29-year-old Roderick McCuaig had to be taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, and had to undergo major brain surgery but doctors failed to save his life and he died the next day. This was hours after being in police custody.
Roderick was lifted by Edinburgh police and taken to Gayfield Square police station some time during Tuesday 2 August. Later that evening the police phoned his family and told them that he was at Gayfield Square police station and that someone should come and fetch him. A most unusual practice, don’t you think?
His father drove to the police station. He said ‘They opened the cell up. He was lying on the floor. He had wet himself. One of his shoes was off. We lifted him up and took him to the car. He couldn’t move. He was unconscious.’ Edinburgh police cannot get away with this. Why did they not phone for an ambulance? And how did Roderick get into such a condition while in police custody? Mr McCuaig drove home with his son lying across the back seat. When he got home he called an ambulance. Doctors at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary carried out brain surgery in a long middle-of-the-night operation in a bid to save his life. But their efforts were in vain. Roderick died later that day after spending all day unconscious on a life support machine.
Mrs Cuaig is planning to lodge an official complaint against the police. Roderick’s aunt said ‘there is something very wrong and I don’t know what it is’.
On Sunday 19 June Mr Anthony Anika, a 38-year-old black man, was arrested by Edinburgh police. Later that night Mr Anika had to be taken to Western General Hospital from Charlotte Street police station, unconscious with internal injuries including damage to his kidneys and pancreas. He also suffered a heart attack.
Fred Stevens
FRFI 32 September 1983
