Prison officer unaware of inmate being bullied

A prison officer assigned to monitor a 21-year-old who took her own life while serving a sentence has told an inquiry she was unaware of reports of her being bullied.

Heather Porter, 47, who acted as Katie Allan’s second personal officer during her time in custody at Polmont Young Offenders Institution in 2018, said she did not have access to a system where the incidents were recorded.

She was giving evidence on the third day of a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) at Falkirk Sheriff Court examining the circumstances of Ms Allan’s death at the prison in June 2018 and the death of William Brown, 16, also known as William Lindsay, there four months later.

The court was shown documentsloggingthatinapril 2018, intelligence had been received that Ms Allan and another inmate were being bullied by a third prisoner. The document said the prisoner had taken tobacco and stamps from the pair.

Asked if she was aware of this situation, Mrs Porter replied: “We can’t access that intelligence.”

Advocate depute Leanne Cross then moved on to discuss a second receipt of intelligence recorded in June that year that Ms Allan was being threatened in relation to her losing her hair in prison through alopecia.

Asked if she had ever heard any prisoners make derogatory remarks towards Ms Allan she replied: “I can’t remember anything directed at Katie. Young women fall out one day and are friends the next.”

Questioned about earlier evidence provided to the court that Ms Allan appeared to be “frightened” of certain prison officers, Mrs Porter said she always enjoyed a good relationship with her.

The inquiry, before Sheriff Simon Collins KC, continues.