Parole Denied for Convicted Murderer Who Attacked Woman While on Home Leave

A parole hearing has determined that a convicted murderer, who attempted to kill a woman while on home release, will remain incarcerated. Robbie McIntosh assaulted Linda McDonald in 2017. At the time, he was on home leave from prison, where he was serving a sentence for the murder of Anne Nicoll. It is understood that no request for release was submitted on McIntosh’s behalf, and his case is scheduled for review again in two years. For the assault on Ms McDonald, McIntosh received a sentence of a minimum of five years and was also issued an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR), indicating that his release from prison may never occur. While Ms McDonald was walking her dog in Templeton Woods, Dundee, McIntosh approached her rapidly and began striking her with a dumb-bell. McIntosh ceased the assault on Ms McDonald only after two individuals passing by intervened to assist her. In August 2017, when the attack occurred, McIntosh was serving a life sentence for the fatal stabbing of Anne Nicoll on Dundee Law, which had taken place 16 years prior. He was undergoing parole consideration for that conviction and had been granted home leave as part of the preparation process. Ms McDonald previously informed BBC Scotland News that she forgave McIntosh, stating that “her anger was reserved for the checks she believes failed to keep her safe from him.” McIntosh became eligible to apply for parole in 2022, subsequent to completing his five-year term for the attempted murder of Ms McDonald. No request for release was submitted at that time. Parole reviews are conducted automatically at predetermined intervals, though inmates have the option to decline participation. The Parole Board for Scotland stated that it refrains from commenting on specific cases. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.