Scottish ministers did not know about the decision to assess a transgender woman convicted of double rape last week at a women’s prison, according to the Holyrood justice secretary, prompting the Scottish Conservatives to demand a “detailed timeline” after a succession of U-turns.
Keith Brown’s statement to MSPs on Tuesday afternoon followed his announcement on Sunday that no transgender prisoner with a history of violence against women will be accommodated in a women’s prison pending an urgent review of all transgender inmates, and after heavy criticism from opposition parties of the government’s “botched” and “chaotic” handling of the case.
