STAFF JUST DON'T FEEL SAFE

Whistleblower claims 'scared guards refusing to work at new £85m women's superjail

- SALLY HIND

SCOTLAND'S £85million female superjail has been plunged into crisis, with "scared" staff going off sick, says a whistleblower.

Insiders at HMP Stirling claim the new facility is "on its knees" over warden absences.

A source told the Record dozens of prison officers were off work last weekend.

They said: "The number of staff off is so high because of the lack of safety in the place and, when issues are raised, staff are effectively being told to 'man up' and get on with it.

"Staffjust don't feel safe. They feel scared and they don't feel supported. Nobody wants to work there, quite frankly."

The jail, built as a campus with no heavy security on show, opened this summer to replace Cornton Vale. It has no bars on the windows and women can look after chickens, goats and bees, which is intended to be therapeutic.