The Scottish Government has been urged to explain why a biologically male murderer has been housed in a women’s prison wing.
Alba Party MSP Ash Regan wants urgent answers after the convicted killer Peter Laing, who now goes by the name of Paris Green, was convicted for hurting a female prison guard.
The Sunday Mail revealed that Green, who is serving life for murder, was admonished after pleading guilty to an amended charge of culpable and reckless conduct at Edinburgh Sheriff Court this month. The 33-year-old was initially charged with assaulting the victim by forcibly pushing a door in August 2023.
Ms Regan has now demanded answers as to why the violent killer was housed in the women’s wing of HMP Edinburgh and for “urgent clarity” as to whether or not Green is still imprisoned next to women.
READ MORE: Prison bosses apologise to Isla Bryson after warder calls transgender rapist 'son'
Green was handed a life sentence in 2013 for the murder of Robert Shankland and ordered to serve 18 years before applying for parole. Green and fellow thugs Kevin McDonagh and Dean Smith invited Robert, 45, to a party in Glenrothes in March of that year.
The trio then tied him up and tortured him for hours, sexually assaulting him with a rolling pin and beating him so badly they left a footprint on his neck. Green was born Peter Laing but now identifies as female and is incarcerated in the women’s wing of HMP Edinburgh, in line with Scottish Prison Service (SPS) policy.
Commenting, Ms Regan said: “The Scottish Government must urgently clarify where Paris Green is currently being held in prison and why, despite assurances to the contrary, this violent male killer was housed in the women’s wing of HMP Edinburgh.
”Already a female prison guard has been injured by Green, who was not only convicted of murder but the trial heard they inflicted sexual violence on their victim.”
Alba's Holyrood leader, who resigned from Nicola Sturgeon's SNP government over the Gender Recognition Reforms, continued: “Those of us who warned of the threat to the safety, dignity and privacy of women were told that gender self-ID did not present any risks.
”Despite gender self-ID not being the law in Scotland, SPS introduced it into operational policy in 2014. This is the latest example of women's human rights being disregarded to appease even the demands of convicted male killers.”
For Women Scotland spokeswoman Susan Smith told the Sunday Mail said: “This illustrates the abject idiocy of the notion that violent male prisoners convicted of murdering or assaulting other men will be restrained and gentle towards women. Paris Green is clearly a danger to all women in that unit and should have been removed at once.”
The SPS said: “We do not comment on individuals. We take a zero-tolerance approach to violence, and any alleged incidents are reported to Police Scotland. The outcome of any proceeding is a matter for the courts.
“Our policy on transgender people in custody supports the health, safety, and wellbeing of all people living and working in Scotland’s prisons, by taking an individualised approach to the admission, placement, and management of transgender people.
“We carefully consider a range of factors, including risk to and from an individual when making decisions about how best to manage and support them.”
For more news, follow us on Facebook and Twitter but never miss the latest top headlines and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
