‘Monkey man’ killer reportedly dies following prison release

A man convicted of a murder in Sanday has died, according to a national newspaper.

In 2010, John “Jack” Campbell — known by some on the island as “Monkey Man” — was convicted of murdering 54-year-old Robert Rose the previous year.

The former monkey keeper, then 59, was sentenced at Glasgow High Court to life imprisonment, and told that he must serve 16 years before being considered for parole.

His co-accused Stephen Crummack, then 51, was found guilty of culpable homicide and burying Mr Rose’s body in sand dunes.

Both men were convicted of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by burying Mr Rose’s body in sand dunes and pretending that he had left Sanday.

During the trial, it was heard that Rose died fighting for his life, as he was hit over the head before being smothered with a pillow.

Campbell and Crummack then robbed him of his wallet, containing £200, wrapped his body in a duvet and left it overnight in Mr Rose’s Land Rover Discovery.

The next day they drove the vehicle six miles to Stywick, and buried him in a shallow grave in the sand dunes.

The court heard that Campbell’s motive was hatred for Mr Rose — the “love rival” who had “stolen” his partner from him.

This week, the Daily Record has quoted a source saying that Campbell, now 73, was released from prison last year on compassionate grounds.

The newspaper reports that the convicted murder had cancer, and that he died on Sunday.