Dumfries (56 page)

  “
Good evening.  My name is John Turney and these are the news headlines in Scotland tonight.

  The Glasgow Echo has exclusively printed the only known photograph on its front page this morning of what it claims to be the mystery sports car that has been the talk of the city for months now.  The photograph shows what appears to be a rare 1930s Mercedes Benz Silver Arrow SSKL racing car that has been breaking speeds in excess of a hundred and seventy miles an hour along Great Western Road at the weekends and wakening sleeping residents up within a two mile radius on either side of the road.  Benson Flaw, the paper’s motoring expert and columnist has apologised to The Echo’s readers for getting the marque wrong, after finally discovering what the rest of the city already knew, in that the car, already dubbed ‘The Silver Arrow’ by street spectators who have flocked to the West End of the city in the hope of catching a glimpse of it, is indeed a Silver Arrow…

A café owner, George Hislop, was sentenced to eighteen months custody after eleven customers ended up in hospital with severe food poisoning after he served them meals containing contaminated meat in the Highlander Café on Byres Road last July.  It was later found that Hislop had bought the meat from an illegal supplier, who’d had previous convictions fur supplying contaminated meat to café’s and restaurants in Glasgow in 1972…

A policeman was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court today of assaulting a young woman to her severe injury, by punching her on the face, at a late night bus stop in the city’s George Square in August.  Despite fourteen witnesses to the seemingly unprovoked assault, a Police Federation spokesman, speaking on behalf of PC Norman Watson outside Glasgow Sheriff Court today, said that the forty pounds fine imposed on PC Norman was excessive and an appeal against the conviction and sentence will be lodged…

  At the same court, two women were sentenced to twenty eight days each for assaulting a sheriff officer carrying out his duty at a sale of household goods in Cowlairs Road, Springburn, on the 27
th
July of this year.  Sheriff Clifford Burns warned the women before sentencing them that violence against dedicated civic officers carrying out their lawful duties will not be tolerated…

An eighteen-year-old youth has been sentenced to nine months in a young offender’s institution at The Marine Court in Partick today for hurling a brick through the top deck window of a bus travelling along Dumbarton Road and injuring a passenger.  Mr Ray McConnell, a forty-three-year-old off-duty policeman, received fourteen stitches to his head in the incident, which occurred on the second of September …

Chapter Forty Nine

  Fanny looked aroond her office, fair impressed.  The place wis like a new pin…nice, clean and shiny, wae no a bit ae dust in sight.  No that she wid ever hid said anything, bit the last pass-man seemed tae spend maist ae his time hiding in his cleaning cupboard wae his nose stuck in a Harold Robbins book, fae whit she could make oot.  Robert Connor, the new pass-man, hid jist stuck his heid aroond her office door tae ask her if she needed anything before the security escort officer took him back tae the main building, which hid been another pleasant change.  The first time he’d asked her if she wanted a cup ae tea, she’d thought he wis hivving her oan.  In aw the time she’d been working in Dumfries YOI, she hidnae been aware that as a civvy worker, she wis entitled tae access the prison officers refreshment supply budget that the POA hid successfully wangled oot ae management.  Since then, fae hardly darkening the doors ae the wee toilet in the corridor, she wis noo traipsing alang tae it hauf a dozen times a day.  It never ceased tae amaze her how the lives ae an inmate in Dumfries could change in an instant due tae the say or a nod fae somewan in a position ae power.  Robert Connor wis a classic example. Maist ae the staff in Dumfries noo accepted, withoot question, SO Dick’s long-held view ae Robert Connor’s innocence.  Despite it being oan the news and splashed across the newspapers that Connor’s solicitor hid been successful in his submission fur new evidence tae be considered by the High Court against his conviction and sentence fur the murder ae a young schoolgirl in Stirling in 1972, the majority ae the YOs within the establishment wurnae convinced ae his innocence.  Whit hid made it aw the mair sensational, wis that the original appeal against the conviction hid awready been knocked back by the same court ae appeal lords nearly two years earlier in Edinburgh.  Her boss Alex hid assured her that there must be significant doubt regarding the conviction, as it wis exceptionally rare fur an appeal refusal tae be reconsidered nearly two years in tae a convicted prisoner’s sentence.  The thought ae Conner…in fact, any young offender…being incarcerated in a hellhole like Dumfries if they wur innocent, wis jist beyond comprehension.  Hivving tae be subjected tae the constant day-tae-day powder-keg atmosphere, threatening tae explode at any given moment, wis bad enough fur those working in the place, bit tae be imprisoned there if ye wur innocent?  Ye could almost taste the menace that hung in the air and simmered jist below the surface, fae baith inmates and staff alike.  It wis awful fur Fanny tae witness the weaker inmates struggle tae keep their heids above water, as the ever-changing petty rules being forcibly introduced oan an almost daily basis by officers like SO Dick and Mr Hamilton, wur being challenged oan a tit-fur-tat basis by a large core group ae inmates.  Given the background ae the inmates involved, nowan knew if somewan wid end up slashed, stabbed or murdered that day or the day efter.  When Fanny hid mentioned tae Father Leonard how surprised she wis that there wisnae mair fights or violence amongst the inmates than whit there actually wis, his response hid made total sense.

