Inquiry Finds Failures in Allan, Brown Deaths

A fatal accident inquiry has concluded that the suicides of Katie Allan, 21, and William Brown, 16, at Polmont Young Offenders Institution in 2018 could have been prevented due to significant failures by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and healthcare staff. Sheriff SG Collins identified a 'catalogue of individual and collective failures' that included inadequate risk assessments and a lack of communication regarding both inmates' histories of self-harm. Allan, a Glasgow University student, was not placed under the Talk To Me (TTM) suicide prevention strategy despite being vulnerable; her distressing circumstances, including bullying and personal health issues, were not adequately documented. Brown, who had been deemed a risk to public safety, was removed from observations shortly after his admission, leading to missed opportunities for intervention. The sheriff's recommendations include improving cell safety and ensuring that at-risk individuals receive the necessary monitoring and support. The inquiry highlighted systemic issues within the prison's approach to handling vulnerable inmates and the need for urgent reforms.