Prisoners riot at Scotland's newest prison

Published on Tuesday 10 February 2009 09:56

A disturbance has taken place at Scotland's newest private prison, authorities said today.

Dozens of inmates went on the rampage at Addiewell Prison in West Lothian last night.

Up to 48 prisoners were involved in the disturbance at the privately run jail.

Trouble flared when inmates took control of a hall in one wing of the prison, the paper said, using pool tables and furniture to make barricades.

Police, the fire service and ambulances rushed to the scene as violence erupted, a fire service spokeswoman said today.

The disturbance is said to have gone on for several hours until prison staff negotiated an end to the trouble.

No-one is thought to have been injured in the incident and no inmates are believed to have escaped.

An SPS spokeswoman said: "There was an incident at the jail last night but it is over now."

A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said: "All three emergency services attended.

"We didn't do very much, we were just standing by."

HMP Addiewell, near Livingston, is a 700-capacity prison run by private firm Kalyx.

It opened in December