Prisoner blunder inquiry call

The jail opened in March last year

Calls have been made for independent inquiry into why a prisoner was mistakenly released from Scotland's only private jail.

The Scottish National Party's justice spokeswoman, Roseanna Cunningham, believes it is vital to know why the blunder was allowed to happen.

Remand prisoner James Montgomery, 33, was being held at Bowhouse jail in Kilmarnock facing charges of perverting the course of justice.

Roseanna Cunningham: "Public fears"

He was freed earlier this week after the Scottish Prison Service admitted there had been an "administrative mistake".

Strathclyde Police, who said they were only told of his release on Friday, recaptured Montgomery in Kilmarnock shortly after midnight on Friday.

Officers said he would be returned to the jail on Saturday.

News of the release comes just days after Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, Clive Fairweather, expressed concern about staffing levels at the Ayrshire jail.

Ms Cunningham said the incident would only add fuel to the controversy over private prisons.

Internal inquiry

She added: "This incident involving Scotland's only privately-run prison will not assuage public fears of Tory policies being continued by Labour to privatise Scotland's prisons."

An internal inquiry is now under way at the jail and Justice Minister Jim Wallace has asked to be kept informed.

Bowhouse Prison, which normally houses 500 prisoners, was financed under the UK Government's Private Finance Initiative.

Inmates, including all those on remand, are Category B prisoners, meaning they do not need to be held in high-security cells.