Katie Allan and William Brown: Suicide prevention strategy launched in wake of deaths at Polmont YOI

The Scottish Prison Service has apologised to the families of a woman and teenage boy who took their own lives at a young offenders’ institution and has accepted all recommendations made in a damning report.

In January, a sheriff concluded the deaths of Katie Allan, 21, and William Brown, 16, “might have been avoided” but for “systemic failures” at Polmont Young Offenders Institution in Falkirk.

Sheriff Simon Collins made 25 recommendations in his determination as part of efforts to “realistically prevent” other tragedies in similar circumstances.

On Thursday, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said it was “sincerely sorry” as it announced it had accepted each of the recommendations in full and was committed to a range of actions “which will be enduring, impactful, and lifesaving”.

A statement on behalf of the families branded the apology “too little too late”.

University of Glasgow student Ms Allan, 21, was found dead in her cell on 4 June 2018 while serving a 16-month sentence for drink-driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Mr Brown, also known as William Lindsay, was found dead in his cell on 7 October 2018, three days after being admitted to Polmont as there was no space in a children’s secure unit, having walked into a police station with a knife.

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) was held last year at Falkirk Sheriff Court.

The SPS said its response includes an overhaul of its Talk to Me (TTM) suicide prevention strategy; additional protective support for young people in custody in their first 72 hours following admission; and work to make the rooms that people live in as safe as possible.

Some actions were said to have been completed, with others under way.

The SPS said all bunk beds had been removed from the rooms of young people at HMP & YOI Polmont, as well as rectangular doorstops, to improve safety.

It has also introduced “concern lines” into every establishment in Scotland, which friends, family members, and support agencies can call to raise a concern directly with staff on the hall.

A bespoke tool kit will be used to audit rooms for any potential ligature points at Polmont in the summer, before being rolled out across the whole estate.

Teresa Medhurst, chief executive of the SPS, said: “We are sincerely sorry and we apologise for the deaths of Katie and William and our failings which were identified in the determination.

“We recognise that their families want action, not words, and we are determined and committed to move at pace and that the actions we are setting out today will be enduring and impactful and will save many lives in the future.”

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The families’ solicitor, Aamer Anwar, previously called for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to change the law to allow prisons to be prosecuted.

In a statement on behalf of Ms Allan’s parents Linda and Stuart Allan and brother Scott Allan, and Mr Brown’s brother John Reilly, the apology was branded “too little too late”.

Mr Anwar said: “The lack of accountability across SPS has led to Scotland having one of the highest avoidable mortality rates in custody, that will only continue if the UK government does not take away Crown immunity from our public prisons.”

He added: “The question for the families is, if the SPS now accept that suicide was not inevitable and they are culpable, will they finally instruct a suicidologist as requested by Linda Allan.”

Justice Secretary Angela Constance once again expressed her “deepest condolences” to the families.

She added: “The Scottish government has fully accepted the findings that their deaths were preventable and is committed to addressing the systemic failures identified.

“All recommendations from the inquiry have been accepted, and SPS are taking forward the urgent operational changes to implement those in full.

“As part of the broader measures, I have initiated an independent review of the FAI system to look at the efficiency, effectiveness and trauma informed nature of investigations.

“Progress is being made to make Legal Aid free for bereaved families participating in deaths in custody FAIs.”

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