Tragic Testimony Revealed in Inquiry of Young Offenders’ Deaths at Polmont

The harrowing account of the distress and fear suffered by 21-year-old Katie Allan in Polmont young offenders institution emerged during the ongoing fatal accident inquiry at Falkirk Sheriff Court.

Katie's mother, Linda Allan, testified about her daughter's evident terror and exhaustion before her tragic demise behind bars.

Ms. Allan, a Glasgow University student, had been serving a 16-month sentence for drink-driving and causing serious injury.

On June 3, during a visit from her family, Katie tearfully recounted being verbally abused by fellow inmates, feeling unsafe, and pleading to be moved to a different cell due to constant intimidation.

Mrs. Allan expressed her concerns about Katie's deteriorating mental health, mentioning her daughter's fear of both certain inmates and some prison officers.

Shockingly, Katie had resorted to self-harm, a behavior previously unseen in her, while enduring strip searches that left her feeling violated and embarrassed.

Additionally, Katie's father, Stuart, highlighted the distress caused by these searches and questioned their necessity, proposing alternative technology to detect prohibited items.

The inquiry learned that Katie was last seen alive by a prison officer around 8 pm on June 3 before tragically taking her own life, being discovered early the next morning.

Throughout her time in custody, Katie suffered a significant weight loss, indicative of the distress she experienced.

The inquiry continues to probe the circumstances surrounding Katie Allan's death and that of 16-year-old William Brown at Polmont in 2018.