Talk:Thomas Hamilton (Dunblane massacre)

I think that this article could be more objective relating to its discussion of police behaviour. For example, there is no back-up for the allegation that portions of his application to the gun club were completed by a member of the police force. The tone of this article strikes me as being very pro-gun and seeks to blame the police for the fact that he had access to guns. I am not disputing the actual facts in the article, but there are unsubstantiated allegations and implications that are against the style-writing guides. Siofra 15:19, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

There are lots of things about this whole case that are contentious. Go here for more information http://dunblaneunburied.co.uk/. The reason the article sounds "pro-gun", is because handguns were banned as a result of Hamiltons actions. Legitimate owners were made scapegoats, and the truth about the whole affair more than likely covered up. As you probably know, handgun crime in the UK has increased since the handgun ban. Criminals don't care about laws by definition. It is for this reason that those interested in shooting pay close attention to this story.

Hamilton is also reported as having shot himself 4 times with his revolver, including one shot in his mouth and one in his head. This is an 'amazing' feat for anyone and only adds to suspicions that the inquiry was 'floored' in many areas. Stephenjh 05:09, 23 April 2006 (UTC)

The page contains almost no information about the purported subject matter, namely Thomas Hamilton, and a great deal of somewhat polemical content about the police. Expressions and turns of phrase within the article are strongly suggestive that it was written by someone whose interest was more about the demise of pistol ownership in the UK than about providing a biography and analysis of Hamilton. In my view it should re-titled, or subsumed into a broader article regarding the legal status of firearms in the UK, as its relevance to any discussion or consideration of Hamilton is virtually non-existent. This may or may not be connected with the fact that the only link provided on the page is to the homepage of one of those entertaining conspiracy theorist fellows.

I beg to differ, I think this article contains a great deal of information about Hamilton. You simply choose to ignore it in favour of your own bias, most notably shown by your use of the expression "entertaining conspiracy theorist fellows". That, would be nothing more than your (unsupported) opinion, unless you have some evidence to the contrary, in which case please feel free to enlighten us all. Signatures are good too. Stephenjh 00:57, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

For some reason, it does not suprise me that my post provoked such a swift response from your good self, nor that your response would be so impenetrable. The fact that the article contains little information about Hamilton is just that: a fact. There is no information on his early life, his family, his businesses, and very little information about his alleged paedophilia, his involvement in the scouting movement and other similar associations. What information there is is presented in a form which is tangental to information about police responses to his applications for variations in his firerams certificate. That narrow topic takes up the vast majority of the article. As to evidence of the linked site being that of an entertaining conspiracy theorist, the site itself contains all the evidence that is necessary on that point. The author of the site has a theory that there is a conspiracy connected with the Dunblane shooting. The author is therefore a conspiracy theorist. QED. Whether or not one finds conspiracy theorists entertaining is, I concede, entirely subjective. Personally, I do, but other people might just as well find them tedious.

Name of Deceased: THOMAS WATT HAMILTON

Date of Birth: 10th May 1952

Age at Death: 43 YEARS

Sex: MALE

Address: 7 KENT ROAD, STIRLING

Place of Death: DUNBLANE PRIMARY SCHOOL, DUNBLANE

Time Pronounced Dead: 1020 HRS on 13.03.96

By: Witness 1 Police Surgeon (Dr Stuart)

Medical Cause of Death (as appearing on the Death Certificate):

1(a) GUN SHOT INJURY

Death certificate signed by: Witness 2 (H B Tavadia)

Date and Time of Examination: At 1.20pm (1320) - 14.03.96

Procurator Fiscal: Witness 3 - PROCURATOR FISCAL, STIRLING

Examining Pathologists:

1. Witness 4 (Professor Anthony Busuttil)

2. Witness 2 (H B Tavadia)

Police Officers assisting at the autopsy:

1. Police 1 _________________________

2. Police 2 _________________________

Police Photographer at the autopsy: Witness 5

Police Officers identifying body to the pathologists:

1. Polce 3 (Detective Inspector White)

2. Police 4 (Detective Sergeant Gould)

Radiologists taking post-mortem radiographs:

1. Witness 6 __________________ (Image Services Manager)

2. Witness 7 __________________ (Clinical Tutor, Senior 1)

3. Witness 8 __________________ (Senior I)

4. Witness 9 __________________ (Senior Darkroom Technician)

Declaration:

On the instructions and under the authority of the Procurator Fiscal, Stirling, we, the undersigned, who are fully registered medical practitioners and consultant pathologists, hereby certify on Soul and Conscience that within the Mortuary at Stirling Royal Infirmary, Stirling we together carried out an autopsy on the deceased THOMAS WATT HAMILTON, d.o.b. 10.05.52 of 7 Kent Road, Stirling.