  “Can you imagine the bloodbath if the YOs we have locked up in here just now started having a go at each other, Fanny?  They wouldn’t stop until they killed each other.”

Fanny remembered sitting, shuddering at the thought ae the possible consequences fur them in her small office fur the rest ae the efternoon efter Father Leonard hid disappeared.  Wan ae the maist unsettling aspects ae working in the place wis the prospect ae violence…and the survival training oan whit tae dae if she should ever be taken hostage, that Fanny hid tae regularly spend two hours in the gym gaun through.  Mr Caitlin, the ex-paratrooper gym instructor, hid been desperately trying, bit failing, tae get Fanny tae throw him oan tae the ground.

  “Kick they fucking big baws ae mine…now!” he’d scream at the tap ae his voice at her, as she stood there shivering in fear and frustration.

  Of course, it wis a pointless command, as she could never manage tae budge him back an inch, let alone put him doon oan the flair.  She hated the survival course, as aw Mr Caitlin seemed tae be interested in wis manoeuvring her in tae an embarrassing and compromising clinch, while rubbing his hauns and that clearly aroused penis ae his up and doon her body.  It wis horrible, bit The Chief hid insisted despite her mentioning the permanently erect penis, that she go through the special hostage manoeuvres at least wance a month as Mr Caitlin hid been tasked wae putting thegither the training, specifically wae her in mind.

  “Ah’ll speak tae him,” wis aw The Chief hid said, efter Fanny hid broached the subject wae him.

