Sturgeon makes U-turn on trans prison rules
SNP will ban violent criminals from female jails after UN torture expert called for ‘common sense’
Transgender prisoners with a history of violence against women will no longer be moved to female jails in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon’s government has said in a dramatic about-turn aimed at stopping more scandals. Keith Brown, the SNP’S justice secretary, announced a temporary ban affecting newly convicted trans criminals with “any history” of violence against women, or those wanting to move from a male to female prison.
TRANSGENDER prisoners with a history of violence against women will no longer be moved to female jails in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon’s government has said in a dramatic about-turn aimed at stopping more scandals. Keith Brown, the SNP’S Justice Secretary, announced a temporary ban affecting newly convicted trans criminals with “any history” of violence against women, or those wanting to move from a male to female prison.
He said the measures had been introduced to ensure the “ongoing” safety of women offenders while the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) conducts a review of the management of trans inmates.
His announcement came only hours after a UN expert on torture piled pressure on Ms Sturgeon to stop violent trans sex criminals being jailed in women’s prisons, asking: “Where is the common sense?”
Current SPS guidance states that trans criminals should be sent to the prison that matches their self-identified gender that they were living in prior to their conviction.
Although the ban does not cover trans offenders already in a female prison, the Scottish Government confirmed it meant that one of Scotland’s most violent inmates would no longer be moved to a women’s jail.
It emerged on Saturday that Tiffany Scott who, when known as Andrew Burns, stalked a 13-year-old girl, had been approved for transfer to a jail that aligns with the serial criminal’s chosen gender.
The ban will also cover Isla Bryson, who was sent to Cornton Vale women’s prison in Stirling last week after being convicted of two rapes.
Following a huge public outcry, Bryson was moved to a men’s cell in Saughton jail in Edinburgh.
Ms Sturgeon said last week that “as a general principle” rapists should not be housed in women’s prisons. However, she raised the prospect of exceptions being made and gave no guarantee about trans criminals convicted of other sexual offences.
Unveiling the ban, Mr Brown said no transgender criminal already in custody with “any history of violence against women” will be moved from the male to the female estate.
In addition, he said newly convicted or remanded transgender prisoners in this category will not be placed in a female jail, including those found guilty of sexual offences. They will instead be kept segregated in a male prison. Russell Findlay, the Scottish Conservatives’ shadow community safety minister, said: “After much dithering and flipflopping, the SNP government has finally been shamed into doing the right thing.”
He added: “It should not have taken a second shocking case for them to ban all transfers. The long overdue SPS policy review must now be completed as a matter of urgency.”
An SPS spokesman said: “We have paused the movement of all transgender individuals, until the review has been completed.”