Proposals for three private jails and the closure of Peterhead Prison have been criticised by the wife of Scotland's most senior judge.

Lady Cullen, the wife of the Lord Justice General, Lord Cullen, also called for a fresh approach from judges on the issue of sentencing.

She said the private prison plans resulted from the "defeatist attitude" of those who said the prison population was set to rise and failed to see the need for alternatives to custody .

She also expressed opposition to the closure of Peterhead Prison and its rehabilitation unit for sex offenders.

The proposals are out to consultation

The comments came in a letter to The Herald newspaper, which was written on behalf of the Polmont Young Offenders Institution visiting committee, of which she is chairperson.

The criticisms were another setback for the Scottish Executive's proposals, which were set out in the prison estates review.

Lady Cullen also called for "proper funding" of alternatives to prison.

She said: "There is evidence to show that where there is the will to reduce prisoner numbers, this can be achieved - Portugal, Finland, the state of Victoria in Australia, among others.

"Sentencing policy has to be reviewed, proper funding for alternatives to prison have to be put in place, properly resourced and the judiciary and lay magistracy educated."

The letter was written as a submission to the Scottish Executive's consultation exercise on the estates review and Lady Cullen said the committee was making known its opposition to the closure of Peterhead Prison.

'No adverse effect'

She said: "The committee is convinced by the research which shows that group work is more effective if those undergoing it feel they are in a safe environment and not looking over their shoulders.

"They are therefore not in favour of dispersal of sex offenders.

"Much expertise has been developed at Peterhead during the years when the prison has dealt exclusively with sex offenders and the committee is anxious that none of this should be lost to the Scottish Prison Service."

Lord Cullen has written to Justice Minister Jim Wallace expressing his view that there should be "no adverse effect on the sex offenders' programme" as a result of the estates review.