A Fatal Accident Inquiry just exposed how a killer walked free twice

Nicholas Henry killed his neighbour six years ago. Now a judge is going to ask why nobody stopped him first.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service says the Lord Advocate has ordered a Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of Daniel Greer.

So who was Daniel Greer?

He was 33. He lived in Greengairs, in North Lanarkshire. Six years ago, in October 2020, his neighbour Nicholas Henry attacked him with a shovel and a knife in his own front garden.

Then Henry dragged Daniel's body back into his own home. Daniel's father found him two days later.

Henry was convicted of murder at the High Court. He was jailed for life, with a minimum of 21 years. And about two months ago, he died in prison. He was 49.

So why is this being looked at again now?

Because Henry should never have been free to do it.

Here's the thing. Henry had done this kind of thing before.

In 2011, he was jailed for 12 years, for an attack that left a victim with a severed hand. He got out on licence in 2017. Those licence conditions were meant to run all the way to February 2023.

But they didn't stop him.

In the month before he killed Daniel Greer, Henry was arrested twice. Once for drug offences. Once for violence. Both times, he was let back out.

One week later, he killed his neighbour.

Daniel's mother, Amanda Greer, has now spoken publicly for the first time. It comes around the sixth anniversary of her son's death.

She says she was stunned to learn Henry had a history of violence. And that police had already been dealing with him over licence breaches before he killed her son.

Amanda Greer says quote "innocent people literally die because of bad decisions".

So that's a mother saying the system already knew about this man. And let him stay free anyway.

Gordon Dalyell is a solicitor at Digby Brown. He's supporting the family. And he goes further.

He says quote "this was preventable".

That's a lawyer saying the system had the chance to stop this.

Now, a Fatal Accident Inquiry is not a criminal trial. Henry has already been convicted. And he's dead.

This is different. A judge will look at the circumstances of Daniel Greer's death. And ask whether anything could have been done differently.

Police Scotland says its thoughts remain with Daniel Greer's loved ones. And that it will fully assist with any future inquiry.

The Scottish Government has not responded yet.

So what happens now?

We don't know exactly what the inquiry will examine. No date has been set for a first hearing. And nobody has said whether it will actually change how licence breaches, or repeat violent offending, get handled.

For six years, Daniel Greer's family have known how their son died.

Now they're about to find out why nobody stopped the man who killed him.