Identification:

The deceased was identified to the both of us by Police 3 ____________ and Police 4 _____________ , both of the Criminal Investigation Department of Central Scotland Police. This was carried out at the Mortuary of Stirling Royal Infirmary at 6.00pm (1800) on the 13th March 1996.

The autopsy was carried out on the 14th March, 1996 at approximately 1.20pm.

Swabbing for gunpowder residue:

Before commencement of the autopsy, the hands of the deceased which had been bagged previously in clean bags, were swabbed for firearms' discharge residue. This was performed in our presence in strict accordance with the procedure laid out in the appropriate kit, by Police 1 __________ and Police 2 _________ both of the Criminal Investigation Department, Central Scotland Police.

UNCLOTHING:

The body was lying within a sealed polythene body bag.

The following items of clothing, which were still present on the body, were removed by us and handed to the police officers present for further examination:

(i) A light cotton 'T' shirt with round neck and mid length sleeves. There was blood on the front of the left side of the chest (overlying the left precordium). Blood staining is also present on its back.

(ii) A pair of black cotton corduroy trousers which were bloodstained, this being most marked on the left leg.

(iii) A pair of black elasticated braces with buckles, which were in situ.

(iv) A pair of white underpants with the label 'MARKS & SPENCERS'- large size.

(v) A pair of blue cotton towelling socks with a multicoloured motif at the side.

(vi) A pair of heavy brown leather lace-up shoes with heavy rubber, threaded soles.

(vii) An 'INGERSOL' water-resistant watch with a brown leather strap which was still in working order, was situated on the left wrist.

External Examination:

The body was that of a heavily built Caucasian male, 1.68 m in height (approximately 5' 7").

The head hair was short cropped to about 5mm in length. There was frontal recession and balding on the back of the head. The hair was light brown in colour and straight.

The eyes were light blue in colour; the right pupil measured 2mm, left 4mm. Blood was present on the torso, the head, and within the mouth, nose and ears.

The face was clean shaven and the ear lobes were not pierced. Scanty pubic hair of the same colour as the head hair was present in a normal male distribution. The penis was uncircumcised. The testes were descended within the scrotum and normal.

The upper limbs were hirsute. The fingernails were short and well trimmed. No tattoos were present.

On side of the let upper arm (detoid region), there was a vaccination scar 33mm in diameter.

There was no obvious powder tattooing of the hands.

Both legs were hirsute; the toe nails were short and well kept.

A distended irregular transverse non-surgical scar was present overlying the left knee cap (patella).

An adhesive plaster was present over the back of the right ankle (tendo achilles). Under this there was a 3mm old healing abrasion.

There were no external features of natural disease.

Post-mortem changes:

The back showed pronounced lividity which was purplish and fixed. Rigor mortis was well established in all the limbs and lower jaw. No evidence of putrefaction was seen.

The body had been refrigerated.

Recent Injuries:

On the left side of the head (temporo-parietal area), 70mm to the left of midline and 155mm above the bridge of the nose (glabella), there was a stellate irregularly rounded lacerated wound, 40mm x 35 mm with radiating splits up to 1.5mm in length, extending from its edges (photograph page 9). Emerging from the wound were fragments of bone and brain tissue. The above injury was consistent with an exit gunshot wound.

The head throughout showed gross deformity of its bony vault, more marked on the left side with disruption to the left eye-socket (orbit), causing sinking of the left eye socket and the surrounding facial bony tissues to well below the level of the right eye socket.

The entry wound corresponding to this exit wound was located within the mouth where there is a large defect with total disruption of the upper jaw (maxilla) and of the hard palate.

A post mortem parchmented yellow-based abrasion, measuring 3mm x 5mm was seen in the region of the left hip, 130mm below the anterior superior iliac spine and 230mm from the midline.

Internal findings:

Head and Neck:

On reflecting the scalp there was an extensive fracturing with fragmentation (comminution) of the skull bones with displacement of the bony skeleton involving the left side of the skull and the roof of the left orbit extending between this site as far as the back of the head (occipital area). The individual bony fragments were markedly displaced and some were actually everted and were extruded outwards to lie beneath the scalp, partially penetrating it. There was extensive bruising and swelling in the soft tissue immediately beneath the scalp, over an area 40mm in diameter.

