FRANCIS MOORE'S FATAL COVID-19 DEATH IN DUMFRIES AND ABERDEEN INVESTIGATED IN JOINT INQUIRY
A comprehensive Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) process has been launched to thoroughly examine the tragic deaths of two men who lost their lives due to Covid-19 while in custody.The investigation, overseen by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), has officially submitted a First Notice to Dumfries Sheriff Court concerning the deaths of Gordon Pinkerton, aged 75, on April 22, 2020, and Francis Moore, aged 85, on February 27, 2021.
Both individuals passed away at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary after contracting the coronavirus during their detention at HMP Dumfries.
Gordon Pinkerton, a former Royal Air Force serviceman, was convicted of a series of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of six young girls over nearly five decades.
His criminal activities spanned from 1963 until 2011, during which he preyed on schoolchildren across Scotland.
Pinkerton was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2013.
His victims included girls as young as six years old, and his crimes left a lasting scar on the community.
Francis Moore, who had a criminal history including a previous imprisonment in 2018 and an eight-year sentence served thereafter, was found guilty of abusing boys and a priest at various locations.
His offenses took place during the 1970s and 1990s, both within Scotland and abroad.
Moore’s criminal record reflects a pattern of predatory behavior that spanned several decades and multiple jurisdictions.
The initial hearing for this inquiry is scheduled for December 9, 2024, with the formal FAI hearing set to take place on December 19, 2024.
The purpose of this investigation is to determine the precise causes and circumstances surrounding the deaths of Pinkerton and Moore.
It aims to uncover the facts without assigning blame, as is customary in FAIs, which are distinct from criminal trials.
The inquiry will also explore what measures can be implemented to prevent similar fatalities in the future.
The investigation is being led by COPFS’s Covid Deaths Investigation Team, with the Lord Advocate emphasizing the importance of understanding the circumstances that led to these tragic deaths.
The inquiry underscores the ongoing concern about the safety and well-being of individuals in custody, especially during the ongoing pandemic.
The process seeks to provide clarity and potentially inform policy changes to enhance the safety protocols within detention facilities across Scotland, including locations in Aberdeen and Dumfries.
