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A privately run prison has become one of the most violent and dangerous jails in Scotland according to a shock new report. Figures released by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) under Freedom of Information (FOI) show that HMP Addiewell in West Lothian had more cases of prisoner self harm and assault last year than any of the country's 14 other prison establishments .A spokesperson for the prison reform charity Howard League Scotland said yesterday: "Prisons should never be a place for the pursuit of private profit at the expense of vulnerable people. "There is increasing evidence of serious issues specific to HMP Addiewell which need to be looked into and resolved with some urgency." The number of self harm incidents at Addiewell - 234 - accounted for almost one in four of all the 1047 incidents in Scotland's jails. That total was more than Barlinnie in Glasgow (55) and HMP Edinburgh (112) combined. Even though both jails house more prisoners. The next highest figure was HMP Kilmarnock with 138 self-harm incidents. It was previously privately run but returned to the SPS last year after the expiry of its' contract. Addiewell is run by facilities management company Sodexo who have the contract until 2033. The SPS figures are for the 12 month period up to March this year. In the same period Addiewell had 154 prisoner assaults, almost double the 80 at Barlinnie and more than the 135 recorded in Edinburgh. Fourth was Kilmarnock jail with 113 assaults. Scottish Labour Justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said “Addiewell prison has been a concern for some time, with issues being raised around a lack of experienced staff, prison cleanliness, and access to fresh air. "The Scottish Government has indicated that Addiewell will be brought in to the public sector eventually, but there must be action now to keep prisoners and staff in a safe environment. Scottish LibDems Justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP added: "The operators of Addiewell should be in the last chance saloon. Either they get their prison up to scratch or they should hand it back to the Scottish prison service." In total there were 956 attacks on cons across the country's 15 jails last year. The FOI report also reveals there were 61 deaths in custody last year with Addiewell recording the third highest figures (nine) and only Barlinnie (11) and Edinburgh (10) had more. HMP Glenochil , near Clackmananshire, also recorded nine deaths in custody. The jail with the lowest violence figures was Castle Huntly near Dundee which houses inmates being prepared for release. They recorded one self harm incident, no assaults and no deaths in custody. Phil Fairlie, Assistant General Secretary of the Prison Officers Association said: "It is our view that prisoners, as well as staff remain less safe in Addiewell today than anywhere else in the prison estate. "Thankfully we now have Kilmarnock operating within the public sector, and the same should happen with Addiewell as soon as it becomes financially viable to buy out the exorbitant private contract." Privately run HMP Addiewell has been beset with problems and controversy since it opened its' doors in December, 2008. Ten months later there was a disturbance involving around 20 inmates which led to a prison custody officer requiring hospital treatment. Two prison custody officers were injured during a riot in January the following year. In April the Crown Office announced that the West Lothian jail was being prosecuted over the death of a prisoner. Calum Inglis , from Edinburgh, was found dead in his cell in October 2021 after contracting Covid. His family say the 34-year-old did not receive the necessary care and treatment from the prison authorities in his final days. It will be the first prosecution of a private prison in Scotland as they are not covered by Crown Immunity. Last month armed robber Mark Sharkey who poured a hot sugar solution over a fellow Addiewell inmate causing him serious burns was jailed for two years. Notorious Addiewell prisoners include wife killer Nat Fraser and former Celtic striker Anthony Stokes . Fraser is serving a life sentence over the 1998 murder of Arlene Fraser in Elgin, Morayshire, after being found guilty in 2003 and again in 2012 following a retrial. Stokes was jailed for five months in March 2024 for breaching court orders against contacting his ex-girlfriend and her family. An HMP Addiewell spokesperson said: “Prisons are unique environments with specific set of challenges. The safety of both our staff and prisoners is our top priority, and we continuously work hard, alongside SPS , to implement measures that will ensure the safety and wellbeing of all. "Any death in custody and incident is treated with the utmost seriousness, and our priority is to implement effective and positive changes in the prison. "We review all conclusions and recommendations with great care, as we continue to build on the progress made to provide a safe and rehabilitative environment to all prisoners.” A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson added: “The health and wellbeing of people in our care is a key priority, and we work hard to support people during some of the most vulnerable periods of their lives. "Scotland’s prisons have been managing a very high and complex population for well over a year 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 the opportunities available to them. “We continue to work in close collaboration with Sodexo to ensure HMP Addiewell is safe and secure, and delivers positive outcomes for those in their care."
