Latest news with #HMPGlasgow
Scottish Sun
28-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Cheeky Celtic supporters hoist Irish flag at site of Scotland's new super prison
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PRANKSTER Celtic fans hung an Ireland flag from a pole at the entrance to Scotland's new super jail. The cheeky supporters hoisted the tricolour on Saturday as they decorated numerous lamp posts outside HMP Glasgow on Royston Road. 3 Celtic fans hoisted an Irish flag on a flagpole at HMP Glasgow Credit: Supplied 3 Prankster supporters laughed as the tricolour fluttered in the breeze Credit: Supplied As the green, white and orange flag was hoisted up the pole workers fans could be heard laughing and cheering. The display was done in preparation for the Hoops winning the treble in the staunch Celtic-supporting area of the city. But Aberdeen torpedoed the team's dream quest with a shock Scottish Cup win. The joker jumped over the fence into the building site and swiftly took down a flag belonging to Kier Construction. The Irish flag was then unfurled above a sign saying HMP Glasgow and remained there until at least Sunday. It had gone by Monday morning. A source said: "It was just a laugh and a joke. Maybe they should keep the new jail for Celtic fans and give Barlinnie to Rangers supporters?" But referring to a Scottish Sun exclusive where we told how beasts are now using a cushy wing of the 'Bar-L' with regular lags, one said: "Maybe they should give the mainstream cons the new jail and the Bar-L can be kept for the sex offenders." The expected completion of the new Glasgow superjail has been delayed until 2028, nine years later than originally promised. The cost of the huge complex has also rocketed ten-fold to a staggering £1billion. PRISON VIDEO DD HMP Glasgow will replace ageing HMP Barlinnie, which dates back to the Victorian era. The historic prison has been hampered by overcrowding and cramped conditions. Earlier this year, scores of inmates were released from custody across Scotland to ease the strain on jails.
The Herald Scotland
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
New 'specialist prisons' plan after investigation by The Herald
The Herald highlighted the growing pressure Scotland's prisons during an in-depth week long investigation in March and April. Interviewed by the paper Justice Secretary Angela Constance conceded the country faces a 'critical risk' from overcrowding. READ MORE: Scotland facing 'critical risk' from overcrowding in prisons Riot fears amid record prisoner numbers and overcrowding Calls for elderly inmates in Scotland's prisons to be moved I spent the day inside HMP Low Moss and here's what I found Our investigation revealed that despite reforms to allow the early release of short term prisoners, eight prisons were operating this Spring at the maximum security level - red risk with around 8300 prisoners - with the system designed to hold around 7900. It also found that Scottish Prison Service (SPS) projections suggest the population could grow further to 8,400 by the end of June and could hit record levels of between 8,500 to 8,600 by end of September. To date, the highest ever number recorded was 8420 on March 5, 2012, while the second highest was recorded figure on February 17 this year when it reached 8375. Our team of reporters found concern that overcrowding puts limits on rehabilitation work with offenders while governors expressed fears that rioting - which broke out in Scotland's jails in the 1980s and 1990s - could return to the system. Despite efforts since the SNP came to power in 2007 to reduce the number of people in prison Scotland has one of the highest rates of incarceration in western Europe. Mr Swinney's Programme for Government for the year ahead stated that ministers "taken a range of actions over the last two years to address a rising prison population" and added: "We will now go further to secure a more sustainable population long-term." The document stated that the plans included "changing the eligibility criteria for home detention curfew (HDC) and deploying GPS technology for use with HDC"; working with "justice partners to strengthen alternatives to remand through continued investment for bail services". The document went on to say the government was "scoping the feasibility of new specialist models of imprisonment for groups such as older and younger people." It added that it was providing £347 million in 2025-26 to invest in the prison estate to progress the work on HMP Glasgow and HMP Highland which would increase design capacity in the estate by 464 places. The document also stated that the government was working with the Scottish Prison Service on improving employability of prisoners therefore reducing reoffending, by piloting "Employment Advisory Boards" to connect prisoners to support services before their release. Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur welcomed the plans being put forward but warned they were not enough to deal with the current challenge. 'Liberal Democrats have long called for the Scottish Government to get a handle on overcrowding and strengthen alternatives to remand, so I am pleased that they are finally exploring this," he said. 'These measures, however, are long overdue, especially when the SNP knew about overcrowding for years and never did enough to tackle it. The terrible conditions inside prisons are the direct result of that mismanagement. 'These plans contain a lot of 'scoping' and 'piloting'. This may be necessary but is not sufficient, and is unlikely to have any notable impact over the coming 12 months. 'I am also concerned that they do not address some of the more fundamental problems underpinning prison overcrowding, including delays to trials and hearings which leave more people remanded in custody for longer periods of time. "That's why I want ministers to do everything possible to support staff across the justice sector and bring down court backlogs." A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Scotland is not alone in facing challenges as a result of a rise in the prison population. There is no single reason for the increase and there is no single solution to the issue. 'That is why we are working with the Scottish Prison Service on a number of actions to manage the complex prison population in a safe and sustainable way.'
