A 24-year-old man has been charged following alleged threatening and abusive behaviour connected to claims made by Isla Bryson, the transgender double rapist who has reported facing “abuse” while incarcerated.
Isla Bryson, formerly known as Adam Graham, was sentenced to eight years in prison in February for raping two women in 2016 and 2019. Bryson is currently held at HMP Edinburgh and wrote to the Sunday Mail alleging mistreatment by both staff and inmates due to being transgender.
The case sparked significant controversy when it was revealed that Bryson was initially placed in an all-female prison. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon intervened to ensure Bryson was transferred from Cornton Vale women’s prison to a male facility. Sturgeon emphasised that transgender prisoner placements are subject to strict risk assessments, with the safety of other inmates being the top priority.
Police Scotland confirmed they received a hate crime report at HMP Edinburgh on June 8, 2023. The man charged is currently awaiting a report to the Procurator Fiscal following investigations into his threatening behaviour towards Bryson.
In response to the case, the Scottish Prison Service has begun reviewing its policies on managing transgender inmates as part of a broader reassessment of gender identity protocols. Until the review is complete, the Scottish Government has stated that transgender prisoners with histories of violence against women will not be transferred to female prisons. New transgender inmates will be placed according to their sex assigned at birth, with strict measures in place to protect vulnerable prisoners.
Originally published by UKNIP.
