Latest news with #LiamKerr
Scottish Sun
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Scots inmates watching US telly hit Prison Break and other X-rated movies behind bars
Read on to discover some of the other titles available to cons NICK FLICK FIASCO Scots inmates watching US telly hit Prison Break and other X-rated movies behind bars Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Scottish Prison Service has come under fire for allowing inmates to watch X-rated content behind bars. Lags are permitted to rent from a catalogue of thousands of 18-rated DVDs, which include films about serial killers and sex beasts. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Inmates at Glasgow's HMP Barlinnie have been watching X-rated DVDs Credit: Alamy 4 American telly hit Prison Break depicts a complex jailbreak plan Credit: Fox Broadcasting 4 Raunchy flick Fifty Shades of Grey is available to rent Credit: Alamy And cons can even borrow 2005 crime drama Prison Break - which tells, in detail, the fictional story of a US jailbreak. Other titles available include serial killer classic Silence of the Lambs and psychological thriller Dexter - a series about a killer police forensic officer. A source said: 'Some of the depraved crimes this lot have committed could easily be adapted into a Hollywood blockbuster. 'The last thing they need is to be given any twisted ideas - they shouldn't even be allowed TVs in the first place.' Also available for prison movie nights is Fifty Shades of Grey, Brokeback Mountain and American Pie. Lags can also kick back and watch a documentary about real-life child killers Fred and Rose West. But critics have basted the film fiasco and are urging prison bosses to review the rules. A spokesman for the Prison Officers' Association told MailOnline: 'Given all the factors such as overcrowding, drug use, bullying and organised crime gang activities inside our prisons, the last thing we need is anything else adding to the tension or temperatures. 'It is something that the SPS should be reviewing as a priority with a view to limiting the availability of these films.' Elsewhere, the Scottish Conservatives are urging SNP ministers to order jail chiefs to remove the X-rated flicks. Shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr MSP said: 'Ordinary Scots will be appalled that inmates are being provided with X-rated movies by prisons. 'England and Wales banned 18-rated movies and TV shows from their prisons 12 years ago and it is about time that the Scottish Prison Service followed suit. 'Many of the prisoners at Barlinnie will be behind bars for violent crimes, so it is common sense they should not be able to access graphically violent material about serial killers and torturers. 'Prisoners trying to get clean will also not be helped by having access to content that promotes drug use. 4 Scottish Conservaites shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr blasted the SNP Credit: Alamy 'SNP Ministers must intervene and immediately direct the SPS to remove violent or sexual films from our prisons.' A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson added: 'Access to watching DVDs is a privilege not a right, and is available at the discretion of the Governor.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Crooks owe Scots authorities £5million after being ordered to pay back profits from their crimes
Criminals ordered to repay the profits of their crimes still owe the authorities £5 million, with critics branding the failure to recoup the cash an 'insult to victims'. Data from the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) shows there are currently 89 so-called 'confiscation orders' in arrears, worth a total of £5,065,459. The orders require criminals to pay back money they have gained via illegal activities under proceeds of crime laws. But a number of crooks continue to owe large sums of cash, despite the court orders being handed out more than a decade ago. Shockingly, there were two confiscation orders with outstanding payments due of more than £500,000, while several others are also for six figure sums. The largest amount owed is £560,881 in relation to late brothel madam Margaret Paterson, who pimped out women in Edinburgh for 10 years. She was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in 2013 after being convicted of brothel-keeping as well as money laundering and living on the earnings of prostitution. She was ordered to pay £1 million but died in 2019 before coughing up the bulk of the cash leaving prosecutors to try to recover the rest of the money from her estate. Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: 'These shocking figures are proof crime pays under the soft-touch SNP. It's clear our proceeds of crime laws are simply not fit for purpose, with wealthy criminals having nothing to fear. 'Complacent SNP ministers are failing to address the scale of organised crime in Scotland and must give our police, prosecutors and courts the resources they need to do their jobs and recover this money.' He added: 'Hard-working Scots will be appalled that this money is not being repaid by offenders, especially at a time when Nationalist ministers are cutting services and hiking taxes. 'The fact criminals are allowed to get away with this is another insult to victims of crime, who always seem to be an afterthought in the SNP's justice system.' Among the ten highest-value orders, half were imposed before 2016, with one of them dating back to 2012. According to figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives via freedom of information laws, no repayments had been made on six of the top ten highest sums, while others only had a small portion of the order paid back. Funds recovered through confiscation orders are used to help improve local communities. Since 2008, £130 million has been invested in community initiatives. An SCTS spokesman said: 'A confiscation order may take some time to recover in full. 'The period within which financial penalties should be paid is a matter for the judiciary.' A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'Payment of the order is supervised by the court. Where payment is not made, further action to recover the balance can be taken by the courts.'
The Courier
3 days ago
- The Courier
Dundee violence fears as footage of another street fight emerges
Fears have been raised about the levels of violence on Dundee's streets after footage emerged of another fight in the city. The incident, recorded on Craigowan Road in Charleston, is understood to have happened earlier this month. A video of the fight has been posted on social media. The footage shows two men, a woman and four masked youths in an altercation outside the community centre. Several of the youths then attack one of the men, pushing him to the ground and kicking him. A car window is also smashed. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'We are aware of footage showing a disturbance in the Craigowan Road area of Dundee, believed to have been filmed during May 2025. 'Inquiries are ongoing.' It comes just days after footage of another street fight in St Mary's, where vehicles and weapons were involved, was shared online. An investigation into that incident – which left a 24-year-old man in hospital – is continuing. There have been several other incidents across the city of late, including an alleged serious assault on a 14-year-old girl in Broughty Ferry. Liam Kerr, Scottish Conservative MSP for north-east Scotland, is calling for authorities to come together and tackle 'escalating incidents of violence' in the city. He said: 'This is becoming all-too-common a sight on social media. 'It's all too easy to dismiss these acts as those of 'little boys acting the big man' or to make light of violence happening in more deprived areas. 'But this is happening in daylight, outside people's homes, and even next to a cornerstone of the community in Charleston. 'This explosion in violence on Dundee streets, played out in real time and for thousands of people to see online, needs tackled before someone dies.'
