Sturgeon: no apologies over trans prisoner case

Trans women should not have an automatic right to serve their criminal sentences in a female prison, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Her statement follows the cased of convicted double rapist Isla Bryson who was sent to Comton Vale women’s prison last week. Bryson was named Adam Graham when he committed the rapes.

Following a public outcry Bryson was sent to a man’s cell in HMP Edinburgh.

On Sunday an interim ban – or “pause” – was placed in Scotland on sentencing trans inmates with a history of violence to women to female prisons.

Ms Sturgeon said that she had nothing to apologise for and said that her ministers were dealing with the “difficult issues” in an “appropriate way”.

Over the weekend it was reported that another trans woman, Tiffany Scott, had been moved to a female prison, despite having been convicted of stalking a 13-year-old girl before her transition.

Talking to ITV News, Ms Sturgeon said: “Trans women are women but in the prison context there is no automatic right for a trans woman.

“There are circumstances in which a trans woman will be housed in the male prison estate.”