Three murderers who were born male continue to live among vulnerable women inmates despite the Scottish Prison Service's new transgender guidance.

The 'female-identifying' killers have not been moved from women-only custody units because, feminist campaigners say, 'they murdered men' rather than women.

Scottish Prison Service (SPS) guidance, published after the case of trans rapist Isla Bryson, states that a transgender person can't be considered for admission or transfer to a women's prison if they have a history of violence against women and girls.

Feminist campaigners fear that trans people whose victims were male fall outside the scope of this policy and that Paris Green, Melissa Young and Alex Stewart - all violent transgender inmates - are still enjoying the benefits of softer touch female prisons. All of their victims were men.

Paris Green, formerly Peter Laing, was jailed for a minimum of 18 years in 2013 for the murder of Robert Shankland, 45, in Glenrothes, Fife.

Melissa Young, once known as Richard McCabe, murdered Edinburgh neighbour Alan Williamson on Christmas Day 2013, while Alex Stewart, formerly Alan Baker, was jailed for life in 2013 for murdering John Weir in Bonhill, Dunbartonshire.

Kate Coleman of Keep Prisons Single Sex said: 'These murderers are free to remain in women's prisons because their victims were men.

'That three violent male offenders remain in the female estate is shocking. We can only guess how many more may be held with women, as the SPS refuses to disclose this information. This policy is clearly not fit for purpose. It goes against civil society for the safety and wellbeing of women in prison to be so completely and callously disregarded.'

MSP Ash Regan, Alba party leader at Holyrood - who resigned her SNP cabinet position over the party's stance on gender reforms - said: 'No women should be housed in the prison estate with violent males. The SPS and the Scottish Government should rethink this ill thought out and dangerous policy.'

The SPS transgender guidance, published in December and in full effect from February, was issued following a row over Bryson being initially sent to an all-female prison after sentencing. Bryson was subsequently moved to a male wing of a prison.

The Policy for the Management of Transgender People in Custody (2023) states that 'a transgender woman will not be eligible to be considered for admission or transfer to a women's prison' if they have been convicted or found to have committed 'any offences that perpetrate violence against a female that results in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering'.

The SPS said its policy aims to protect 'the health, safety, and wellbeing of all people in Scotland's prisons' and that a transgender person should be considered 'on an individual basis as far as possible'. However, feminist campaigners have raised concerns that transgender prisoners could be transferred to a women's jail if a risk management panel decides that 'they do not present an unacceptable risk of harm to those in the women's prison'.

Green remains in a female unit. Along with two accomplices, Green lured Mr Shankland to a flat and beat him to death.

Young fatally stabbed Mr Williamson in what a judge branded a 'cruel and wicked attack', while Stewart was jailed after stabbing father-of-two Mr Weir, who he met on a gay dating app.

A spokesman for the SPS said: 'We will carefully consider a range of factors, including offending history, with a particular focus on violence against women and girls, when assessing risk. We do not comment on individuals.'
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