BAR- L CONTRABAND ATTEMPT IS FOILED
AN A T T E M P T E D cont raband drop at Barlinnie was foiled by officers yesterday. In a video seen by the Glasgow Times, a man in a grey tracksuit climbs over a spiked metal fence outside the East End prison and throws an object over the stone wall.
The source – who did not wish to be named – took the video yesterday morning and said it was the second attempted drop- off that day.
A Scottish Prisons Service ( SPS) spokesman confirmed to the Glasgow Times that there was an incident yesterday involving contraband entering the prison.
He said: “A person or persons threw contraband over the prison wall.
“Staff had to intervene to retrieve the items.
“They have not yet been tested.”
Councillor Thomas Kerr, the leader of the Tory party in Glasgow city council condemned the attempted contraband drop.
He said: “” This concerning incident Prison. is at a very Barlinnie
“I’m pleased to hear that the matter is now the subject of an investigation and hope the perpetrator can be identified as soon as possible. Like all of our essential service workers during this pandemic , the dedicated staff at Ba r l i n n i e are working day and night for the public good and I know I speak for all of Glasgow when I express our continued thanks to them for the work they are doing.”
Police Scotland has been approached incident.
Prison officers are also under fire for apparently disregarding social distancing rules.
Photos sent to the Glasgow Times appear to show guards sitting outside the prison on breaks and in one, at least five workers are seen huddled under an umbrella.
The source said the photographs captured “just a few of many” incidents he had spotted of guards breaking coronavirus guidelines.
A neighbour of the East End nick said he had long- standing issues with prison staff being “noisy” on their breaks.
He said: “I’ve seen them standing there, loads of them, having a chat or having a fag, no social distancing or wearing masks. for comment on the
“They’re so loud, behaviour.”
The SPS said that all staff were required to social distance from each other and that breaches would be investigated by prison bosses.
More than 250 inmates at Barlinnie are in lockdown after four members of staff and two prisoners tested positive for the deadly bug.
STV reported of prison self- isolating.
Visits to ‘ A’ Hall have suspended until October 20.
An SPS spokesman confirmed last week: “At the moment we believe it has been contained within ‘ A’ Hall.
“Visiting to other wings within the prison remain unchanged.”
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