'Terrified' student took her own life after being sent to prison, inquiry hears
A university student took her own life at a young offenders institution months after she was sentenced for dangerous driving, an inquiry heard.
Katie Allan, 21, was "terrified" at Polmont Young Offenders Institution, Stirlingshire, her mother told the hearing. She said her daughter "was being berated by fellow inmates" on the day of her death.
The agreed evidence was heard on the first day of a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) at Falkirk Sheriff Court, which is looking into the deaths of Ms Allan and another inmate, William Brown, 16.
William was remanded in custody after being deemed a "potential risk to public safety" at Glasgow Sheriff Court on October 4, 2018, three days before his death. He was found dead in his cell the day after his suicide watch was stopped because he posed "no apparent risk".
Ms Allan's inquest heard she was 'terrified' in the young offenders institution (Daily Record)In a statement outside court, the families' solicitor Aamer Anwar urged First Minister Humza Yousaf to work to remove Crown immunity, which means the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is exempt from prosecution for the deaths. Ms Allan's parents, Linda and Stuart, stood with Mr Anwar as he said they wanted the First Minister to hold the SPS to account.
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He added: "Whilst the families recognise today as a milestone in their journey for the truth, it is certainly not the end of the process. The First Minister, Humza Yousaf, must not betray the many promises he made to these families whilst justice minister. He cannot escape behind a veil of silence."
The inquiry heard Ms Allan, who is from Glasgow, was jailed on March 5, 2018, for 16 months for dangerous driving while over the drink-drive limit.
She was initially taken to Cornton Vale Prison, Stirling, telling a nurse when she arrived that she had previously self-harmed. She was transferred two days later to Polmont YOI, near Falkirk, the hearing heard.
The afternoon before she was found dead, she was visited by her mother and brother. The FAI heard that at the end of the visit, her mother told an officer that Ms Allan "was being berated by fellow inmates and was terrified".
Ms Allan was sent to Polmont for dangerous driving (Daily Record)
Linda spoke of her grief at the hearing (Daily Record)She was last seen alive by staff at about 8.10pm that day, June 3, 2018, watching TV in her cell. The next morning she was found dead, having taken her own life. She had left a note on the desk in her cell, and letters to her mother, grandmother and a friend were found on her bookshelf.
The court heard she had lost more than a stone in weight during her three months in Polmont. The inquiry also heard that on October 3, 2018, William had walked into a police station with a knife, while on bail for another blade offence.
The inquiry was told the youngster had a history of making suicidal statements.
Asked by a social worker if he was suicidal, he replied: "No, not now, but I don't know how I'll be in prison." He was initially put on a 30-minute observation 'for reassurance and safety'.
However, on October 5 a case conference was held with a mental health nurse and two prison officers, where he was assessed as "at no apparent risk of suicide". He was found dead at 7.40am on October 7, nearly 12 hours after last having contact with staff. The inquiry continues.
A Scottish Government spokesperson told the Mirror: "Our thoughts are with every family who has been bereaved by suicide in prisons. Fatal Accident Inquiries are a matter for the independent Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. We cannot comment on these cases with the approaching Fatal Accident Inquiry and we will carefully consider the outcome."
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