A grieving mother claims her son’s life might have been spared if his ‘malevolent’ assailant had not been granted bail. The tragic incident involved serial offender Cameron Woods, who fatally stabbed 26-year-old Robert Fisher in July 2023.
This week, Woods faced the court once more, this time for a conviction of raping a young woman at knifepoint, a crime that had initially led to his release on bail.
During proceedings at Paisley Sheriff Court, it was revealed that Woods executed his attack on Fisher while he was out on bail awaiting trial for the rape charge.
Pamela Peacock, Fisher’s heartbroken mother, has voiced her disapproval of the decision to release Woods, asserting that her son might still be alive if the criminal had remained incarcerated.
“This tragedy was preventable,” remarked Mrs. Peacock, 52. “Had the situation been managed correctly and Woods held in custody, I firmly believe Robert would be with us today.”
Mrs Peacock, 52, said: ‘This is something that should never have happened. If it had been dealt with properly and if Woods had been remanded I believe Robert would still be here today.’
She added: ‘Cameron Woods is a murderer and a rapist. He is a danger to the public. He should never be released. He’s just evil.’
Woods raped the woman in the early hours of April 16, 2023 but nine days later was released on bail. On July 23, he carried out the ‘frenzied’ knife murder of Mr Fisher.
Pamela Peacock, the mother of Robert Fisher, said her son Robert Fisher would still be alive if his killer had been remanded in custody
Robert, above, died in hospital days after being stabbed by Cameron Woods in 2023
Woods carried out the murder just months after being released on bail over rape allegations
The young father was found critically injured in a flat in Paisley after an argument broke out in a tower block. He died in hospital days later.
Woods and his former partner Stacey Balfour, 24, were convicted of Mr Fisher’s murder at the High Court in Glasgow in June of this year.
The full extent of Woods’ sickening crimes came to light following his rape conviction this week, with critics citing it as an example of the SNP’s soft-touch justice system.
Scottish Conservative community safety spokesman, Sharon Dowey, said it was ‘outrageous’ that Woods was in a position to kill Mr Fisher after his previous ‘heinous crimes’.
Mrs Peacock said: ‘Too many people are being released on bail for serious crimes when they should be remanded.
‘I understand the prisons are full but they should be remanded for serious crimes.’
Mrs Peacock, who has two other sons and a daughter, said her children have always been close and supported her through the murder trial.
Her torment was made worse by the fact that Woods was ‘disrespectful’ to her family throughout the court case.
She said: ‘He showed absolutely no remorse at all. He shouldn’t be allowed out of prison.
‘I hope when he does get sentenced [for the rape], he’s made to serve it after the 18 years that he’s doing for Robert.’
Despite the traumatic nature of his death, Mrs Peacock said she returns to the street where he was fatally wounded on his birthday and the anniversary of his death.
However, despite the many happy memories the family have of him, their loss goes on.
Mrs Peacock said: ‘The murder has robbed me of my son, it’s robbed my granddaughter of her dad and it’s robbed my children of their sibling.’
She added: ‘I’m absolutely heartbroken that my son is not here. I think about him every day.
‘Robert cared for me a lot. My life has completely changed. I feel, as if I’m a different person.’
The Scottish Government said decisions on whether to grant bail ‘are a matter for the independent courts based on the individual facts and circumstances of each case’.