  Fanny also often wondered why there wisnae mair suicides than there actually wur. Compared tae the adult prisons, the figures wur low fur Dumfries.  She supposed fur somewan like Robert Conner, the icing oan the cake efter his successful appeal news, hid been his sudden transfer fae the potentially murderous environment ae the sewing machine workshoap, tae the relative safety ae keeping the three rooms, including hers, the dentist’s and the painting and decorating training manager’s offices clean alang the corridor above the gatehoose.  She wis genuinely happy fur him.  She wis well aware that the other YOs called him Robert The Beast.  His mother wis furever phoning up in floods ae tears, demanding tae know if he wis awright.  While she felt sympathy wae her, she’d been forced tae get Mrs Connor’s incoming daily and weekly calls blocked, as she could become quite threatening and nasty if she didnae like whit she heard fae Fanny.  Tae keep her at bay, Fanny hid agreed tae phone Mrs Connor wance a month, even though maist ae the time there wis nothing tae report, other than tae inform her that her only son, probably innocent ae any crime, hid survived another month withoot being killed or disfigured by his fellow YOs.  Senga sighed.  It wis Friday.  Unfortunately, she’d been dragged in tae volunteer tae help oot at the refreshments coonter ae the prisoners’ Saturday and Sunday visiting sessions.  Her attendance wis tae support The Governor’s wife, Alison Crawford.  The past week hid probably been the worst ever since she’d started working in Dumfries YOI.  It hid been difficult fur her tae keep her heid above the water-line wae whit wis gaun oan in the prison and at hame.  Father Leonard hid telt her that he went through periods like that as well and that wance the tension in the place eased aff, which it eventually wid, she’d start tae feel re-energised.  Whit she hidnae mentioned tae him wis that, as well as the pressures ae working in a closed-in environment, where she wis hated by the majority ae the prison officers and barely respected above the level ae a sex offender by the majority ae the inmates, her and Jardine’s relationship hid been gaun through a rocky patch, despite them jist hivving tied the knot the previous year.  She knew fine well that it wis her job that wis tae blame, bit she’d refused tae even entertain Jardine’s suggestion that she might want tae look aboot fur something else…less stressful…away fae the heavy atmosphere ae a long-term Young Offenders Institution, which housed the worst ae whit Scotland, bit Glesga in particular, hid tae offer.  She’d telt Jardine whit Father Leonard hid said, bit he’d been dismissive and hid telt her that they couldnae go oan the way things wur.  She’d been too scared ae whit she might hear, tae demand tae know whit he wis getting at.  The immediate problem fur her and Jardine wis that, despite whit Father Leonard said, she couldnae see things getting any better in the prison…at least no fur the foreseeable future.  While oan the whole, she loved the job, there wis absolutely nae support whitsoever.  She’d attempted tae get in touch wae her senior, Alex McRae, fur advice, three times earlier that day, the third time tae be informed by Betty McPherson, the social work receptionist, that he’d hid tae dash aff, efter coming oot ae his meeting, tae learn that his daughter hid gone intae labour wae his first grandchild.  She’d only been back in the office five minutes efter lunch, when she’d received a telephone call fae a Miss Senga Jackson, requesting that two visiting passes be left at the gatehoose fur this coming Saturday and Sunday so that she could visit Johnboy Taylor.  According tae Miss Jackson, she’d sent a letter tae Taylor requesting the visit, bit hidnae received the passes as yet and she wis concerned that she widnae receive them before journeying aw the way doon tae Dumfries, risking being blocked fae getting in, if she didnae hiv them oan her.  She’d been right tae be concerned.  Wan ae the biggest causes ae stress and strife amongst inmates, wis when a family member travelled aw day, only tae be refused entry because they couldnae produce a visiting pass tae the officers oan duty in the gatehoose.  Despite numerous representations tae The Governor and The Chief fae Fanny and Father Leonard, the practice prevailed.  Nae pass, nae entry.  She’d only been working in the institution fur aboot a month, when a mother hid turned up unannounced, expecting tae be let in tae visit her son.  Unknown tae social work, or the prison staff, tae be fair, the mother wis seriously ill and hid recently been diagnosed wae terminal cancer.  She’d walked oot ae the hospice that she’d moved intae a day or two earlier and hid taken a bus aw the way doon tae Dumfries fae Glesga, only tae be refused entry tae see her son.  Unfortunately, she’d passed away the following week and her son hid only found oot later, efter she’d died, that his mother hid been refused entry.  The staff oan duty in the gatehoose at the time hid been none other than SO Dick and Mr Hamilton.  There hid been an internal investigation, efter the YO hid petitioned the Secretary ae State tae complain aboot it, bit the two members ae staff hid been cleared ae any wrangdoing as they wur applying the prison rules tae the letter.  Fanny hid asked Miss Jackson if she could phone her back as she’d need tae hiv a look tae see if Taylor hid sent oot the passes.  The girl hid informed her that she wis using a public telephone box at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.  It wis then that Fanny hid discovered that she wis a staff nurse and oan duty, bit that she’d phone back during her tea break, aroond aboot three in the efternoon, if she could get away fae the busy casualty department where she worked.  Fanny hid checked the visiting book doon in the gatehoose and couldnae find the nurse’s name in the duplicate pass-book which hid confirmed that the passes hidnae been sent oot.  Normally, this widnae hiv been a problem, as she wid jist go and find the inmate in question and clarify if there wis a problem wae her leaving a visiting pass at the gate.  Unfortunately, in this case, that hidnae been an option open tae her as Johnboy Taylor wis languishing in solitary confinement, oot ae bounds tae anywan, bit prison officers.  Seemingly, Taylor hid hid a run-in wae Mr Hamilton the previous week, gieing the officer a moothful ae abuse that hid resulted in Taylor being put oot ae circulation fur seven days by the governor.  He wisnae due tae be let oot ae the digger until Saturday morning…the day ae the first visit.  The rules wur quite clear.  She wid need tae get the permission ae the inmate before she could issue a pass.  She’d checked his files looking fur a reference tae the lassie, and discovered that since his conviction, he’d received a letter eighteen months previously while up in Longriggend and wan recently fae her in Dumfries. She couldnae find any evidence in the Inmate Correspondence Book in the censorship office, that he’d responded back tae either letter.  She’d also looked in the files ae the other Springburn YOs and still couldnae find any mention or connection.  When she’d asked the nurse whit her connection tae Taylor wis, she’d claimed tae be ‘a good friend.’  Fanny knew that this wid be the first visit that Taylor wid’ve hid since he’d been sentenced.  She felt caught between a stane and a hard place oan whit tae dae.  Efter no receiving a call back fae her senior, Alex McRae, and wae time marching oan before the nurse phoned back, Fanny hid taken the bull by the horns and hid filled oot the passes and left them at the desk, doon in the gatehoose.  Jist five minutes later, she’d confirmed tae Senga Jackson that the passes wid be waiting fur her oan the Saturday. Fanny knew that she’d be pulle
