Prison officer wins payout over exposure to inmates' drugs

A prison officer, who has not been identified, was taken to hospital after the incident

Prison bosses have paid compensation to a warden who was left hallucinating and became violent after inhaling drugs which were being taken by inmates.

The officer was taken to hospital after the incident at Shotts Prison and also suffered long-term health problems.

A civil claim brought against the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) by the officer was later settled out of court.

The SPS said it was working hard to safeguard staff and prisoners from the harm of illicit substances.

The problem of inmates taking drugs is an issue in most of Scotland's jails. There are ongoing concerns about prison officers being exposed to second-hand smoke from substances such as Spice.

There was a surge in prison drug seizures during the Covid pandemic, with stoppages of psychoactive substances nearly doubling.

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BBC Scotland understands that the incident which led to the compensation pay-out took place at Shotts Prison in North Lanarkshire in 2019.

The officer was dealing with inmates who were under the influence of psychoactive substances.

The warden was overcome by toxic fumes from the drugs and became aggressive and badly disorientated, before then being taken to hospital.

The SPS said it was working to safeguard prison staff from harm

It is understood the officer had short-term physical and long-term mental health injuries as a result of the incident.

The SPS settled the case just before it was due to come to court last year, with compensation paid to the officer.

Alan Calderwood - a partner with Thompsons Solicitors, who handled the case - said it had been "complex".

'A constant challenge'

The prison service said it could not comment on an individual case.

"The health, safety, and wellbeing of all those who live and work in our establishments is a key priority for SPS," said a spokesperson.

"The presence of illicit substances in the wider community is a constant challenge and we continue to work hard to safeguard staff, and those in our care, from the harm they cause."

The most common way to smuggle psychoactive substances into jails used to be by spraying them onto pieces of paper posted to prisoners.

In 2021, the SPS started photocopying mail being sent to inmates to try and close down this route. Prison bosses said the move had reduced drug overdoses behind bars.

However, illegal substances are still getting into Shotts and other prisons. The methods can include inmates being passed drug-soaked clothing or through packages being delivered to the grounds of jails by drones.

Last year a guard caught smuggling cocaine into Shotts was jailed for more than six years. Heather McKenzie, 31, secretly brought drugs and mobile phones to inmate Zak Malavin at the top security jail.