Katie Allan's mum warned justice secretary in 2018 that Polmont deaths would continue unless things changed

The mother of a young woman who took her own life while serving a sentence at Polmont has said she warned deaths would continue happening at the facility unless things changed.

Jonathan Beadle died at the facility in Falkirk on Saturday, two years after the Scottish Government pledged to stop sending under-18s there.

The 17-year-old’s death is being treated as unexplained but there is not thought to be any suspicious circumstances.

Linda Allan, whose daughter Katie Allan died aged 21 at the Young Offenders Institute in June 2018 while serving a sentence for a driving offence, said her thoughts were with Jonathan’s family.

“It takes you right back to June 2018”, Linda told STV News

“The first thoughts are with Jonathan’s family and the road that they’ll have to travel and the lack of support that we had.

“I really hope and pray that they get some support

“I really hope and pray that things have improved and they don’t have six years to wait on a Fatal Accident Inquiry.

“I remember meeting the justice secretary in 2018 and saying that this will happen again unless things change and it’s happened four times now.”

Under the Children (Care and Justice)(Scotland) Bill which became law last month, young people aged 16 and 17 are supposed to be placed in secure accommodation rather than YOIs.

However, there are currently still eight people under the age of 18 being held at Polmont.

Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, HM chief inspector of prisons, said her “heartfelt sympathy” goes out to Jonathan’s family.

“It is time we removed children from Polmont, everyone has the intent to do so.

“It is going to happen but I would like to have seen it happen faster.

“We need for children to come out of Polmont and into secure care.”