Coronavirus rules and bullying keep inmates awake in the night

INMATES at HMP Perth submitted an average of 17 complaints every week last year, covering issues like bullying as well as the prison’s Covid restrictions.

Prisoners at the Category A lock-up sent a total of 793 complaints in the year leading up to November 2021, data shows.

In one of the most serious cases, a prisoner claimed to have been sexually assaulted by another inmate.

The prison houses those on remand and awaiting trial, as well as adult men serving short and longterm sentences of more than four years.

Inmates include John Styles, who is serving a minimum term of 15 years after stabbing artist Jeroen van Neijhof, 38, to death.

Objections about day-today life at HMP Perth made up the bulk of complaints, with grievances about property, the prison regime, visits, phone calls and work making up 123 of the 278 less serious class 1 complaints.

Less common complaints included eight criticisms each of staff and medical services, six about inmate clothing and four centred on prison wages.

Dozens of inmates also raised issues about the canteen and how they purchase sundry items like newspapers, the figures showed.

Restrictions put in place to control the spread of coronavirus in the prison also attracted gripes, with prison bosses dealing with 12 such protests between January and November.

Hundreds of inmates at the jail have been forced to isolate at different points during the pandemic, including in October after 30 people at the complex tested positive for coronavirus.

One case of sexual assault was reported by a prisoner at HMP Perth, while 21 cases of inmate violence were also raised with the governor.

No complaints about sexual assault against staff were recorded.

Warders did, however, raise grievances regarding a total of 33 instances of prisoner violence towards them.

HMP Perth recorded an average of 17 complaints a week.