TO READ the contents of letters sent to prison inmates could contravene their human rights, a sheriff has concluded.

An inquiry into the death of Glenrothes man John Brown held at Perth Sheriff Court last year heard that he hung himself on June 2, 2007, in Perth Prison after reading a letter from his partner which upset him.

In his written findings into the death, which have just been released, Sheriff Robert McCreadie has outlined the circumstances leading up to the death and his reservations about reading letters sent to prison inmates.

Brown (32), a known drug user, had come into conflict with the authorities on many occasions and had been held in custody a number of times for various offences, the sheriff noted.

During a previous incarceration in February 2007 Brown was placed on suicide watch as he had “fallen out with his girlfriend.”

On May 28 that year he was arrested for alleged offences including assault and robbery.

On June 2 Brown was taken to Kirkcaldy police station to take part in a formal identification parade and later received a dose of methadone.

Sheriff McCreadie said Brown then received a “letter of rejection” from his partner who claimed he had assaulted her.

Other prisoners told the inquiry that Brown went into the toilet and closed the door.

One went to see if he was all right and found that Brown had cut his wrists.

They summoned help but Brown told them he would “cut their throats” if he was placed in the “suicide cell.”

A fellow prisoner returned later to find Brown had hung himself with bed sheets from the toilet window.

In his findings Sheriff McCreadie said that there had been a suggestion that it might be a reasonable precaution to intercept prisoners’ letters and read through the contents.

“I do not agree,” said Sheriff McCreadie.

“It was opened and the contents checked, it would be quite impractical for staff to read the contents of every letter.

“To read the contents of a prisoner’s letter when there is no issue of national security, public safety, no need to prevent disorder or crime, no need to protect rights and freedoms of others, is suggestive of a prima facie breach of the right of respect for correspondence enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights.

“Nothing I have heard suggests there was any reason for her (his partner) to suppose that the remarks she made on this occasion would have such disastrous consequences,” he added.