Sky News
08-04-2025
- Sky News
HMP Barlinnie: Scotland's largest prison in 'wretchedly poor state'
Why you can trust Sky News Inspectors have described Scotland's notorious HMP Barlinnie as being in a "wretchedly poor state" while operating at 30% over capacity. HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) is "strongly" urging the Scottish government to do more to tackle the "fundamental problem" of overcrowding at the nation's largest jail. HMIPS noted the 143-year-old facility regularly houses more than 1,300 inmates despite its design capacity for 987. Replacement jail HMP Glasgow is set to be built in the city's Provanmill district and will be able to hold 1,344 prisoners. However, the delayed £1bn development is not expected to open until 2028. HMIPS said: "The need for a replacement prison through the planned new HMP Glasgow remains overwhelming and urgent." It carried out a week-long inspection at Barlinnie in November and also found nearly two thirds of prisoners were sharing cells designed for one person. Its report - published on Tuesday - highlighted a pre-inspection survey which revealed 55% of inmates had witnessed staff members "abusing, bullying, threatening, or assaulting another prisoner". HMIPS said: "Inspectors never witnessed any unacceptable behaviour and indeed observed staff engaging prisoners in cheerful but respectful light-hearted banter, but these results were worse than for other closed prisons and gave serious cause for concern. "We encourage the prison to reflect further on the survey findings." In a bid to tackle overcrowding, MSPs last year passed legislation so that prisoners sentenced to less than four years will be released after serving 40% of their sentence as opposed to the previous 50%. HMIPS noted: "Overcrowding makes it harder to access basic entitlements. "It also makes it harder for staff to build and retain positive relationships, and the additional daily transactional work in dealing with more prisoners than a prison is designed to accommodate can put a strain on services and relationships." As a result of the overcrowding, the inspection found a shortage of employment opportunities and long waiting lists to access work. It also found lengthy waiting lists for addiction and alcohol recovery services. HMIPS said it was "pleasing to see" that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) had completely refurbished the reception area. The health centre had also been "reconfigured and modernised", while the introduction of a new resource hub where inmates can seek the help of external agencies, access the library, or play snooker or pool was said to be an "impressive development". Additionally, a Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids (HDHK) initiative - where locked up fathers are allowed to play with their children and enjoy family meals - was also singled out for praise. HMIPS said although Barlinnie "proved to be a better place than we expected from our pre-inspection survey", it highlighted its 2019 report which identified Letham Hall as being in a "state of disrepair". Letham Hall houses prisoners serving life sentences and long-term prison terms. HMIPS added: "Five years later, despite some refurbishment, it remained in a wretchedly poor state." The SPS welcomed the report. A spokesperson said: "The Scottish Prison Service takes a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and, while we note inspectors did not witness bullying but rather found staff to be engaging and respectful to people in the care of HMP Barlinnie, we are not complacent and are committed to developing a new strategy later this year after drawing on external expertise. "We have been managing an extremely high and complex population for more than a year, and this puts pressure on everyone living and working in our establishments. "Staff work hard to maximise opportunities for rehabilitation, education, and other activities out of cells, to support people's personal journeys, reduce the risk of reoffending, and help create safer communities. "However, this is challenging given the population pressures faced." Justice Secretary Angela Constance welcomed the inspectorate's finding that Barlinnie is a "safe, stable, well-run prison". She added: "Like the rest of the UK, we continue to experience a significant rise in the prison population, and we have taken actions to tackle this which were essential to improve conditions within prisons. "Whilst prison will always be appropriate for those who present the greatest risk to the public, our longstanding aim is to encourage more widespread use of community disposals where appropriate. "We are investing an additional £25m over two years to support community justice services to further strengthen alternatives to custody, which can be more effective in reducing reoffending than short term custodial sentences."
