Prison officers at maximum-security HMP Shotts near Glasgow, have passed a motion underlining their dissatisfaction with the prison's acting governor over claims of "dangerous decision making".
The no-confidence vote comes after officials from the Prison Officers' Association Scotland wrote to Scottish Prison Service bosses about three "dangerous" incidents at the Lanarkshire jail, reported the Daily Express.
The first incident that raised concerns about governor William Stuart relates to a contraband search operation in Lamont Hall which allegedly saw angered inmates begin to threatening staff.
The letter said that staff at the 553-capacity prison felt “threatened” when they were ordered to open cells to allow prisoners to exercise, but they refused to comply over concerns about the risk of serious violence.
The second incident was in relation to an alleged order to open cells and exercise covid-positive prisoners at time when omicron was spreading rapidly and its seriousness was unknown. Staff, some with health issues, raised concerns, but these were "brushed aside" according to the POAS letter.
The third was when staff were told to take prisoners out for exercise in the dark, something they say does not happen at Shotts due to risk of violence and escapes.
Orkney race-hate gunman Michael Ross - who has tried to escape three times - is incarcerated at the maximum security prison, along with gangland killers Billy ‘Buff’ Paterson, 41, and Paul Lyons, 40, plus African terror chief Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, 46.
The letter stated that "staff were placed in an awkward, confused and stressful position on the night, after they felt they had been threatened" with disciplinary action if they did not do as instructed. POAS officials say they asked for what risk assessment had been done but that none was forthcoming.
Scottish Conservative shadow community safety minister Russell Findlay has written to SPS acting chief executive Teresa Medhurst about the crisis.
He said: "There are clearly serious ongoing issues relating to the safety of staff and inmates. Prisoners are entitled to exercise but when experienced staff raise concerns, they must be listened to.
"The first incident identified in the no confidence letter is when staff were ordered to open cells to prisoners who were making death threats. I can't blame them for refusing and I'm sure they would not have done so lightly. They should never be put in a position of being forced to follow an order which could result in serious injury or worse.
"This loss of confidence by staff needs the immediate and urgent attention of SPS management and the SNP justice secretary. There appears to be a very real risk that serious disruption could occur, and this must be prevented."
A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: “We are aware of the correspondence and will respond to the local branch in due course.”