Scottish Sun
25-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Scots sex beasts at Barlinnie Prison moved to cushy landing for low risk cons
Some cons on the wing have their own cell keys while others have 24-hour phone access and PlayStations FIENDS WING 'BURSTING' Scots sex beasts at Barlinnie Prison moved to cushy landing for low risk cons Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SEX beasts at Barlinnie Prison are being moved to a cushy landing housing low risk cons who are set for early release. Jail sources say bosses have been forced into making the switch because the nick's fiends wing is 'bursting at the seams'. 3 Sex beasts at Barlinnie Prison are being moved to a cushy landing housing low risk cons Credit: Alamy 3 Depraved "Beastie House" ringleader Iain Owens is in the Glasgow prison It comes as the notorious Glasgow prison is currently accommodating a host of sickos — including the 'Beastie House' paedophile ring and its depraved ringleader Iain Owens, 46. A series of sex offenders are now in the jail's comfortable Letham Hall due to the overcrowding issue. A source said: 'Nobody wants to be banged up alongside a filthy beast. 'Some of these prisoners set for early release would jump at the chance to attack a paedo. 'However, they know that one wrong step could jeopardise their freedom. The only light at the end of the tunnel is the thought of getting out, and they wouldn't risk that. 'But there are a few unhappy faces on the landings, even the screws are fed-up of it.' Letham Hall is more relaxed and boasts a nice garden, games area and welcoming spots where lags can socialise. Some cons on the wing have their own cell keys while others have 24-hour phone access and PlayStations. The sex offender overcrowding issue was last night branded 'alarming'. Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: 'This is a direct consequence of the SNP's mismanagement of our prison estate. SNP ministers have been missing in action rather than delivering the prison capacity Scotland requires. Brit woman, 21, rotting in Dubai hellhole jail without a shower for a month after being arrested on drugs charges 'This is a problem entirely of the SNP's making — they've had 18 years to create sufficient capacity and have failed miserably.' A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: "We have been managing an extremely high and complex population for more than a year, with nine prisons now at red risk status. "Our staff have worked exceptionally hard to maximise all possible space and ensure we continue to meet the risks and needs of those in our care. "However, this has an increasingly destabilising effect on our establishments, with staff unable to do the critical work of building relationships and supporting rehabilitation, and prisoners frustrated by the impact on their daily lives and opportunities."
Press and Journal
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Press and Journal
Trapped by Raac: 5000 reasons to keep fighting for Aberdeen homeowners impacted by concrete crisis
We took our Trapped by Raac campaign onto the streets of Aberdeen this weekend – and the hard work paid off. Thanks to a protest involving members of the Torry Community Raac Campaign (TCRC) group, affected families from Balnagask, and team P&J – we've now crossed the 5,000 signature mark on the homeowners' petition. Attended by owner occupiers and former council tenants alike, some members of the group held banners to protest the situation, reminding the public about the burgeoning concrete crisis. Others spoke to shoppers to garner more names on the petition, sharing stories of the 500 households in Aberdeen impacted by Raac. The group was visited by Conservative MSP Liam Kerr, who spent time listening to stories from families caught in this crisis. Labour councillor Simon Watson – who represents Torry and Ferryhill – also stopped by to talk to his constituents. At the same time as the protest, Fiona and Ricky Burgess, whose story we shared this week, proudly took a Raac campaign banner to Hampden for the Aberdeen Celtic Scottish Cup final. Founding member of TCRC Lynn Winstanley is one of 138 homeowners whose houses are marked for demolition. She stands to lose 10s of 1000s from the value of her home if she sells her property back to ACC. She said: 'We can't sit back and relax though 5000 signatures on the petition is amazing. That's only half the names we need to get a reply from Westminster. 'If you haven't already signed, please do. Put yourself in our shoes. You'd want people to get behind you and to help you. That's all we are asking for.' The petition, which calls for justice, fair house prices for homeowners, and an eventual public enquiry, needs to cross 10,000 signatures before the UK Government will, at the very least, reply. In a previous interview with Aberdeen City Council co-leader Christian Allard, he said without Westminister unlocking financial support, Raac [crisis] could become the next Post Office Scandal. We also revealed that only four properties have been bought back by ACC since the voluntary acquisition process began. A total of 13 owners, from 138 privately owned properties, have agreed to sell following Valuation Office Agency assessments. 'Selling our homes for sometimes half what they were worth before we heard about Raac is not something we can just sit back and let happen. 'It's not fair. We are in this situation through no fault of our own,' Lynn added. 'Please, please keep sharing the petition, ask your friends to sign it. It's Aberdeen now but we are hearing about this all over the country. If we win our battle it could help future families never go through the hell we're going through.' Lindsay Bruce of The Press and Journal also shared a video thanking those who have signed the petition but called for others to join the campaign. To read more about the Raac crisis and our campaign click here.
