A court has heard how prisoners at the north-east’s multimillion pound super-jail operated as a criminal hierarchy.
Jurors sitting at Aberdeen Sheriff Court were yesterday told inmates were ranked in a pecking order.
And witness, Kevin Hill, said many in the prison were scared to act out of turn for fear of upsetting those at the top of the tree.
Mr Hill was giving evidence during the third week of the trial against six former inmates of HMP Grampian, who are currently on trial accused of rioting at the jail on May 13, 2014.
Robert Gill, 26, from Newmachar, Stephen Sim, 31, from Stonehaven, Michael Stewart 31, from Forfar, Dominic Jordan, 30, from Merseyside, Sandy Mundie, 30, from Aberdeen and 33-year-old George Thomson, also from Aberdeen, accept being in custody at the time, but deny taking any part in the disturbance themselves.
The court previously heard that inmates started to become rowdy following an altercation between a small group of prisoners and staff who had been seconded from other establishments across the country.
Witnesses stated the behaviour escalated quickly while prisoners were fuelled up on home-made hooch and the offenders had soon “taken over” the C section of the Ellon hall.
Yesterday, Mr Hill, who had been sent in to negotiate with the rioters, stated he had started off his discussions with Barry Dyker who was chosen to speak on behalf of the criminals.
He said that, during this time Dyker, who has already admitted his part in the riots, said that no one would be leaving the section.
The court heard that during the time the negotiations were ongoing, a number of inmates had attended at the grille gate and “pleaded” with wardens to be let out.
Mr Hill previously said Thomson, also known as Tubbs, was one of them.
Representing Thomson, solicitor Keven Longino put it to Mr Hill that, due to the hierarchy among the prisoners, it was possible other inmates felt “threatened” as the riots were ongoing.
Mr Hill agreed.
The trial, before Sheriff Andrew Miller, continues.