Prison death investigation into Scottish serial rapist who died days after conviction

The death of a Scottish serial rapist who died behind bars just days after his verdict was announced is to be investigated by a sheriff.

Stephen Charters, 57, was found dead in his cell at HMP Edinburgh in Saughton on June 19, 2022 after falling ill and collapsing. The monster died just days after he was jailed for a series of sex offences, including rapes of four women that took place between 1984 and 2015.

Charters, who was previously a church leader, was found guilty of the heinous crimes during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh. He was sentenced to five years in prison and given a life suspended sentence.

During the sentencing, Detective Inspector Jonny Wright said: “I would like to thank the victims for coming forward. Although a lot of time had passed, they were able to give us information which enabled detectives to carry out this investigation.”

“Had Charters not been brave enough to give evidence in court, he may have gone unpunished. Charters denied these crimes but thanks to the extensive work of officials and partners, including the Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), he has now been brought to justice.

“This case is an example of how, no matter when an incident happened, Police Scotland always conducts thorough investigations. We are here to listen to and support victims and have specially trained officers conducting investigations.

“We remain committed to bringing all perpetrators of sexual abuse to justice and time is no barrier to our investigations. I would urge anyone who wishes to report a sexual crime, regardless of when it occurred, to contact us so that we can conduct a thorough and professional investigation.”

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) confirmed that an inquest into his death will take place at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on October 14 and 15. The purposes of an inquest into his death include establishing the cause of death, the circumstances in which the deaths occurred and determining whether and what reasonable arrangements could have been and could be made in the future to minimise the risk of future deaths in similar circumstances.

Unlike criminal proceedings, FAIs are inquisitorial in nature and serve to establish facts rather than to assign guilt.

Prosecutor Andy Shanks, who leads death investigations at COPFS, said: “The Lord Advocate is of the view that Stephen Charters died in custody and therefore an investigation into the fatal accident is imperative. The lodging of the first notice will enable the FAI process to commence under the direction of the Sheriff.”

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