![\"William](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1_Murderer-William-Beggs.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCops were called to the jail after Beggs tested postive for the illicit substance.<\/p>\n
William Beggs(Image: Daily Record)<\/p>\n
Prison staff called in police<\/a> to probe how two letters sent to \u2018Limbs in the Loch\u2019 murderer William Beggs<\/a> tested positive for the illicit drug Ketamine. The news of the law enforcement<\/a> investigation emerged in a legal document issued by a judge at the Court of Session<\/a> on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Judge Lady Hood made the disclosure<\/a> in her judgment about a recent case brought to Scotland\u2019s highest civil court by Beggs, who is currently serving life for murdering Barry Wallace<\/a> in 2001. Beggs – who has brought several actions to the court in recent years – raised an action against the Scottish Prison Service.<\/a><\/p>\n He claimed that between March to July 2025, staff at HMP Saughton<\/a> in Edinburgh breached his human rights by how they handled pieces of correspondence sent to him there. The judgement tells of how two letters tested positive for Ketamine <\/a>on April 2 2025.<\/p>\n Barry Wallace(Image: Police Scotland \/ SWNS)<\/p>\n Beggs said his human rights had been breached because prison staff didn\u2019t tell him who had sent the letters or details of the testing results. Prison staff refused to disclose this information because the contaminated items became evidence in criminal investigations<\/a> and handling had to be minimised.<\/p>\n Beggs<\/a> also claimed that a letter from NHS Lothian Legal Policy was processed as ordinary mail and not confidential medical mail. He said this amounted to a breach of human rights. The court heard a letter sent from a solicitor <\/a>had a small tear on the envelope and another piece of legal correspondence was unsealed.<\/p>\n This prompted Beggs to claim that staff failed to protect confidentiality. He also claimed his rights were breached<\/a> because some of the mail sent to him during the time period was received late.<\/p>\n Beggs wanted Lady Hood to pass several legal orders to declare that the prison service acted unlawfully<\/a> in how it dealt with his correspondence. However, Lady Hood rejected Beggs\u2019s legal challenge <\/a>and concluded that the prison services acted lawfully in how it dealt with the letters.<\/p>\n She wrote: \u201cI shall therefore repel the petitioner\u2019s first to seventh pleas-in-law and refuse the petition.\u201d<\/p>\n He launched legal proceedings at Scotland\u2019s highest civil court <\/a>last year after prison staff refused to accept an Amazon delivery for him. The killer<\/a> took the Scottish Prison Service to the Court of Session over an incident which happened at HMP Edinburgh in December 2024.<\/p>\n Delivery drivers for the online retailer attempted to drop off \u201cpersonal items\u201d for Beggs at the jail.<\/a> However, staff<\/a> refused to accept delivery. A legal opinion published by Court of Session judge Lady Hood on Thursday stated that Amazon weren\u2019t an \u201capproved supplier\u201d at the prison.<\/p>\n This prompted Beggs to make a complaint to prison authorities<\/a> and then launch a legal action against the prison. His objections lay with the prison\u2019s policy on deliveries to inmates.<\/a><\/p>\n Beggs<\/a> claimed that the jail\u2019s policy on deliveries breached his human rights. The murderer believed that as he is an Irish citizen, he has a \u201cprotected characteristic\u201d under the 2010 Equality Act of nationality.<\/p>\n His lawyers argued that prisoners<\/a> of a different nationality – such as Beggs – are placed at a disadvantage by the prison service\u2019s policy on deliveries. His legal team <\/a>argued that such prisoners families are likely to live further away from the prison and might have to rely on sending deliveries to loved ones.<\/p>\n HMP Edinburgh at Saughton in Edinburgh.<\/p>\n The court heard that this meant that such prisoners <\/a>are \u201cprejudiced\u201d by the policy and that it was unlawful. Lawyers for the prison service<\/a> argued that the policy was lawful and that the action shouldn\u2019t be upheld.<\/p>\n In a written judgment published by the court <\/a>late last year Lady Hood upheld the arguments presented to her by the the SPS\u2019s lawyer Michael Briggs. Beggs is serving life after he was convicted<\/a> of murdering teenager Barry Wallace in October 2001 at the High Court in Glasgow.<\/p>\n Jurors heard how Mr Wallace had gone missing<\/a> following a Christmas night out in his hometown of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Jurors heard that Beggs took his victim to his flat in the town and subjected him to a serious sexual assault<\/a> before murdering him and cutting up his body.<\/p>\n The killer<\/a> dumped Mr Wallace\u2019s limbs and torso in Loch Lomond and his head in the sea off the Ayrshire coast. Beggs then fled to the Netherlands. He was extradited<\/a> back to Scotland in January 2001.<\/p>\n Since being convicted, Beggs<\/a> who is thought to have been given almost \u00a31 million in legal aid payments. Judge Lord Brodie once described him as being a \u201cvery experienced litigant\u201d.<\/p>\n In the present action, it is revealed that Beggs wanted the prison service to pay his legal bill.<\/a> Lady Hood also discloses that two pieces of correspondence which tested positive for Ketamine <\/a>prompted a police probe.<\/p>\n She wrote: \u201cOn April 2 2025, two items of mail addressed to the petitioner were seized. There is no dispute that these were appropriately classed as items of general correspondence, and that one of the items was a letter from East Ayrshire Council.<\/p>\n \u201cBoth of the items tested positive for the illicit substance, ketamine. The petitioner was issued with two suspicious mail retention forms, which stated that both of the items of mail would be safely destroyed after the police investigation was complete.<\/p>\n \u201cThe petitioner was neither advised of the contents of the mail, nor provided with a copy.\u201d<\/p>\n Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!<\/p>\n Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.<\/p>\n You’ll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.<\/p>\n No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.<\/p>\n All you have to do is click here<\/a>, select ‘Join Community’ and you’re in!<\/p>\n We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out any time you like.<\/p>\n To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘exit group’.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.<\/a><\/p>\n Lawyers for the prison service argued that the prison service<\/a> acted lawfully in the circumstances. They argued that in recent years, correspondence was used to smuggle illicit substances into Scottish jails and the service had an obligation to stop this.<\/p>\n![\"Barry](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_Limbs-in-the-loch-killer-makes-second-bid-to-be-freed-from-prison.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"HMP](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1_JS251991584.jpg\")
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