Scottish sheriff attacks police, prison staff over drug crime

A sheriff has launched a scathing attack on police and prison chiefs for failing to investigate drug crime in Scotland's jails properly.
An exterior view of Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA WireAn exterior view of Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
An exterior view of Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Sheriff David Mackie said Police Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service were “complacent” and were allowing the illegal drug trade to thrive behind bars.

His criticism came after he heard evidence at a fatal accident inquiry that police officers and prison staff had a practice in place where they did not investigate a suspected drug crime where there is no physical evidence.

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They told how cases would only be referred to police when there had been an actual discovery of illicit substances or related paraphernalia such as mobile telephones and SIM cards.

The evidence was heard at the inquiry at Alloa Sheriff Court into the death of prisoner Daniel McSweeney, 54, who died while an inmate at Glenochil prison in September 2014.

He died of an accidental overdose after ingesting a quantity of heroin which had a value in prison of up to £81,000.

He had been readmitted to the jail just days after being released after reporting he was in breach of his licence.

Sheriff Mackie said the case highlighted how drug dealing behind bars was a “safe” option for criminals as they were operating with little risk of prosecution.

He said: “The elephant in the room in this inquiry has been the prison drug trade in which the late Mr McSweeney was a participant and, ultimately, its victim.

“The circumstances in which he engineered his readmission to HM Prison Glenochil and the discovery within his body of a significant quantity of diamorphine with a potential prison value of up to £81,000 offered a glimpse into how this serious, organised crime occurs within Scottish prisons in plain sight of both the prison and police authorities.

“The inquiry heard evidence about a practice followed by both Police Service Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service that the Prison Service will not report a suspected drug crime to the police and the police will not investigate a suspected drug crime within a prison upon the basis of a suspicion only, no matter how strong or reasonable the grounds for suspicion might be.”

Although critical of the practice in place for reporting drug crime, Sheriff 
Mackie ruled there were no reasonable precautions whereby Mr McSweeney’s death might have been prevented.