An Angus murderer checked himself into prison segregation when he was accused of molesting a schoolgirl, then trashed his cell when staff moved him back out.
Convicted killer Adam Gallagher relocated himself into HMP Perth’s segregated wing when allegations were made he committed a serious sexual assault on a sleeping 10-year-old girl at a house in Montrose.
He wept in the dock as he was acquitted by jurors of those allegations – which dated back to spring 2005 – at the High Court in Dundee in February.
Prison staff at HMP Perth moved him out of segregation soon after the acquittal but Gallagher, 35, feared this would make it look to other prisoners like he had been convicted.
In a bid to get himself re-segregated, Gallagher trashed his C-Hall cell, causing £1,800.22 of damage.
The damage was caused by “unknown means”.
He appeared by video link at Perth Sheriff Court on Friday to admit vandalising his cell on June 3.
His destructive rampage saw him wreck a quantity of pedestal units, a wall unit, a worktop, a toilet, a washbasin, a wastepipe, a sink grate, a light switch, a window and a cell door viewer.
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson said prison officers had arrived at his cell at 8.45pm and found broken glass on the floor.
Inside, she said, Gallagher had scuffed boots and was looking “pleased”.
More jail time
Gallagher’s defence solicitor Nick Whelan told the court: “Mr Gallagher, in the lead up to this, had been in segregation on a voluntary basis.
“He appeared on petition for a sexual offence.
“He was subsequently found not guilty of that matter.
“The prison had decided to move him back into mainstream C-Hall.
“Mr Gallagher’s view was in doing so, that would be almost acknowledgement he had committed the offence and feared for his safety.
“Effectively, being in the system so long, he knew how to get back to segregation.
“He recognises there’s only one sentence available given his record and his status.”
Sheriff Alison Michie added another five months onto Gallagher’s sentence.
She said there was “no alternative”.
Preparing for release
Gallagher was handed a life sentence in 2006, with a minimum custodial period of 15 years after murdering Czech fruit picker Marek Smrz in Arbroath.
Then an 18-year-old heroin addict, Gallagher stabbed Smrz in the heart with a steak knife.
His sentence was extended by eight months in 2016 when he lubed himself up with baby oil to escape custody officers who were trying to move him to HMP Barlinnie.
One of the G4S riot officers was so frightened he fainted.
In 2017, Gallagher made legal history by becoming the first prisoner in Scotland to be sentenced via video link after a court decided he was too dangerous to appear in person.
This was for causing £4,000 worth of wanton damage to a HMP Perth cell.
He is now preparing for life outside of prison.
Mr Whelan said: “His tariff should have expired two and a half years ago.
“As a result of his acquittal, his parole hearing is due to take place next week.”
However, Mr Whelan said due to a missing report, the parole hearing is likely to be postponed for around three months.
Earlier this year, jurors in Dundee acquitted Gallagher of keeping a deadly makeshift razor in his HMP Perth cell.
