Notorious Dundee killer Robert Mone, who murdered a pregnant teacher during a school siege in the city, is unlikely to be transferred to Castle Huntly open prison, The Courier understands.
Fresh reports circulated at the weekend that Mone could be moved to the Longforgan establishment in the summer and be given a work placement in Dundee.
Mone was jailed for killing 26-year-old Nanette Hanson in St John’s High School in 1967 after taking the teacher and her class hostage.
The female pupils endured a 90-minute ordeal, during which Mone raped one of them and sexually assaulted another, before shooting their teacher.
In 1976, he went on the run from Carstairs Hospital with Thomas McCulloch in a rampage that left three people dead. He is currently at Shotts Prison.
Alan Muir, chairman of Longforgan Community Council, said residents would be “concerned” if Mone was moved there.
He said, “It would not be our preference that he be relocated to Castle Huntly. I don’t know what control we have over that, but we could make our voices heard.
“It is something that the community would have to be informed of. I meet with the open estate every month and I would like to think we would get advance notice of it.”
Dundee West MP Jim McGovern said that, if confirmed, the move would be “unthinkable and deplorable.”
He said, “I watched the programme about him on television last week and I can only say that it reinforced my view that he should never be released.
“Given Castle Huntly’s record on security, I don’t think he should go there either.
“The possibility of him ever returning to Dundee is unthinkable and deplorable. Some people should be incarcerated for life.
“If it is confirmed, I will write to the justice secretary to find out the Scottish Government’s stance on this.”
The Scottish Prison Service said, “While we cannot comment on individual prisoners, any work placement or transfer is subject to a rigorous risk assessment which takes into account all relevant factors.”
The Courier understands that Mone is unlikely to come through a risk assessment and become a candidate for an open prison regime, or any arrangement where he would be given unrestricted access to the community.