Sunday Mail (UK)

FIREBOMB GUARD IS SUSPENDED IN JAIL DRUGS PROBE

Smuggling fear as bosses launch Bar-L investigat­ion Mark McGivern A prison officer whose car was firebombed outside her home has been suspended amid fears contraband was being smuggled.

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The female officer at HMP Barlinnie in Glasgow is being investigat­ed by Scottish Prison Service bosses after an incident earlier this month.

It emerged that the staf f member had been targeted by criminals who torched her car in May.

That incident followed an arson attack in Barlinnie’s staff car park in January, which was also believed to be related to the drugs trade within the jail.

When two cars were set ablaze, inmates were heard cheering and locals made videos that showed the destructio­n.

A source said: “It’s not actually clear what this officer was taking in but there’s a lot going on at Barlinnie now, with gangsters attempting to coerce officers to take stuff in, mainly phones and drugs.

“It starts out as a bribe made and officers can get approached away from the jail.

“But as soon as anyone shows weakness and takes even the smallest package in, that’s it. They’ve effectivel­y sold themselves.

“There isn’t any way of putting in your notice and resigning from the gangland postal service because they have a hold over you with blackmail and, by this time, they know where you live and who your family members are.”

The source added: “There’s been a few officers’ cars targeted in separate incidents and it’s difficult not to consider that they’re linked.”

At the firebombin­g incident in January, a white car and a red vehicle were engulfed in flames.

The melted cars were removed from the scene by a recovery vehicle just hours later.

Both of the motors were

completely gut ted by the flames, with the white car’s front wing melting away under the intense heat.

Officers cordoned off the car park.

Footage showed multiple cars on fire as thick smoke billowed across the car park.

A Scottish Prison Service spokespers­on confirmed that a member of staff had been suspended but refused to give further details.

You can’t resign from the gangland postal service

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 ??  ?? TORCHED Cars are set alight at HMP Barlinnie. Far left, destroyed car is taken away from jail
TORCHED Cars are set alight at HMP Barlinnie. Far left, destroyed car is taken away from jail
 ??  ?? GUTTED Motor is removed from car park at Barlinnie
Pic Victoria Stewart
GUTTED Motor is removed from car park at Barlinnie Pic Victoria Stewart

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