The most dangerous prison in the country

Campaigners demand urgent change as Addíewell tops violent jail charts

- BY NORMAN SILVESTER

A PRIVATELY-run prison is the most violent and dangerous jail in Scotland, according to a shock report.

Now calls have been made for “urgent change” at crisis-hit Addiewell Prison.

Figures released by the Scottish Prison Service under freedom of information show HMP Addiewell in West Lothian had more cases of self-harm and assault last year than any of Scotland's 14 other jails.

The number of self-harm incidents at Addiewell, 234, accounted for almost one in four of all the 1047 such incidents in Scotland's jails.

That total was more than Barlinnie in Glasgow (55) and HMP Edinburgh (112) combined, even though both jails house more prisoners.

The next highest was HMP Kilmarnock with 138 incidents.