Death of Alan Marshall

Allan Marshall, a 30-year old father, died on 28th March 2015 after being restrained by up to 17 prison officers in HMP Edinburgh. During a mental health crisis, Allan was taken into the showers, an area that had no cameras. When he was pulled out he ‘became limp and stopped breathing’ after ‘dangerous restraint techniques and excessive force’ by prison officers.

Immediately following his death, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) issued a press release claiming Allan had been high on drugs and attacked staff, causing them injury. No drugs were found in his system, and CCTV showed Allan was calm and followed instructions of staff.

Within weeks of Allan’s death, every employee of SPS, including those involved in his restraint, was granted permanent immunity from criminal prosecution. Despite this, officers’ evidence was ‘mutually and consistently dishonest’. When confronted with CCTV footage, one officer admitted to stamping on Allan, contradicting an earlier statement.

The Sheriff presiding at the inquiry said the prisoners who testified appeared more honest than the prison officers. He concluded Allan’s death was entirely preventable.

Want to know more? justiceforallanmarshall.com

Allan’s family have been fighting for over a decade to get justice. For years, officials took no action. Those involved in Allan’s death have been promoted.

In 2022, a new Lord Advocate agreed to review Allan’s case. It concluded that officers should not have been given immunity and could not explain why police failed to secure the scene and protect key evidence. The Lord Advocate instructed police to investigate the SPS for possible corporate homicide.

With new lawyers, the family brought a human rights claim. In 2025, a decade after Allan died, they achieved an unprecedented result: the SPS admitted violating Allan’s right to life, and Police Scotland and The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service admitted failing to properly investigate his death. Corporate homicide charges have yet to be decided over three years after the investigation began.

“My aunt Sharon fought for more than a decade to get the SPS to admit what we already knew. Allan should never have died. Instead, the system fought her til the end. Her death cannot be in vain.”

Alistair Marshall, Allan Marshall’s brother (following Sharon MacFadyen’s sudden death in August 2026)