BBC News | SCOTLAND | Prison unrest ahead of royal visit

The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, has gone ahead with a visit to Edinburgh's Saughton Prison, despite a hostage-taking incident on Sunday.

The Scottish Prison Service has given few details, but it is understood one inmate took another hostage using a weapon.

It took police and prison service officers six hours to resolve the crisis peacefully.

Officials say there was nothing to connect the incident with Princess Anne's visit on Monday.

Princess Royal
The princess will open a new wing
The princess spent two hours at the prison where she inspected a new remand wing and opened a visitor centre.

The hostage incident began just after 1600 GMT on Sunday.

Police were called and the rest of the prisoners were locked in their cells.

It took prison staff and police negotiators until 2200 GMT to resolve the situation.

Saughton Prison, which currently has 650 inmates, is designed to hold 579.

There was a disturbance there in May, believed to have been over conditions at the jail.

Inmates smashed up their beds and set light to bedding during the trouble.


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