THE Scottish Prison Service is under investigation over its refusal to disclose how many sex offenders have left a north-east prison and re- offended in the area.
Scottish Information Commissioner Kevin Dunion has stepped in following complaints from Councillor Sam Coull, who has spent more than two years trying to get information about inmates leaving Peterhead Prison.
He believes more and more convicted rapists and child molesters are setting up home in the area, putting the safety of locals at risk.
Over the past two years, he has submitted a variety of information requests.
He has asked the justice department of the Scottish Government, the Crown Office, fiscal service and Gram-pian Police how many in- mates released from Peterhead have reoffended in Aberdeenshire and then done more time at the Buchan jail.
In September, parliamentary questions on the matter by Lib Dem justice spokes-woman Margaret Smith were rebuffed by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill who said the government did not hold the information.
In December Mr Coull finally received a reply from Scottish Prison Service staff based in Peterhead – but complained it stopped short of the detail he sought.
It revealed: “From April 1, 2007, there have been 97 offenders due for liberation. However, only prisoners from the Peterhead area are liberated from the prison, all other offenders are transferred to their local establishments prior to release.
“From April 1, 2007, there has only been one offender liberated into the Aberdeenshire area. To date, this offender has not returned to HM Prison Peterhead to serve another sentence.”
Mr Coull believes intervention of the commissioner could be a turning point.
In a letter to Mr Coull, the commission writes: “I can now confirm that it (Mr Coull’s information request) is valid in terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and that the commissioner will investigate your complaint and issue a decision on your case.”
It is known nearly 800 sex crimes have been investigated by police in Aberdeenshire over the last three years, with almost 40% unsolved.