Three men have admitted killing a Scots dad-of-two who was facing trial for attempting to abduct a six-year-old boy.
Craig Derrick, 31, Brian Laing, 27, and David Till, 33, attacked Darren Brownlie in a cell at Low Moss prison, Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, on January 6, 2020.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that Brownlie, 47, who was on remand awaiting trial for attempting to snatch the boy from a car in Bearsden last year, was kicked and punched on the head and body.
Brownlie was summoned to Derrick's cell and the fatal attack involving all three accused took just 66 seconds.
Prosecutor Paul Kearney said: “Mr Brownlie had a number of injuries to his face and was bleeding heavily from his nose.
“He was examined by a nurse who suspected he had broken ribs.”
An ambulance was called at 5.28pm but it was not until 10.13pm that paramedics began treating Brownlie, who was by then lying unresponsive on the floor of the cell.
The injured man was placed in an observation cell and checked by staff during the almost five hours it took for medical help to arrive.
Mr Kearney said: “On a number of occasions Mr Brownlie pressed the emergency buzzer in the cell and witness Graham Bride heard him being told by a member of staff to ‘Stop pressing the f***ing buzzer. I've told you help is on the way’.”
Derrick, Laing and Till admitted the reduced charge of culpable homicide of Brownlie having earlier been charged with his murder.
The dad-of-two died from internal bleeding caused by a ruptured spleen and also had broken ribs.
Mr Kearney added: “Mr William Tullet, an accident and emergency consultant at Glasgow Royal Infirmary said that in his opinion had he received timeous prehospital treatment for his blood loss and transferred to hospital for surgery he would, in all probability, have survived.”
The court heard that a non-emergency call was made to the ambulance service at 5.28pm.
A check made between 7.15pm and 17.30pm revealed Brownlie had vomited and was complaining of being cold.
Another call was made at 7.36pm and a further one at 7.38pm saying it was an emergency. Despite this it was not until 9.45pm that an ambulance was assigned to go to the prison.
An ambulance finally arrived at the prison gates at 9.59pm and there was a delay in it being admitted. Brownlie died at 10.34pm.
The court heard that Brownlie was accused of ripping other prisoners off by swapping less potent prescription drugs for legal highs.
Judge Lord Matthews deferred sentence on all three accused until next month and ordered background and risk assessment reports.
