A man facing child porn charges killed himself after watching a Ross Kemp documentary on Barlinnie jail because he was “terrified” of being sent there.
Robert Nobbs, 51, saw the ITV programme while he was being held on remand at Low Moss prison in Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow, pending a court case.
He was found dead in his cell hours later. Nobbs left a note saying “he couldn’t handle Barlinnie”.
A fatal accident inquiry at Glasgow Sheriff Court heard former EastEnders star Kemp had implied on the programme that sex offenders were the “lowest of the low” at the Glasgow jail.
Sheriff Linda Ruxton ruled that watching the documentary in November 2017 was the “last straw” for Nobbs, of Inverkip, Renfrewshire.
She also blamed bosses at Low Moss for keeping Nobbs in isolated conditions at the prison, which, she said, had an impact on his mental health.
The sheriff added: “Shortly before his death, Mr Nobbs had been expressing to his sister his belief that he was going to receive a lengthy prison sentence and how afraid he was of going to Barlinnie. He was terrified.”
Sheriff Ruxton said the “highly restrictive conditions” in which Nobbs was held in Low Moss had “a direct causal connection” with his death.
At the time of his suicide, Nobbs also faced a charge of having a banned weapon.
