A councillor has called for a public inquiry into problems at Scotland’s newest jail amid claims an internal power struggle among inmates is at the root of a series of disturbances.
Alan Buchan wants the Scottish Prison Service to explain decisions made during the development of the £140million HMP Grampian complex and outline what steps are now being taken to quell unrest.
About 40 prisoners went on the rampage at the prison’s Ellon Hall earlier this month.
Police and ambulance crews were called to the jail in Peterhead during the 14-hour stand-off, which ended when wardens in riot gear stormed the barricaded area.
Since then, nearly 200 prisoners have been transferred to jails in the central belt. The young offenders unit has been shut indefinitely.
Councillor Buchan said an inquiry was needed to question prison chiefs over the cost and scale of the building, which he thinks is too big for the region.
He believes that the public were never properly consulted on the project.
Mr Buchan said: “My view is that there should be a non-political public inquiry immediately established to sort out this shambles before someone gets killed.”
Last night, a spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) rejected calls for further talks and accused Mr Buchan of spreading misinformation.
SPS head of corporate affairs, Tom Fox, said: “We don’t need an inquiry, because there was a full consultation with residents at the time. People responded very enthusiastically about it.”
But Mr Buchan insisted last night: “There are a lot of questions that the public needs to have answered.
“I don’t understand why the jail cost so much to build when there should have been no land purchase costs.”
In 2005, Mr Buchan was charged by police following accusations he had stirred up racial tensions with an article in his own newsletter.
Under the headline “Perverts and Refugees”, he wrongly claimed that a 5,000-capacity complex would be built in Peterhead for immigrants. He was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
Yesterday, he said the action by police was politically motivated.
“I was threatened with seven years in prison for raising questions,” he said.
Last night, a source at the jail said that recent troubles had been sparked by a small number of young adult males vying to be top dog.
He said certain prisoners had been “testing the boundaries” at the new jail and trying to cement a reputation by intimidating other prisoners and staff.
“They just want to make a name for themselves in the hope that others won’t mess with them,” he said.
The prison service blamed the recent series of violent flare-ups on “teething troubles” and said such issues were common at new prisons.
An official opening ceremony, which was due to be held in April, has been postponed indefinitely.