d in by The Chief the following week fur circumventing the rules, gieing the prison management team mair ammunition tae demand her removal, tae be replaced wae somewan mair compliant and manageable, like Cocky Miller.  Withoot Taylor’s permission, the passes shouldnae hiv been made oot.  She looked at the stack ae ‘Van’ magazines sitting oan the chair by the door, put there especially tae remind her no tae furget them oan her way oot.  She looked up at the clock. Ten minutes tae go.  She’d tae go in by the hospital and drap the magazines aff tae Ian Fletcher, wan ae the vulnerable sex offender YOs, who’d been stabbed in the eye ootside the door ae the sewing machine workshop earlier in the week, before heiding hame tae pack Jardine and Jake’s overnight bags.  She’d be cutting it fine.  Jardine wis taking Jake up tae Kilmarnock tae visit his parents, so she widnae see them again until Sunday, which wis probably fur the best.  It wid gie the baith ae them a wee bit ae time tae reflect oan whit wis happening in their lives.  She let oot another sigh…a bigger wan this time…glancing at the clock again.  Despite SO Dick and Mr Hamilton keeping up the incessant harassment against any YO they deemed tae be stepping oot ae line, Fletcher hid been under their direct supervision at the time he lost the eye in the attack.  Tae make matters worse, nowan hid so far been charged wae the assault, or attempted murder, as The SO wis quick tae remind anywan he thought wisnae taking the assault seriously enough.  The attack hid been the final straw and hid resulted in the management taking the decision tae move the protected YOs oot ae the sewing machine shoap.  Despite the extra security and an attempt tae integrate the sex offender inmates in tae the mainstream as much as possible, the stabbing hid been the final straw and Mr Crawford, the governor, hid ordered the staff tae transfer the vulnerable sex offender YOs o’er tae the pass-man duties ae cleaning the halls and offices, where they’d be oot ae general circulation and much easier tae monitor and protect.  The move hid escalated an awready-heightened situation between inmates and staff, tae a whole new level.  The YOs wur up-in-erms because the existing pass-men hid been unceremoniously dumped across tae the sewing machine shoap tae take the place ae the sex offenders, withoot any prior warning.  The pass-man jobs wur viewed as cushy, sought-efter jobs that a lot ae YOs aspired and strived tae get.  The backlash hid been swift fae the start.  The protected YOs hid been subjected tae the maist horrendous verbal and physical abuse at every opportunity, if the prison officers let their guard doon, even fur a second.  No only that, bit some ae the less vocal or aggressive YOs, the wans that wur jist trying tae get through their sentence by keeping their heids doon, hid been getting slapped or punched fur the slightest infraction by the other mair organised and connected YOs.  It wis absolutely dreadful tae witness the fear and anxiety in some ae these mair passive, first offender inmates.  Oan tap ae the powder keg, the staff working as security in the sewing machine workshoap, wurnae too happy wae the turn ae events either.  SO Dick and Mr Hamilton, who everywan referred tae as The Tormentor, wur incensed.  The changes hid deprived them ae being able tae work the mair desirable straight daytime, hauf eight in the morning until hauf four in the efternoon work shifts, across in the sewing machine shoap.  As a result ae the changes, they’d been transferred back oan tae the hall gallery landings where their day consisted ae opening up and locking doon the inmates fae six o’clock in the morning or tae finish at ten o’clock in the evening, when they wur oan the backshift.  She’d heard that the POA hid raised the issue wae The Governor, threatening industrial action, bit he’d insisted that the security and welfare ae the inmates wis his responsibility and that he’d made up his mind and widnae reconsider.  A couple ae days earlier, she’d been looking forward tae getting through the rest ae the week in wan piece, wishing fur Friday tae arrive, so she could wave the boys aff and jist be able tae curl up oan the settee wae a glass ae red wine tae watch Breakfast At Tiffany’s wae Audrey Hepburn, which wis showing oan ITV.  She’d made up her mind tae try and square up the garden o’er the weekend, bit events associated wae whit wis gaun oan at the prison hid overtaken her plans.  Thank God Jardine wis heiding aff wae Jake.  He wid’ve sulked the whole weekend.  Fanny leaned her elbows oan the desk and gied her temples a wee rub wae her fingers.  She thought back tae her meeting wae Governor Crawford oan Wednesday.  Efter the others hid left the quiz meeting and she remained behind tae speak tae The Governor, it hidnae taken Fanny long tae pick up that something wisnae quite right wae him. She’d thought that he’d wanted tae discuss their recent meetings with Mr Bing and Mr Kyle, the two academics fae Stirling University, who wur carrying oot research, close tae Fanny’s heart, under the auspices ae The Department up in Edinburgh. The national research being conducted wis oan how to address the serious issue ae violent prisoners being released back tae communities, who the courts, fur whitever reason, hidnae felt the need tae impose post-sentencing supervision orders oan.  Senga hid originally heard that the research hid jist been fur adult offenders, bit through pressurising and harassing her boss Alex wae the support ae aw her colleagues, apart fae Cocky, and spending practically three weeks oan the phone tae Stirling University, Senga hid managed tae convince two ae the research team tae come and visit Dumfries YOI.  Efter a further anxious wait ae nearly a month, Patrick Kyle hid phoned her tae say that the Secretary ae State’s man in The Department, some influential, departmental lawyer called Thomas Peacock, hid jist gied them the go-aheid tae include Dumfries young offenders in the programme.