Achi news desk-
From Barlinnie in Glasgow to the now defunct Peterhead Prison in Aberdeenshire, these are some of Scotland’s most notorious prisons.
HM Prison Peterhead (closed 2013)
Opened in 1888, Pentre’ Prison has had a troubled history and is best known for a famous riot in 1987 when inmates took 56-year-old prison officer Jackie Stuart hostage.
It was believed that the terrorists, who were serving life sentences for violent crimes, had nothing to lose and would not hesitate to kill their hostage.
When negotiations with the prisoners broke down, Home Secretary Douglas Hurd sent in the SAS to quell the riot. The operation was a success and the guard was released unharmed.
HM Barlinnie Prison
Barlinnie is Scotland’s largest prison, housing around 1400 prisoners from across the Greater Glasgow area.
A total of 10 judicial executions took place here between 1947 and 1960 with the second last hanging in Scotland and the last hanging of a teenage girl in the UK taking place here.
Anthony Miller, aged 19, was tried in November 1960 for murdering John Cremin during an attempted robbery. He was executed the same year.
HM Prison Edinburgh (Saughton Prison)
Commonly referred to as Saughton Gaol, CEM Edinburgh is on the outskirts of the city.
A number of prisoners have been housed here, including murderer Peter Tobin, French holocaust denier and Nazi sympathizer Vincent Reynouard, rapist Dominic Devine and American refugee Nicholas Rossi.
HM Prison Perth
Originally built to hold French prisoners captured during the Napoleonic Wars, CEM Perth is the oldest prison still in use in Scotland.
The prison currently holds around 700 prisoners and is a Category A location, which means it is home to prisoners who are likely to escape and cause harm to those on the outside.
HM Prison Aberdeen (closed 2014)
HM Prison Aberdeen is best known for being the site of the last execution by hanging in Scotland.
Henry John Burnett was executed in 1963 for murdering merchant mariner Thomas Guyan.
The prison was also a pioneer in drug rehabilitation and ran a successful needle exchange programme.
The site later became known as Scotland’s ‘most overcrowded prison’ before closing in 2014.