The fracture of the vault extended as far as the occipital area on the back of the head with fissuring to the right of midline to the occipital bones of the vault as far down as the foramen magnum.

Further fractures from the vault of the skull extend to the base, in the anterior and middle cranial fossae on the left, and across the midline into the roof of the nose, the orbit and frontal and other accessory nasal sinuses on the right.

The pituitary gland had been avulsed completely and was unrecognisable.

A film of blood was present within the membranes that cover the brain i.e. subdural and subarachnoid haemorrhage, and this covered the left frontal and temporo-parietal area of the brain.

The frontal and temporal poles on the right side of the brain's cerebral hemispheres were extensively contused and lacerated.

There was also complete disruption of the mid brain and pons.

The brain weighed 1460g and has been kept for further examination.

There were no external or internal injuries to the neck.

Cardiovascular System:

Heart: 430gms and is of normal size and configuration

Pericardial Sac: contains less than 5cc of fluid

Atria: contain no thrombus; otherwise normal

Right Ventricle: normal

Left Ventricle: normal in thickness and on section

Valves: normal

Coronary Arteries: These had a normal distribution, the coronary ostia were normally situated and are patent. The coronary arteries showed only minimum atherosclerosis and no evidence of occlusion or thrombosis

Aorta: no significant degenerative disease

Carotid Arteries: widely patent

Renal Arteries: widely patent

Pulmonary Arteries : no thrombo-embolism

Mediastinum: normal

Respiratory System:

Hyoid bone and laryngeal cartilages: Intact and normal

Larynx: Normal

Soft Tissues of the neck: Normal

Pleural cavities: Dry and free of adhesions

Lungs: Right Lung - 520gms, Left Lung - 440gms, both lungs slightly congested but otherwise normal with minimal carbon pigmentation. No inhalation of blood had occurred.

Hilar Lymph Nodes: Not Enlarged.

Digestive System:

Tongue: No trauma

Mouth: See injuries above

Teeth: Normal dentition but in a poor state of hygiene

Tonsils: Normal

Pharynx: Normal

Palate: Gun shot injuries to the palate; including the hard and soft palate (entry wound) - see above

Oesophagus: Normal

Peritoneal Cavity: Unremarkable - no excess fluid

Stomach: Mucosa was normal, stomach contained partially digested brownish material and some curdled milk

Duodenum: Normal

Small Intestine: Normal

Large Intestine: Normal

Contents of Bowel: Normal

Rectum: Normal

Anus and anal canal: No abnormality

Liver: 1370gms - unremarkable externally and on section

Gallbladder: Normal and contained normal bile; no stones were present

Bile Ducts: Normal

Pancreas: Normal

Genito-Urinary System:

Kidneys: Right 140gms, left 120gms, capsules stripped with ease revealing smooth surfaces. The cortices are normal and there was normal cortico medullary demarcation. No hydronephrosis was present.

Ureters: Normal

Bladder: Contains about 20ml urine, bladder mucosa, normal

Internal Genitalia: Unremarkable

Gonads: Normal and normally descended

External Genitalia: Penis was uncircumcised

Lymphatic System:

Spleen: 120gms, normal

Cervical Lymph Nodes: Normal

Mediastinal Lymph Nodes: Normal

Mesenteric Lymph Nodes: Normal

Para-aortic Lymph Nodes: Normal

Peripheral Lymph Nodes: Normal

Thymus: Not recognisable

Endocrine System:

Parathyroids: Unremarkable

Thyroid: Unremarkable

Adrenal Glands: Borderline narrowing of cortex

Pituitary: Disrupted by a gun shot injury

Cranium and Nervous System:

Scalp: See above

Skull: See above

Facial bones: See above

Middle ears: No apparent abnormality

Air Sinuses: See above

Meninges: See above

Cranial vessels: had a normal distribution, there was only minimal atherosclerosis

Brain: 1460gms, the brain has been retained for neuropathological examination, (also see above)

Spinal cord: Not examined

Peripheral nerves: Unremarkable

Musculo-Skeletal System:

Spinal Column: No visible fractures

Limb Girdles: No fractures

Limb Bones: No fractures

Hands and feet: Normal

Ribs: Normal

Muscles: Normal

Samples:

A range of routine tissue samples have been retained for histology.

The brain has been retained for detailed neuropathological examination.

