Women were ‘not at risk of harm’ when a transgender double rapist was placed in a female-only prison, a review has concluded.
However, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has made four recommendations – including better communication between justice partners – into the management of transgender prisoners.
The urgent case review was ordered by Scotland’s Justice Secretary Keith Brown in the wake of a public outcry after Isla Bryson, 31, was initially housed in segregation at Cornton Vale prison near Stirling following her conviction last month.
Bryson, who will be sentenced later in February for raping two women while she was a man, was then moved to the men’s estate.
Key findings and recommendations resulting from the review have been published, but SPS chief executive Teresa Medhurst said she believed it “is not necessary” to publish the report due to the level of personal information it contains.
The review, which was received by Mr Brown earlier this week, found “at no time during this period was any woman in SPS care at risk of harm as a consequence of the management” of Bryson.
It was also stated that Bryson did not come into contact with any other inmates during her time at Cornton Vale.
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Ms Medhurst said that policy was followed during each decision-making process and risk assessment, and full multi-disciplinary reviews are now under way for each transgender person in custody.
It was also confirmed that progress was also continuing into the management of trans prisoners as part of the wider SPS Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment (GIGR) Policy Review.
Until that review is complete, any transgender person in custody who has a history of violence against women – including sexual offences – will not be relocated from the male to female estate.
Additionally, newly convicted or remanded transgender prisoners will be placed in an establishment which aligns with their gender at birth.
Recommendations made by the review include improved communication within the justice sector and the creation of a “shared justice process” for the admission of transgender people into prisons.
On Thursday, the Scottish government said the entire review would not be shared by the SPS due to data protection reasons.
Mr Brown and Ms Medhurst will be in attendance at the Justice Committee on 22 February, where members will be able to ask questions about the review.
Read more:
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Transgender woman convicted of rape ‘will not be held in all-female prison’
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In response, Scottish Conservative shadow community safety minister Russell Findlay MSP said: “As expected, this whitewash summary tells us nothing of any substance.
“We still have no idea why a double rapist was sent into a women’s prison or what involvement SNP ministers had in his removal following the public backlash.
“Given the widespread concern and anger, this report should have been published and in full, not just some woolly summary.”
