Scots mum who died after ex-partner set her on fire 'should have been warned by cops'
05.04.2024 - 13:37
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
The tragic death of a businesswoman who was set alight by her ex-partner could have been avoided if police had warned her of the danger he posed, a sheriff has ruled.
Kevin Marks, 52, stood over Ann Drummond, 47, and laughed as she rolled around the ground in a bid to extinguish the flames engulfing her body. He started the lethal blaze in her car at a road near Bathgate, West Lothian, in June 2019.
Medics found more than 80 per cent of Drummond's body was injured by burns caused by the fire. She later died at Glasgow's Royal Infirmary hospital after doctors concluded her injuries were so severe that she couldn't survive.
Drummond had picked up Marks from court after he was released on bail for other offences when he committed the lethal attack.
Marks was charged with murder but prosecutors later accepted a not guilty plea on the basis his mental health was so poor that he was not responsible for his actions.
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A fatal accident inquiry at Livingston Sheriff Court has found her death could have been avoided if Police Scotland had shared information they had on Marks with the NHS amid concerns for his mental health.
The court heard Marks, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia after the attack, had previously made a threat against Drummond and had a history of domestic offending.
Sheriff Peter Hammond said there should have been a 'thorough and effective' risk assessment carried out on Marks and Drummond warned of the potential danger he posed towards her.
The sheriff added the 'inadequate' sharing of information by police and the failure to carry out the risk assessment were defects in the system of working.
But