Shock figures have revealed a 60% rise in prison custody deaths in a single year.

The number of deaths has more than doubled since 2015 - leading to calls for action to prevent the tragedies.

There have been a number of high profile Scottish prisons death in recent years including the death of 21-year-old Katie Allan at Polmont Young Offenders Institute in 2018, and the death of Allan Marshall in 2015 after he was restrained by prison officers during a struggle at Saughton Prison.

Labour MSP Monica Lennon said: “I obtained these figures after a frantic constituent contacted me out of concern for their relative in prison custody.

“Based on their experiences they believe that people in prison are being denied access to timely healthcare and fear this could put lives at risk.”

The Scottish Government ordered a review in 2019 into how deaths are handled after four prisoners died in four days.

The report said Scotland had one of the highest death rates in Europe and called for a more “compassionate, rights-based response” to the loss of life in prisons.

It also said suicide is the leading cause of death for people under 21.

Figures from the Scottish Prison Service show a rising death toll.

The number stood at 24 in 2015, jumping to 28 twelve months later and to 32 by 2018.

It rose again to 37 in 2019, fell to 34 last year, but soared to 54 in 2021.

Aamer Anwar, a lawyer who has represented the families of people who died in custody, said the figure “confirms our worst fears”, adding:

“Yet the SPS response will be to issue empty words of condolence, when in reality they should be facing charges of corporate homicide for many of these deaths.”

The Government-ordered review called for an independent investigation to be completed into every death in prison custody within months of it happening.

This followed a Glasgow University study which found that Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAIs) into deaths in custody often started three or four years after the incident.

Lennon said: “We already know that Scotland has one of the highest rates of deaths in prison in Europe, so a significant rise in people dying is worrying.

“The prison population is ageing and many of these deaths will be due to natural causes, but we know that death by suicide is a major issue in Scotland’s prisons and frankly not enough has been done to address this.

“Failing to act to prevent avoidable deaths is unforgivable.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Every death in custody is a tragedy. The safe treatment and mental health of all those in custody is a key priority for Scotland’s prisons, which care for people with higher levels of risk and vulnerability than the general population as a whole.

“We remain committed to making improvements to the response to, and experiences of, families impacted by a death in prison custody and recently welcomed in principle all recommendations of the independent review into the response to deaths in prison custody to improve processes when a death occurs in prison.”

SCOTLAND'S PRISON DEATH TRAGEDIES

Katie Allan took her own life in Polmont Young Offenders Institute in 2018 after being jailed for drink-driving.

Her parents said at the time that bullying in prison and “humiliating” strip searches led the 21 year old to take her own life.

Mum Linda told the BBC in 2018: “We feel that Katie’s death was self-inflicted but that she was murdered by the Scottish criminal justice system. They are ultimately responsible for it.”

She added: “Katie absolutely broke the law, that is not in dispute. Katie pleaded guilty and fully accepted she should be punished, that also is not in dispute.

“What we didn’t realise is that one impulsive decision would ultimately cost Katie her life.”

William Lindsay also killed himself at Polmont in 2018. The 16 year old had been flagged as a suicide risk.

Family lawyer Aamer Anwar said in October: “Three years ago, today, the body of a 16-year-old child was found hanging in his cell at Polmont, some 72 hours after he arrived there on remand. His name was William Lindsay.

“William was sent there by our courts because our criminal justice system could not find a children’s secure unit place and the desperate concerns of his social workers went ignored.”

William’s family has launched a civil action against the SPS and NHS Forth Valley.

Allan Marshall died in hospital in 2015 after being restrained by prison officers during a struggle at Saughton Prison in Edinburgh.

The Carluke man had been in prison on remand.

MSPs across the political divide have backed calls for a public inquiry into the 30 year old’s death.

Allan’s aunt Sharon MacFadyen said recently: “We are determined to get justice for Allan and I’m still hopeful of a public inquiry in the future.”

To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.