Locals' 'lives ruined' by 'constant screaming' from new women's prison next door

08 September 2023 , 18:13

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Ian Whyte is one of those affected by the noisy prisoners (Image: Daily Record)

Locals who are living next to Scotland's new women's prison have said their quiet lives have been shattered by screaming and swearing residents.

HMP Stirling has become a cause of fury for residents in Forth Park and Vale Grove, near the affluent Bridge of Allan after it upended their lives with "constant screams" coming out from the cells - which are situated not far from their homes. The Daily Record has reported that the construction of the £85million jail caused significant disruption to locals, likened to an "earthquake", due to intense vibrations from earth excavations. Homeowners claim this has resulted in up to £30,000 worth of damage to their properties.

Prison's governor Paula Arnold held a crisis meeting at the jail, which also houses young offenders. During the discussion, residents reportedly threatened civil court action to cover urgent repairs to brickwork, potentially affecting up to 20 homes. Ms Arnold was also met with demands to immediately move prisoners living in blocks next to residential homes.

The proximity from the prisons to the homes (Daily Record)

Morris Anderson, a 67 year old resident, said: "There is shouting and screaming on a daily basis and I can actually hear loud conversations between prisoners from my garden.

"There has been one woman in recent weeks who has been wailing and screaming in a distressing way and I really don't think she should be in a jail because there has got to be mental health issues affecting her behaviour. I can hardly believe that they could house prisoners so close to homes, with windows open all day and night and people screaming at each other."

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Morris shared his unsettling experience of being shouted at by an inmate while walking his dog. He said: "I looked to my right and could actually see the woman looking at me. She shouted 'all right big yin, what you up to? It just seems mad that residents can walk down their own streets and actually get involved in interacting with people in prison cells.

Residents claim the building of the prison led to damage of their houses (Daily Record)

Morris, a retired caretaker, also reported structural damage to homes due to vibrations from the prison, saying: "I believe there's at least 20 homes that have been affected by their buildings moving." Residents were initially under the impression that the buildings closest to their homes would be office blocks. However, these structures are now housing offenders new to prison life, some of whom are believed to be dealing with drug withdrawal.

Despite the issues, Morris said: "I support the jail having good conditions for women held inside. All the residents feel that way. But it has been very badly managed."

Another resident, a mother, who wishes to remain anonymous told the Record: "We lived alongside the old Cornton Vale prison with no problems, nothing, and we were assured life would be much the same when the new prison was built."

One furious parent said: "We have two young children and the constant shouting and screaming, with the worst kind of language and threats, just isn't fit for any child's ears. They are petrified and they know they are living next to a prison, so they get a real dread about what is going on."

A father-of-two, who wished to remain anonymous, showed the Daily Record significant cracks in the front wall of his home. He explained: "Our homes - and the prison - were built on 'carse clay', which is quite susceptible to movement if machinery issues high vibration. The builders knew this yet the vibrations went way above and the movement has caused so much damage, which we are still battling to get fixed. I believe damage to my home could run to more than £20,000"

He added: "Fighting them for the damage to property has been hugely frustrating but since the place opened for prisoners things have taken a massive turn for the worse, with all the screaming. It is making it impossible to raise a family here and I am unsure why they're not able to immediately move people away from the residential area. It's an absolute disgrace."

Ian Whyte, a 76 year old retired surveyor, said that the physical damage to homes, which occurred during construction over two years ago, was undoubtedly due to building work at the prison. He said: "I recall the day. They were removing concrete poles from the old perimeter fence and using a machine to break things up and it caused huge vibrations. I inspected my wall and there was a big crack, which is still there."

A spokesperson for the Scottish Prison Service said: "HMP and YOI Stirling has delivered a significant step change in the way in which we support women in our care, many of whom are vulnerable and have experience of trauma and adversity. Our relationship with the surrounding community is crucial to this and we have met with neighbours to listen to their concerns about noise from the establishments."

They added they are considering several infrastructure and operational measures aimed at reducing noise levels.

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Mark McGivern