News In Focus
24 May 2006
Security review of courts ordered
The Scottish Court Service (SCS) has ordered a review of security at every court building in Scotland, following concerns raised by the security firm Reliance.
The company, which holds the contract to transport prisoners to and from court, says many court buildings are unsafe. In particular, staff feel the appeal court in Edinburgh has the worst security facilities, endangering the safety of staff and the public. In 2004 an employee was stabbed by a prisoner attempting to escape from a cell serving the appeal court.
Many Scottish courts are listed buildings, and improvements that can be made to security can be limited due to the listing status.
Jim Greenoak, Reliance's head of operations in Scotland, said Reliance would be working with the SCS to try to address the problems.
Steve Farrell of the Prison Services Union said the appeal court needed radical upgrading and that in many courts, prisoners were kept behind doors that were more like livingroom doors rather than secure cell doors.
The SCS has announced that new facilities at the appeal court would improve security. A spokesperson for the Scottish Executive said the review of the courts, which was already underway, should be finished by the summer and necessary action would be prioritised.