The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Sex offenders voice anger at having to share cells
SEX OFFENDERS have been bombarding prison bosses with complaints about having to share a cell with other sex offenders, according to the prisons inspector.
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Brigadier Hugh Monro has revealed “a disproportionate number of complaints to inspectors” about doubling up in the segregated sex offenders wing of Glenochil Prison, in Clackmannanshire.
Mr Monro found “fair progress” has been made since the last full inspection in 2010, but said the impact of a transfer of sex offenders from Peterhead has been “considerable”.
In October 2010, 150 sex offenders were transferred from Peterhead to Glenochil’s Harviestoun Hall.
The inspection report stated: “Inevitably the requirement to separate these prisoners from the others in the prison has complicated the regime.
It added: “There is very strict separation of these prisoners from others within the regime and this causes restrictions particularly in terms of access to activities and programmes.
“Inevitably each of the two different populations perceive that they have lost out. Overcrowding has become more acute since the original inspection and the instances of doubled up single cells in Harviestoun Hall caused a disproportionate number of complaints to inspectors.
“There are 64 single cells in Harviestoun doubled up and 26 in Abercrombie Hall.”