Legal aid bid over prisoner toilet fall injury
A family of a prisoner who fell off a toilet seat in his prison cell has been given leave to seek legal aid for compensation in the courts. The individual, John Richmond, 37, of Kilmarnock, died due to a heroin overdose in August 2009. Although, before his death in August 2009, he started legal action after falling from a toilet at the Castle Huntly Prison. At the time, Richmond, was serving two years for firearms offences. The son of Mr Richmond, Dylan, is now pursuing the claim for 100,000 in compensation for his fathers fall, which happened in March 2004. Mr Richmond had initially brought the case against the Scottish Prison Service for loss of potential earnings. The case has been presented at Perth Sherriff Court where the jury were told that Mr Richmonds son was the executor his estate and was trying to get the legal aid board to fight the claim. Dylan Richmond was given a month to pursue funding in order for the case to go forward. The claim being put forward states, He was using the grab bars at the time when, without warning, the grab bar gave way from the wall, causing him to fall and strike his back, neck and head. He was knocked unconscious and only regained consciousness in the ambulance on his way to Ninewells Hospital.