Schoolboy’s campaign gets backing from world-renowned scientist

The McLaughlin family (left to right, Ryan, Darren, Alan and Kirsten) meet Cathy Jamieson (centre) at the parliament

By Cara Sulieman

A SCOTS schoolboy campaigning for better treatment for MS suffers like his mum has received the backing of a top scientist.

Plucky Ryan McLaughlin, 14, from Glasgow, started a campaign to get the Scottish Government to supply free Vitamin D supplements to Scots after claims a lack of sunshine in this country made the condition worse.

His mum Kirsten has battled the disease for years.

Now Oliver Gillie, a respected medical writer and researcher who has been working on research into the benefits of Vitamin D for some years, is lending his support to the teenager.

Killer dies during life sentence

By Paul Thornton

ONE of Scotland’s most notorious killers has died while serving his life sentence for murder.

Bluebell Wood murderer, Brian Wilson, died in hospital on Monday, March 23 while he was serving time at HMP Saughton in Edinburgh.

The 40-year-old was jailed for life at Glasgow High Court in 1986 after being found guilty of the murder of Alison Murray.

He and Iain Murray, who was 17 at the time, were dubbed the Beasts of Bluebell Woods after they murdered biology student Allison, who stumbled on the pair while they committed an indecent act together.

Strangled

The teenagers panicked, tried to rape her, and then strangled her with her bra in Garscadden Wood, near Drumchapel.

The twisted rapist was released from Noranside open prison in Perth in 2001 after 15 years of his life sentence.

But he was again jailed last year at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after he was charged with choking a young girl who was in his care.

Wilson, denied assaulting two girls at his Tranent home in January 2007 but admitted a breach of the peace by shouting and swearing at them, terrifying them. 

Sheriff Graeme Warner sentenced him to three months custody in August last year but, because he was still on licence for murder, his parole was revoked.

He remained at HMP Saughton until his death earlier this week.

The Scottish Prison Service said Wilson’s family had been informed of the death.