Families of prisoners who took their lives in Polmont to meet Crown office

The families of two prisoners who took their own lives whilst detained at the young offenders institute in Polmont are set to meet with the Crown Office in Edinburgh today (Thursday 27th October).

Katie Allan died in June 2018 at the age of 21, her parents have claimed she was being bullied and humiliated at Polmont.

She was set to serve a further 21 days before eligible for home detention curfew.

Katie’s mother said her daughter: "couldn’t face 21 seconds more, let alone days in the care of the Scottish Prison Service. Bullied, violated, crushed, she could take no more.”

16-year-old William Lindsay took his own life in October of the same year, despite having been flagged as a suicide risk.

William was in and out of care since the age of three, self-harming since the age of 8, considered a high risk of suicide from the age of 13 and had on several occasions attempted to take his own life.

The solicitor general met with the loved ones of both Katie and William last year, and promised a 'mandatory fatal accident inquiry'. But 12 months on they say there is no end in sight.

The families believe the Crown Office and Scottish Government have not taken any real action against the Scottish Prison Service and will demand the lifting of crown immunity for the Scottish Prison Service which their Solicitor Aamer Anwar says: "effectively gives the state a ‘license to kill’, with no effective remedy to seek justice."

Mr Anwar said: "Promises were made and apologies were offered by the Solicitor general when she first met with both families last year.

"Yet four years on there is no end in sight.

"Death, self harm, abuse of power is the daily reality of many prisoners.

"As the suicide rate has reached a peak in the last decade the Scottish prison service remains in a state of denial incapable of reforming itself.

"The families will demand the lifting of crown immunity."

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