PRISON chiefs have moved scores of young offenders out of a north-east jail as part of a plan to restore order following a series of disturbances.
Experienced officers could also be drafted-in to HMP Grampian at Peterhead after drunken adult inmates were involved in a tense 14-hour stand-off with staff.
Authorities feared younger prisoners could stage a copycat incident and have transferred almost 200 of them away from the recently-opened super-jail.
Scottish Prison Service bosses said they wanted to “decomplicate” the jail population while they try to establish the circumstances behind last week’s siege.
Last night, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was under fresh pressure to explain what was being done to avoid future disturbances at the flagship prison.
North-east MSP Richard Baker said the jail appeared to be “veering out of control”.
Since it opened its doors in early March, staff have had to cope with at least two violent incidents before last week’s “category three” siege which involved 38 inmates in part of the Ellon hall.
The Press and Journal can today reveal that all 16-21 year-old inmates in the young offenders wing have now been transferred to Polmont, amid fears they too could be tempted to go on the rampage.
A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said: “This is a vulnerable group of young men who can be easily influenced. The decision has been taken to remove them from the jail at this time, until things settle down.
“Moving them out is a way of decomplicating the prison population while we take a step back and review the situation.
“We will definitely get them back to Grampian at some point, although at this stage we don’t know when that will be.”
About 170 inmates – young offenders and adult males – have been moved in the last week, leaving just over 200 prisoners. The women’s section, which holds about 50, is unaffected.
The SPS said it was now considering transferring “experienced” officers from other jails to help strengthen numbers at Peterhead.
“We were very pleased with the way the staff at HMP Grampian dealt with last week’s incident,” said a spokesman.
“But we are now looking at moving in some experienced staff from other facilities to give them some extra support while they’re getting used to the new system.”
He said incidences of unrest were common when establishing any new prison.
An official opening ceremony for the £140million jail, which replaced HMP Peterhead and Craiginches in Aberdeen, has been put on hold indefinitely. It was originally scheduled for April.
Last night, Mr Baker urged Mr MacAskill to brief the Scottish Parliament on what action being taken to avoid further problems.
“Mr MacAskill has again and again highlighted the great changes that this new super-prison would make, but so far it has lurched from one problem to another,” he said.
“The minister needs to come to parliament and explain what steps will now be taken to ensure this facility can achieve its aims and objectives and, crucially, ensure that order is kept there.
“At the moment it looks like an establishment that is veering out of control.”
The prison service last night insisted staff were working hard to make the jail a success.
A police investigation into the incident is ongoing and, so far, no one has been charged.
A spokeswoman for Mr MacAskill’s office referred inquiries to the prison service.