To receive instant updates on breaking news directly to your email, sign up for our breaking news emails for free.
Register for our complimentary email alerts for breaking news
Subscribe to receive our free email notifications for important news.
A Scottish prison official who was quickly taken to the hospital after inhaling drugs being consumed by prisoners has received compensation from the Scottish Prison Service.
In 2019, an officer at HMP Shotts in north Lanarkshire was exposed to harmful fumes from psychoactive substances, which caused them to experience hallucinations and become aggressive.
Afterwards, he experienced ongoing health issues and filed a lawsuit against the SPS, which was resolved outside of court.
According to BBC Scotland, the SPS has provided compensation to the officer and a spokesperson stated that the safety and wellbeing of individuals in their establishments is a top concern.
In 2019, there was an event at HMP Shotts involving Andrew Milligan/PA.
Dealing with illegal substances in the community is an ongoing struggle, and we are committed to protecting our employees and those under our care from their damaging effects.
The use of drugs by prisoners is a major issue in Scottish prisons, as concerns have been raised about prison staff being exposed to secondhand smoke from commonly used substances like Spice.
In January 2023, the Scottish Conservative party gathered data that showed a 1100% increase in the number of incarcerated individuals found with drugs compared to 2014.
The most frequent method of smuggling drugs was by spraying them onto paper and sending them to prisoners through mail. The SPS has recently begun photocopying mail in an effort to prevent the flow of psychoactive substances.
In October 2023, drones were used to transport drugs, knives, and other illegal items worth £75,000 into prisons in Scotland.
A drone, suspected to be transporting drugs, crashed near HMP Edinburgh on Wednesday. Police Scotland has initiated an investigation into the incident.
In the previous year, a security officer who illegally transported cocaine for prisoners at HMP Shotts was sentenced to over six years in prison.
Heather McKenzie, a mother of two, had developed a “strong bond” with convicted murderer Zak Malavin and was caught smuggling drugs and cell phones into the prison.
Source: independent.co.uk
