A Grim Pattern of Loss: Two Lives Cut Short in Police Custody

The community of Kirkcaldy, Fife, is once again at the center of heartbreak and controversy after the tragic deaths of Stephen ‘Spike’ Campbell (50) and Marc Hamilton (36) — both of whom died while in police custody at the same station already under scrutiny for its connection to the Sheku Bayoh tragedy. Their deaths, which occurred in separate incidents, are now set to be examined in a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) at Falkirk Sheriff Court, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for November 24.

Marc Hamilton, aged 36, was discovered lifeless in his cell on September 18, 2020. He had been arrested the day before in connection with an alleged stabbing and was awaiting a court appearance when officers found him unresponsive. Despite urgent efforts, he was pronounced dead within the station — a place where justice is meant to be upheld, not where lives are lost.

Less than two years later, tragedy struck again. Stephen ‘Spike’ Campbell, a father, died on February 23, 2022, after reportedly suffering a medical episode while awaiting police questioning over an alleged robbery. His sudden death — the second within 24 months — has reignited painful questions about safety, accountability, and the duty of care owed to individuals in custody.

Calls for Truth and Transparency Grow Louder

The deaths of Campbell and Hamilton are not isolated incidents. In fact, they form part of a troubling series of fatalities linked to Kirkcaldy Police Station, which has seen five people die over the past decade, including Sheku Bayoh, whose 2015 death after being restrained by six officers remains one of Scotland’s most significant and controversial cases.

The echoes of that tragedy still linger. Mr. Bayoh, a 31-year-old father, died after being subjected to CS gas, pepper spray, batons, and multiple restraints during an arrest. His case sparked national outrage and prompted an ongoing public inquiry examining whether race and institutional practices played a role in his death.

Now, the families of Campbell and Hamilton are searching for the same clarity — to understand what truly happened behind those locked doors and whether lessons have been learned. Advocacy groups and legal experts have joined in calling for transparency, accountability, and reform within Scotland’s policing system, emphasizing that every life lost in custody must be met with full and open scrutiny.

Remembering the Men Behind the Headlines

While inquiries and investigations continue, those closest to Stephen Campbell and Marc Hamilton remember not the controversy, but the men themselves — fathers, sons, brothers, and friends whose lives mattered deeply to those who loved them.

Stephen, known affectionately as “Spike,” was described by friends as “a kind-hearted man with a tough exterior but a soft soul,” devoted to his family and fiercely loyal to his loved ones. Marc was remembered as “funny, bright, and full of life,” a man whose struggles did not define the person he truly was.

As Scotland prepares to hear the findings of the Fatal Accident Inquiry, their names join a growing list of those whose final moments raise difficult questions about justice and humanity. The pain of their loss serves as a somber reminder that behind every report and headline lies a family still waiting for answers — and a community hoping for change.