Jail Closure Raises Overcrowding Fears

Scotland’s already overcrowded prisons are to be stretched even further with the announcement that one of the country’s jails will close in May.

Low Moss prison, near Bishopbriggs, which houses about 300 short and medium-term inmates, will shut on 28 May, the Scottish Prison Service has announced.

With prison living conditions recognised to be the worst in Scotland, the jail – originally used as an RAF camp in the Second World War – was first earmarked for closure nearly five years ago.

But the prison was kept open due to rising inmate numbers and anger among East Dunbartonshire Council and the local community over plans for a new 700-capacity jail on the same site.

But following the decision by ministers to overrule objections to the new jail and give the facility the go-ahead last month, and continuing uncertainty for the 150 staff, the SPS has now moved to announce its closure.

Scotland’s chief inspector of prisons, Andrew McLellan, who has repeatedly attacked prison overcrowding, last night voiced concern over the move.

Mr McLellan told The Scotsman: “There will be an overcrowding issue. The prison service needs to press ahead with new accommodation at other jails, so that the prisoners from Low Moss do not have to be squeezed into other overcrowded prisons for a long time. If that [squeezing prisoners in] happens then that will be a real concern to me.”

A large number of prisoners at Low Moss are from the Tayside area who would normally be accommodated at Glenochil or Perth prisons, but for ongoing renovation projects at those jails.

Mr McLellan also said he “hoped and trusted” that staff at Low Moss who will be relocated to other jails are treated “with sensitivity”.

He and his predecessor, Clive Fairweather, have previously called for Low Moss to be closed, with the living conditions there described as the worst in Scotland.

“They made significant improvements to the dormitories, but the whole fabric of the building wasn’t designed for a prison. It’s a significant fire risk,” Mr McLellan added.

But politicians last night branded the decision to close the jail within weeks – and at least two years before the opening of the replacement jail – as “a recipe for disaster”.

Kenny MacAskill, the SNP’s justice spokesman, said: “This exacerbates an already serious situation. We are closing prisons when prisoner numbers are rising.

“This is a recipe for disturbance and disaster in the remaining estate. The system is already in crisis. We have rising numbers and a lack of available space.

“Low Moss needed replacing, but it certainly seemed to be operating OK and was taking prisoners regarded as less serious.

“This is a retrograde step. The prison should have been kept open while the prison population continues to rise.”

An SPS spokesman acknowledged the closure will put pressure on other prisons already struggling to cope with rising prisoner numbers, but insisted it was the correct move.

“We are taking steps to minimise the impact on other facilities, but we recognise any decision like this doesn’t come without risks. We don’t know how population is going to change over the rest of the year.

“The prison is simply not fit for purpose and the decision was taken five years ago to close it.

“Staff have been working there all that time with the uncertainty of not knowing where or when they were going to move.”

Scotland’s prison population is currently over 7,200 and rising. The prison service predicts it may exceed 10,000 within a decade, while plans to shake up sentencing of prisoners are expected to create an extra 700 to 1,100 inmates.

A new privately-run jail is to be built at Addiewell, West Lothian, and Cathy Jamieson, the justice minister, has acknowledged that a third prison may have to be built to cope with the rising prison population.