Barlinnie boss: We have no problems housing trans inmates like Isla Bryson

The governor of Scotland’s biggest prison has said he does not “foresee any real problems” with transgender prisoners following the Isla Bryson case.

Bryson, a transgender double rapist originally known as Adam Graham, sparked a political storm earlier this year after being convicted and sent to HMP Cornton Vale, Scotland’s only all-female prison.

The courts, however, had slated Bryson to be held at Barlinnie in Glasgow before a shift was made by the prison’s contractors.

The 31-year-old was eventually moved to HMP Edinburgh after public and political outcry, with the Scottish Prison Service saying Bryson never came into contact with other inmates while at Cornton Vale.

Bryson was sentenced to eight years in prison for rape and is currently housed at HMP Edinburgh.

In an interview with The Herald newspaper, Barlinnie governor Michael Stoney said the prison had a long history of housing transgender prisoners.

“We’ve been dealing with transgender prisoners for a while now and without any fuss or bother,” he said.

“I don’t foresee any real problems following this case either.”

Responding to Bryson’s case, then justice secretary Keith Brown ordered that no transgender prisoners with a history of violence against women be housed in a female prison until the completion of a long-awaited review of the prison service’s gender policy.