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scotland's new £1bn prison will be ‘like Costa Coffee', says governor
Scotland's new £1 billion super-prison could be like a 'Costa coffee', the governor of the jail it is replacing has said. Michael Stoney said he wanted HMP Glasgow to be viewed as a community facility rather than a prison and 'a place that you could walk into on any normal day, like a Costa Coffee'. Mr Stoney, the governor of the city's Victorian Barlinnie jail, argued that local groups could use the new prison for meetings and MSPs for constituency surgeries. He was involved in the design of the new facility and praised it for its innovative layout, which promotes accessibility. But the Scottish Tories said his remarks would 'astound' ordinary Scots, with SNP ministers 'set to squander £1 billion on building what sounds more like a luxury hotel than a replacement prison for Barlinnie'. Scottish Government ministers disclosed in February that the cost of HMP Glasgow had surged from its original estimate of £100 million, prompting criticism of its 'nonsense' specification. The Scottish Prison Service has previously described the new jail as having more in common with a school or college campus than with a 19th-century prison. Jail cell halls have been renamed as houseblocks and inmates will be referred to as residents. The amphitheatre-style steps will adorn the front of the main building. The prison will feature an orchard, woodlands, grassy meadows, hedgerows, courtyards, community action spaces, areas for horticulture, walking routes and health and wellbeing gardens. Although plans for 300 special bricks with holes for endangered swifts to live in were dropped, there will be bird nesting boxes that owls can use. There will also be a community café for people visiting the prison and gardens where they can sit, while play equipment will be provided for the visiting children of inmates. Mr Stoney told the Glasgow Times: 'There will be a huge focus on social value. We want to become intrinsically integrated with our local community, support local needs through poverty, deprivation, age and youth work and provide them with resources they lack. 'We are hoping it won't just be seen as a prison but a place that you could walk into on any normal day, like a Costa Coffee. 'We have all sorts of ideas on how to utilise it. Could councillors and MSPs use it for surgeries? Could community groups use it as a meeting space?' Asked about the jail's spiralling price tag, he blamed construction costs, saying: 'It's a lot of money. But unfortunately, that's where the prices are.' He insisted that 'we did not go for anything that looks fanciful or looks like a hotel room' for the design of the cells, which he said would be cheap and quick to repair if damaged by inmates. Instead, he said, the construction 'will focus on effective ventilation and heating, access to natural light and good acoustics' to reduce stress levels among the criminal inhabitants. But Annie Wells, a Scottish Tory MSP for Glasgow, said: 'It is scarcely believable that the governor is talking up the prospect of this new prison being akin to a Costa coffee shop. Scots expect it to be a high-security, no-frills jail, but instead it's being talked up as a tourist attraction or a place for politicians to meet constituents. 'This soft-touch justice approach has been the hallmark of 18 years of the SNP relentlessly weakening Scotland's justice system. It is just common sense that taxpayers and victims should be the priority upon building this prison, instead of making life as cushy as possible for hardened criminals.' The replacement for Barlinnie, which houses some of Scotland's toughest and most prolific criminals, was supposed to be completed in 2019 but is now not scheduled to open until 2028. The new jail in the Germiston area will hold 1,344 inmates – 357 more than Barlinnie, which is suffering from chronic overcrowding. A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: 'HMP Glasgow has been designed to deliver fit-for-purpose, safe and secure accommodation and will have a transformative impact in how we support and rehabilitate people. 'It will be an important part of the city, and with greater space and resources available. We will be able to work with a wider range of charities, support organisations and community groups, all dedicated to meeting the needs of people in custody, their families and the local community.' The Scottish Government has been approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
