London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Mar 29, 2026

Tiffany Scott: Call to block trans prisoner's move to women's jail

Tiffany Scott: Call to block trans prisoner's move to women's jail

The Scottish government has been urged to block the transfer of a violent transgender prisoner from a men's prison to a women's jail.

It is understood that Tiffany Scott, who was previously known as a man called Andrew Burns, has applied for the move.

The Daily Record first reported that the transfer has been approved and is likely to happen later this year.

The Scottish Conservatives have called for the move to be stopped.

A spokesperson for the Scottish government said it was an operational matter for the Scottish Prison Service.

The prison service said decisions about where to place transgender prisoners were made on "an individualised basis".

It follows the imprisonment of Isla Bryson - a transgender woman convicted of two rapes before she changed gender - in Cornton Vale women's prison.

She was later moved to a male wing of HMP Edinburgh.

Scott is serving an indefinite sentence as she is subject to an order for lifelong restriction (OLR), meaning she will only be released when she is no longer considered an "unmanageable risk to public safety".

She was handed that sentence in 2013, after admitting stalking a 13-year-old girl by sending letters from her cell.

In 2017 Falkirk Sheriff Court was locked down amid safety fears as Scott was sentenced over a series of violent incidents in Glenochil Prison in Clackmannanshire.

They included striking a prison nurse on her back with a hurled chair, punching a prison officer in the face, and spitting at another officer and trying to bite him.

She also smeared excrement over her cell, tore a drip needle out of her arm, and ripped up "tear-proof" clothing.


Isla Bryson was initially housed in a women's prison after being convicted of two counts of rape on Tuesday

The Scottish Conservative equalities spokesperson, Rachael Hamilton MSP, said Scott presented a "grave risk" to the safety of women who came into contact with her.

"Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly tried to reassure the Scottish public that the Scottish Prison Service's risk assessment would protect women from predatory men, yet the process is clearly not fit for purpose if this dangerous offender has been approved for transfer to a women's jail," she said.

"Women's safety must not take a backseat to the wishes of violent criminals.

"Nicola Sturgeon has already U-turned under public pressure to belatedly remove double rapist Isla Bryson from a women's jail, she must now intervene to block the transfer of this violent individual before it takes place, or knowingly risk the safety of some of Scotland's most vulnerable women."

SNP MSP Ash Regan, who quit a ministerial role over the Scottish government's Gender Recognition Reform Bill, has also opposed the move.

In a post on Twitter, she said: "Tiffany Scott, formerly Andrew Burns, one of the most dangerous prisoners in Scotland has gained approval to be moved into the women's prison estate.

"Scott has attacked female prison officers and stalked a child from prison. No men should be placed in a women's prison."

If Scott is transferred to the female estate, it would likely not be to HMP Cornton Vale as it is due to be replaced by a new facility called HMP Stirling later this year.

Isla Bryson was initially placed in Cornton Vale women's prison


The Scottish Prison Service said it would not comment on individuals.

"Decisions by the SPS as to the most appropriate location to accommodate transgender people are made on an individualised basis, informed by a multi-disciplinary assessment of both risk and need," a spokesperson said.

"Such decisions seek to protect both the wellbeing and rights of the individual as well as the welfare and rights of others around them, including staff, in order to achieve an outcome that balances risks and promotes the safety of all.

"Where there are any concerns about any risks posed by an individual, either to themselves or others, we retain the ability to keep them separate from the mainstream population until an agreed management plan is in place."

A Scottish government spokesperson said: "The placement of prisoners is an operational matter for the Scottish Prison Service who use comprehensive individualised risk assessments to inform decisions, such as the appropriate location of transgender people in custody.

"SPS is reviewing their policy on managing transgender prisoners in partnership with the Scottish government and that process is nearing completion."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
×