Thomas Hamilton, spree killer

Thomas Hamilton (1952-1996), Scottish spree killer at Dunblane, Scotland was 43 years old when he committed the Dunblane massacre, the spree killing of 16 small children and a teacher in a primary school, and subsequently committing suicide. He had been a Scout leader in 1973 when 20, but was asked to leave because of complaints about his behaviour at camp. He tried many times to get back into the organisation.

People who knew him alleged he was obsessed with small boys (not the age group in which he did the killings, but older) and embittered by rejection. Throughout the years he ran a variety of boys' clubs. His behaviour had come to the attention of the police and at one point he had been refused the use for one of his clubs of the premises of the Dunblane primary school where he carried out his killings.

Hamilton possessed the firearms legally.