Dramatic rise in number of sex offenders held at Scotland's largest jail

credit - HMIPS

The number of sex offenders in Scotland's largest jail, Barlinnie, has almost quadrupled in the past five years, prison inspection bosses have said.

Across the country, the number of older prisoners convicted of historical sex crimes has also risen.

Scotland’s prisons inspectorate said it was a challenge the prison service must be prepared to meet.

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David Strang, Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland highlighted the problems in a report on Barlinnie, which is in Glasgow.

In an otherwise positive report, he identified the increase of the number of sexual offenders as a challenge for management.

"The population of men convicted of sexual offences has more than quadrupled here at Barlinnie, and that provides extra challenges for staff," he said.

Sex offenders require to be segregated from mainstream prisoners, and the jail's E Hall now houses 246 men jailed for sex crimes.

"They are kept separate for activities, for education and for work, and that adds complication for the prison," he said.

Across Scotland, there were 7,416 prisoners on 2 September, with more than 1,100 convicted sex offenders - 15 per cent of the total, the SPS said.

Barlinnie's total of 246 sex offenders is about 20 per cent of its population.