Mum's Anguish Over Son's Death and Unregistered XL Bully Discovery
A grieving mother from South Lanarkshire is calling for accountability after her son's bloody remains were found in his home alongside an illegal XL bully dog. The tragic case has raised serious questions about the handling of banned breeds and police procedures in Scotland.
Gruesome Discovery in Rutherglen Home
The remains of 38-year-old Scott Samson were discovered in his blood-soaked living room on Castlefern Road in Rutherglen on March 15th. The scene included an unregistered XL bully named Mitch that Scott had agreed to look after for a friend. His mother, Morag Samson, 60, has expressed outrage that nearly a year after her son's death, the dog remains in police kennels while no criminal charges will be pursued.
"This XL bully ate my son," Morag told the Daily Record. "This evil monster dog ate his face, his throat, his tongue and other parts of his body. And nearly a year on from his death, I'm told the dog is being 'well cared for' by police in kennels."
Inconclusive Post-Mortem and Police Response
The post-mortem examination failed to determine whether Scott Samson died from natural causes before the dog attacked his body, or if the animal directly caused his death. The extensive damage to his remains made conclusive findings impossible. Morag revealed that police initially suggested her son had died from an accidental drug overdose, information she now knows was incorrect.
"The cause of death is inconclusive because of the damage done," Morag explained. "I know XL bullies are strong, powerful dogs that go for the jugular so he wouldn't have stood a chance."
Delayed Removal and Continued Attack Concerns
Disturbingly, dog catchers were unable to remove the aggressive canine from the property for 13 hours after the discovery, leaving the animal in the room with Scott's body. Morag believes the dog continued its attack during this period, potentially causing further damage to her son's remains.
"The dog catchers turned up with big metal shields and poles but they couldn't get the dog as it became so agitated," she recounted. "They left the dog in the room with Scott's body and I think that is when it then attacked his private parts."
Breed Identification and Legal Complications
In June, breed specialists confirmed the dog was an XL bully, a breed banned in Scotland without proper registration. However, police had to bring an expert from Cumbria to conduct the identification, highlighting ongoing issues with breed recognition training within Police Scotland. The Crown Office has confirmed that despite the dog being an unregistered prohibited breed, there is insufficient evidence to prosecute the owner.
The dog's owner, 37-year-old Neal Stark (now known as Neal Gibson) from Rutherglen, had handed the animal to a friend when he was imprisoned for drug-related crimes in February. That friend then passed the dog to Scott Samson when they went on holiday.
Political Criticism and Systemic Failures
Scottish Conservative shadow minister for community safety, Sharon Dowey MSP, has criticised the handling of the case, stating: "This deeply troubling case exposes serious failures in how dangerous dogs are dealt with in Scotland, leaving families devastated and police tied up with costly, drawn-out processes."
She added: "SNP ministers were far too slow to act on XL Bullies, and this failure has left communities less safe while taxpayers foot the bill."
Ongoing Complaints and Destruction Order
Morag Samson has lodged a formal complaint with Police Scotland about their handling of the case and the delayed information about what happened to her son. She only learned the full extent of the attack through a post-mortem report delivered weeks after his funeral.
"When I received the post-mortem, I was devastated," she said. "No-one had prepared me. The police let me find out with a letter through the door."
Following enquiries by the Sunday Mail, it is understood that a destruction order has now been issued for the XL bully, meaning the dog is likely to be euthanised. A spokesperson for the Crown Office confirmed investigations are now concluded, while Police Scotland stated they are investigating the complaint received.
Morag remains haunted by the thought of what happened to her son, stating: "I lie in bed at night and think about my beautiful, kind son and what happened to him in that room with that monster."
