First prison officer in Scotland dies after contracting coronavirus

A prison officer in Scotland has become the first to die from COVID-19.

A prison officer in Scotland has become the first to die after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the Scottish Prison Service has confirmed.

The man worked at HMYOI Polmont near Falkirk in Stirlingshire.

A spokesman from trade union Prison Officers' Association (POA) Scotland told the BBC it offered it’s "deepest condolences" to the officer's family and friends dealing with the loss.

Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Polmont, near Falkirk in Stirlingshire, is the largest of its kind in Scotland

The union added: "The POA in Scotland offer our heartfelt sympathies to them all and want them to know they are all very much in our thoughts today.

"His loss is one that is deeply felt by very many colleagues across the estate. As front-line key workers involved in public service, all staff have known this day may well come, but it is none the less extremely painful and difficult for all in coming to terms with it today.

"The staff within our prisons are a close knit and supportive cohort, by necessity given the environment in which we all work. We rely on each other every day.

"A loss such as this is always going to be painful for colleagues for that reason, but it is also what will help us support each other through the inevitable difficult times, together."