NEW OVEN FOR ‘KOSHER’ CONS

Scandal of jail’s ‘kosher’ convicts costing taxpayer £5,000 a week SCANDAL: Scottish Mail on Sunday, August 21, 2016

JAIL bosses have splashed out on a pricey industrial oven to cater for prisoners demanding kosher food.

Almost one inmate in six at Glenochil jail, including rapists and paedophiles, now qualifies for the special diet after supposedly converting to Judaism.

They do not have to show any commitment to the religion to qualify for the meals, which they believe are tastier than standard prison food. Around 100 of Glenochil’s 600 inmates are involved, costing around £5,000 a week. Feeding one inmate a kosher diet costs the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) £10 daily. Ordinary jail food costs £2.47.

The stunt follows a similar storyline on TV jail drama Orange is the New Black. A source at the Clackmannan- shire prison said: ‘This should have been nipped in the bud at the start.

‘Bringing in an oven will only encourage even more liberties to be taken. Money is being frittered away on kowtowing to some of the worst criminals in Scotland.

‘Interestingly, there has not been a surge in requests to see a rabbi since these conversions to Judaism and many of them are also eating other foodstuffs that are not kosher.’

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Douglas Ross said: ‘This shows a lack of respect to use Judaism as a way to enhance their own prison treatment.’

The kosher campaign was sparked last year by serial offender Andrew Burns. Others who have joined in include child rapist Kenneth Gibson, killer Thomas Smith and rapist Steven Dick.

The SPS said: ‘We supply the diets that people say they require to adhere to their religious beliefs. We respect all beliefs.’