Scottish Trans 'Baby' Prisoner Fears For Life if Moved to Men's Prison

The Scottish Prison Service is reviewing its policy of jailing men who identify as women in female-only prisons after the devolved government U-turned in the case of transgender rapist Isla Bryson, convicted in January.

A Scottish prisoner who murdered his cellmate before claiming to be both transgender and a baby says he fears for his life if sent back to a men's prison.

Sophie Eastwood, now 38, still went by his birth name Daniel in 2004 when he strangled his cellmate Paul Algie with his shoelaces at Dumfries Young Offenders Institution. Eastwood was only a month away from freedom, but was sentenced to life for Algie's murder.

He declared himself transsexual in 2017 and was moved to Cornton Vale women's and young offenders' prison in Sterling, where transgender double rapist Isla Bryson was briefly sent until the scandal forced a government U-turn.

But Eastwood has more recently begun identifying as a baby. Prison authorities once again gave in to his demands, which now include adult-sized nappies to wear, baby food to eat and for guards to hold his hand when he is outside his cell.

But now the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is reviewing its policy of locking up trans prisoners with others of their chosen sex after the case of Bryson, formerly known as Adam Graham, who only identified as a woman after his first court appearance in 2020.

"I was threatened by other prisoners in the male estate when I started to transition and the main threat was that I would suffer serious sexual violence," Eastwood claimed. "It was a relief to be moved to the female estate where I have felt safe and I’ve gained the trust of fellow prisoners."

He insisted it would be "impossible for me to feel safe in a male prison" and insisted he had "no history of gender violence" despite being jailed for murdering a fellow inmate.

"The recent outcry has led to the SPS having to review every transgender person in custody," Eastwood said. "I believe I’m in the right place and don’t think I could survive in the male estate.”

The transsexual convicts at Cornton Vale are kept in the special Care Unit, alongside pregnant, vulnerable and mentally-ill women. Prisoners there must use communal showers.

The row over housing transgender inmates — including violent and sex offenders — has already reached crisis point for devolved Scottish government.

Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation as first minister last Wednesday — claiming she had merely been in the job long enough.

But that decision came after her pet project of 'reform' to gender identity laws led to a slump in opinion poll support for Scottish independence, the SNP's core aim.

The Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) bill, passed just before Christmas by the SNP and its Scottish Greens coalition partners, would allow anyone over 16 to obtain a legal Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) after just three months living under their new identity — currently two years under UK law — without the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

A Scottish Conservative amendment to prevent convicted sex offenders applying for a GRC was defeated after the speaker's deputy Liam McArthur used his casting vote to break a tie.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak blocked the GRR from becoming law with Parliament's backing, but Sturgeon vowed a legal challenge to that decision.