Premeditated Patter

Scotland’s women’s prisons have a history as complex as they are controversial. From Cornton Vale – once branded “the vale of death” after decades of suicides, overcrowding and failings – tae HMP Stirling, the new jail...

Castle Huntly and Noranside were Scotland’s open prisons – designed for low‑risk inmates preparing for release. From the historic castle setting of Huntly tae the converted mansion of Noranside, these jails offered a...

Go behind the walls of HMP Shotts – Scotland’s maximum-security prison built for the country’s most dangerous men. From its opening in the 1970s tae modern day, we explore the tough regime, infamous inmates, daring...

Scott Kyle’s story is one of passion, pain and pure Scottish grit.He took I’m No a Billy, He’s a Tim — a play born from Glasgow’s sectarian divide — and turned it into a national phenomenon. But at the height of its...

From a wartime RAF base tae a modern prison, HMP Low Moss has one of the strangest histories in Scotland’s jail system. Once used as a temporary camp and later reopened as a proper prison, it became known for escapes...

Step inside HMP Glenochil – the Clackmannanshire jail that went from a detention centre for young offenders tae a high-security prison for Scotland’s most notorious inmates. We cover the riots, murders, escapes, and the...

Uncover the history of Saughton Prison – from its Edwardian roots tae the modern-day controversies that still haunt its name. We dive into notorious sieges, shocking deaths in custody, life behind the bars, and the...

In this episode we explore the west coast prisons of HMP Greenock and HMP Dumfries. From Greenock’s role as a mixed prison with notorious escapes, riots and high‑profile inmates, tae Dumfries – one of Scotland’s oldest...

Discover the full story of Polmont – Scotland’s most infamous Young Offenders Institution. From its beginnings as Blairlodge Academy tae its transformation into a Borstal and then a YOI, we uncover the regime, the...

From the old jails of the north tae Scotland’s newest “super-prison,” this episode charts the story of HMP Craiginches, HMP Inverness and HMP Grampian. We uncover the grim conditions and scandals of Craiginches, the...

Enter the history of HMP Barlinnie – Scotland’s most notorious prison. Opened in 1882, “the Big Hoose” has seen it all: brutal regimes, riots, daring escapes, the feared Special Unit, and the last hanging in Scotland...

Dive into the history of HMP Perth – the “General Prison of Scotland” that once held every type of inmate, from petty thieves tae death row prisoners. Built in the 1800s, it became the stage for brutal executions...

Before Scotland built its great prisons, there were the Bridewells – grim holding cells where men, women and even weans were crammed in together. From filthy conditions and hard labour tae floggings and public shame...

Recently I featured on an episode of, "The Criminal Connection Podcast" with Terry Stone where I delved into my past experiences in prison and the scheme. The podcast was modeled as "Glasgow Gagster" which is a title I...

In this raw and inspiring episode, we sit doon wi’ Aiden Bryson fae the east end of Glasgow — a bareknuckle boxer who smashed his way tae victory despite breaking both his wrists in the ring. Just two years after...