THE parents of a young woman who killed herself in jail after enduring “horrific experiences” have called for a review of Scotland’s prison system.
Katie Allan’s family said yesterday they wanted a meeting with Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf as they launched a campaign calling for change. It is being supported by the family of the 15-year-old boy geography student Allan knocked down while drink-driving.
The 21-year-old was convicted at Paisley Sheriff Court in March and sentenced to 16 months in jail. Stuart and Linda Allan say their daughter was bullied in Polmont Young Offenders Institution near Falkirk and lost more than 80% of her hair due to the state of her mental health.
Katie Allan
Katie had told Glasgow University chaplain Stuart McQuarrie of her distress at repeated strip searches. Staff also allegedly failed to act on warnings from her family that she was vulnerable and had a history of self-harm. She died at Polmont in June.
Linda Allan said: “Katie absolutely broke the law, that is not in dispute. Katie pleaded guilty and fully accepted she should be punished, that also is not in dispute. What we didn’t realise is that one impulsive decision would ultimately cost Katie her life.
“The hardest thing for us to accept is how devastatingly Katie was let down by those that were ultimately responsible for her care.
“Some may say that Katie deserved what happened. She certainly deserved punishment. But this is Scotland, this is the 21st century – what Katie did not deserve was the horrific experiences she endured daily at the hands of the Scottish Prison Service.”
The family want a review that would cover the prison service, women in custody and the provision of mental health services. It would also look at reforming the system of fatal accident inquiries, which the family say is no longer fit for purpose as they can take years to complete.
Their lawyer, Aamer Anwar, added: “This is an issue not just to the families of the deceased, but prison staff who do not have the resources to deal with mental health provision as well as the aftermath of a suicide. The Allans – like many other families before them – have seen a culture of secrecy and defensiveness which is not interested in learning lessons or accepting responsibility.”
Relatives of the drink-driving victim had urged the courts not to jail Allan and were at the campaign launch. The boy’s mother said of Katie: “She didn’t deserve the punishment she received. As a mother of three children myself, I know our children often do things we don’t condone – but there are other punishments Katie could have been dealt that would have been much more fitting. Our son has recovered, he’s well and he’s absolutely behind this campaign also.”
Figures released by the campaign show there have been 130 deaths in Scottish prisons since 2014.
A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said: “This is, of course, a set of very tragic circumstances and our sympathies are with all who have been affected by this sad death.
“All deaths that occur in Scottish prisons are subject to a fatal accident inquiry and as such it would be inappropriate to comment further until this takes place.”
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