Young woman and teenage boy's deaths at young offenders' institution 'might have been avoided', inquiry finds
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The deaths of a young woman and a teenage boy while in custody at a young offenders' institution in Scotland "might have been avoided", an inquiry has found. Katie Allan, 21, and William Brown, 16, took their own lives within months of each other at Polmont Young Offenders Institution in Falkirk in 2018.
A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) was held last year into the deaths. In his determination, published on Friday, Sheriff Simon Collins said "systemic failures" contributed to their deaths and made 25 recommendations as part of efforts to "realistically prevent" other tragedies in similar circumstances.
University of Glasgow student Allan, 21, was found dead in her cell on 4 June 2018 while serving a 16-month sentence for drink-driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Brown, also known as William Lindsay, was found dead in his cell on 7 October 2018, three days after being admitted to Polmont as there was no space in a children's secure unit, having walked into a police station with a knife.
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Sheriff Collins singled out the Scottish Prison Service's (SPS) Talk to Me (TTM) suicide prevention strategy. He noted Ms Allan had been assessed but was not deemed to be at risk on her admission to custody - first to HMP Cornton Vale then Polmont - nor at any time prior to her death almost three months later.