The following specimens have been retained for forensic analysis:

• venous blood for serology (grouping)
• venous blood (in EDTA)
• venous blood (Clotted)

For toxicology:

• venous blood (in Fluoride)
• urine
• vitreous humour
• bile
• gastric contents
• liver

Radiology

Skull: disruption of the hard palate, pituitary fossa and clivus and fractures of the base and vault of the skull which were comminuted.

An everted exit wound at the top of the skull's vault in line with an entry wound in the palate present.

Metal fragments present along the track of this wound.

Brain Examination:

The brain was examined after prolonged fixation in formalin.

The outer membrane (dura) was normal with only a very thin film of clotted blood situated subdurally.

The cerebral venous sinuses were normal and patent.

In the region of the sagittal venous sinus close to its junction with the sigmoid sinus, on the right, there was a small brownish-yellow nodule which was smooth surfaced, flattened and ovoid, and measured 5.0 x 3.0 mm.

Diffuse subarachnoid congestion was present but there was minimal haemorrhage in the subarachnoid space over external surfaces of the cerebral hemispheres.

The arteries of the circle of Willis, which was normally formed, were free of significant degenerative disease.

The brain externally appeared to be markedly distorted in its general configuration due to the presence of an irregular linear track within the brain tissue consistent with a gunshot injury; this was about 12.0 mm wide, and it involved the left cerebral hemisphere extending in between the base of the brain just in front of the mammillary bodies, through the entire thickness of the cerebral hemisphere to end at a point of exit situated approximately 40.0 mm behind the frontal pole (sic) of the brain and 70 mm medial to the temporal pole.

There also were distortions of both cerebral peduncles at the base of the brain.

On gross section the brain showed marked irregularity of both the grey matter ribbon and of the white matter along the line of the track identified, but with minimal recent haemorrhage and no local reactive changes. The corpus callosum was completely disrupted and there was marked contusion of the medial aspects of the hippocampus on the left and recent haemorrhage into the left thalamus. No supracallosal hernias were present. The inferior aspects of the frontal portions of both cerebral hemispheres were markedly contused throughout their grey matter ribbon. There was bleeding into the lateral ventricles.

The cerebrum apart from this gun shot injury showed no intrinsic abnormalities in particular no evidence of inflammatory or neoplastic conditions.

The cerebellar hemispheres showed some congestion and diffuse mild subarachnoid haemorrhage. Internally they appeared normal with only minimal congestion of the vessels in the left dentate nucleus. No evidence of tonsillar coning was seen. The pons and midbrain showed no abnormality and were not distorted. There was no evidence of tentorial coning.

Histology

brain: the presence of an acute subarachnoid haemorrhage and of recent contusions was confirmed; no inflammatory, vasculitic or other pathological changes seen

dural nodule: a fibrous nodule in which some nests of foamy lipid-filled cells were present, representing a focal meningeal (dural) degenerative condition rather than a neoplastic condition.

liver, spleen, lungs, pancreas, testes, prostate, heart, kidneys: no abnormalities were detected.

thyroid: features of a significant chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis were present.

adrenals: no abnormality of the cortices was seen and ether was no thinning; all component cells were normally represented.

Opinion as to Cause of Death:

1(a) Gun Shot Injury (unknown if self- or other-inflicted)

A death certificate in the above terms was signed and issued by Witness 2

Commentary:

(i) The deceased was a healthy, heavily built, middle aged, Caucasian male.

(ii) There was no evidence of significant natural disease both on naked eye, macroscopical examination and microscopically from the examination of representative specimens of the internal organ.

(iii) There was no evidence of on-going chronic intravenous drug abuse.

(iv) Death resulted from a single gunshot discharged within the mouth from a handgun.

(v) Death would have been instantaneous.

(vi) Toxicological studies - reported separately by the toxicology laboratory - showed no evidence of intoxication at the time of death with either alcohol or drugs of abuse. There also was no evidence of chronic lead poisoning or of chronic misuse of androgenic steroids.

All the above is attested on Soul and Conscience.

Is there a source for the above? Stephenjh

"Alledgedly"

If the above "document" is correct then Hamilton died from a single gunshot wound, "discharged within the mouth". I have not been able to find supporting evidence as to whether he was shot numerous times or not, hence "alledgedly". Stephenjh

'alleged' by whom? If there is no citation then add {{fact}}, 'allegedly' is for when a claim is being made by a source, but it may not be true.--Doc^g 19:58, 25 November 2006 (UTC)

The caption for the picture

The caption for the picture currently says "Thomas Hamilton, what a real son of a bitch." Someone please fix this vandalism. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.201.166.3 (talk) 02:45, 13 March 2007 (UTC).