07-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Scotland's new £1bn prison will be ‘like Costa Coffee', says governor
Scotland's new £1 billion super-prison could be like a 'Costa coffee', the governor of the jail it is replacing has said. Michael Stoney said he wanted HMP Glasgow to be viewed as a community facility rather than a prison and 'a place that you could walk into on any normal day, like a Costa Coffee'. Mr Stoney, the governor of the city's Victorian Barlinnie jail, argued that local groups could use the new prison for meetings and MSPs for constituency surgeries. He was involved in the design of the new facility and praised it for its innovative layout, which promotes accessibility. But the Scottish Tories said his remarks would 'astound' ordinary Scots, with SNP ministers 'set to squander £1 billion on building what sounds more like a luxury hotel than a replacement prison for Barlinnie'. Scottish Government ministers disclosed in February that the cost of HMP Glasgow had surged from its original estimate of £100 million, prompting criticism of its 'nonsense' specification. The Scottish Prison Service has previously described the new jail as having more in common with a school or college campus than with a 19th-century prison. Jail cell halls have been renamed as houseblocks and inmates will be referred to as residents. The amphitheatre-style steps will adorn the front of the main building. The prison will feature an orchard, woodlands, grassy meadows, hedgerows, courtyards, community action spaces, areas for horticulture, walking routes and health and wellbeing gardens. Although plans for 300 special bricks with holes for endangered swifts to live in were dropped, there will be bird nesting boxes that owls can use. There will also be a community café for people visiting the prison and gardens where they can sit, while play equipment will be provided for the visiting children of inmates. Mr Stoney told the Glasgow Times: 'There will be a huge focus on social value. We want to become intrinsically integrated with our local community, support local needs through poverty, deprivation, age and youth work and provide them with resources they lack. 'We are hoping it won't just be seen as a prison but a place that you could walk into on any normal day, like a Costa Coffee. 'We have all sorts of ideas on how to utilise it. Could councillors and MSPs use it for surgeries? Could community groups use it as a meeting space?' Asked about the jail's spiralling price tag, he blamed construction costs, saying: 'It's a lot of money. But unfortunately, that's where the prices are.' He insisted that 'we did not go for anything that looks fanciful or looks like a hotel room' for the design of the cells, which he said would be cheap and quick to repair if damaged by inmates. Instead, he said, the construction 'will focus on effective ventilation and heating, access to natural light and good acoustics' to reduce stress levels among the criminal inhabitants. But Annie Wells, a Scottish Tory MSP for Glasgow, said: 'It is scarcely believable that the governor is talking up the prospect of this new prison being akin to a Costa coffee shop. Scots expect it to be a high-security, no-frills jail, but instead it's being talked up as a tourist attraction or a place for politicians to meet constituents. 'This soft-touch justice approach has been the hallmark of 18 years of the SNP relentlessly weakening Scotland's justice system. It is just common sense that taxpayers and victims should be the priority upon building this prison, instead of making life as cushy as possible for hardened criminals.' The replacement for Barlinnie, which houses some of Scotland's toughest and most prolific criminals, was supposed to be completed in 2019 but is now not scheduled to open until 2028. 'Fit-for-purpose, safe and secure' The new jail in the Germiston area will hold 1,344 inmates – 357 more than Barlinnie, which is suffering from chronic overcrowding. A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: 'HMP Glasgow has been designed to deliver fit-for-purpose, safe and secure accommodation and will have a transformative impact in how we support and rehabilitate people. 'It will be an important part of the city, and with greater space and resources available. We will be able to work with a wider range of charities, support organisations and community groups, all dedicated to meeting the needs of people in custody, their families and the local community.'
