/robert-mone-saorsa-gusiorraidh
Regards
James Cruickshank