Probe into female prison death

Cornton Vale is Scotland's only female prison

A remand prisoner has been found dead in her cell at Cornton Vale Prison near Stirling.

The Scottish Prison Service has confirmed that a fatal accident inquiry will take place into the death of Michelle McElvar.

The 28-year-old woman was found dead on Wednesday evening.

She was remanded at Glasgow Sheriff Court on 23 October.

Clive Fairweather praised improvements at the prison

An SPS spokeswoman said: "Police and next of kin have been informed. A fatal accident inquiry will be held in due course."

The spokeswoman did not say how Ms McElvar died.

The death is the latest in a line of tragedies to befall Scotland's only female prison in the last decade.

Eight inmates committed suicide in their cells between 1995 and 1998.

In 1996, the chief inspector of prisons Clive Fairweather described conditions at Cornton Vale as "wholly inadequate and inappropriate".

Overcrowding problem

But after the latest inspection in May, he concluded that the improvement at the prison was "quite remarkable".

He also reported a dramatic reduction in the number of self-harm incidents - 115 cases in 1999, falling to 72 in 2000 and 13 in 2001.

Despite the overall improvement Mr Fairweather called for action to tackle overcrowding.

He warned of horrific consequences if ministers did not honour promises to put fewer women behind bars.