Prison population at 'significant risk' as more senior Scottish gang members jailed

The Scottish Prison Service has confirmed that inmates are at “significant risk” with more senior Scottish gang members being jailed.

Over the last year and a half a number of men have been imprisoned for their part in a gang war which spanned the central belt.

Operation Portaledge was launched to crack down on the feuding groups. The investigation has responded to 84 separate incidents and made more than 60 arrests.

Over 15 people have received prison sentences for crimes related to the war involving the Lyons, Daniels and TMJ gang.

However, it isn’t just the imprisonment of foot soldiers that has contributed to the separation of prisoners from opposing groups becoming “even more challenging”.

Police Scotland

In September of last year, jailed cocaine kingpin Mark Richardson, who has been linked to the gang war, had a bounty issued on his head.

At the time, the SPS confirmed that extra security measures were in place amid the increased threat of violence.

In April 2026, Stephen Jamieson, who had been extradited from Dubai, was jailed for six years after admitting to playing a “key” role in a multi-million-pound drugs operation and being involved in organised crime.

Jamieson had a “business relationship” with Jamie Stevenson, another senior criminal figure who is currently behind bars in Scotland, having admitted to directing and being involved in organised crime.

Last month, the leader of the Daniels gang, Steven Daniel, was arrested and appeared in court charged with serious organised crime, production and supplying of drugs.

He was remanded in custody.

The SPS has described the current “size and complexity” of the prison population as “unsustainable”, with those imprisoned and working in prisons at “significant risk”.

A SPS spokesperson said: “As we have made clear, the size and complexity of the prison population is unsustainable. It now poses a significant risk to the safety of those living and working in our establishments and limits our ability to deliver effective rehabilitation.

“We have many groups who require to be kept separate from others for a range of reasons, in some cases because of links to serious and organised crime, in others because of their offending history, age, or legal status.

“Our current population challenges make this even more challenging and further restricts our staff’s ability to do the important work of supporting individuals, building relationships, turning lives around, reducing the risk of reoffending, and creating a safer Scotland for all.”

The Scottish Government told STV News that the number of senior crime figures behind bars shows that the justice system is “tackling organised crime”.

However, they acknowledged that the influx of senior organised gang members is having an “impact on the prison service”.

They have promised that a number of measures are being taken to combat the overcrowding, with HMP Highland due to be completed next Spring and HMP Glasgow to open in 2028.

A spokesperson added: “Scotland’s prison population, like many comparable countries, has risen to unsustainable levels and must be addressed. We are taking a number of actions to tackle this, including building two new prisons and maximising capacity within the prison estate.

“We have recently consulted on a range of measures to achieve a sustainable prison population, while maintaining public protection and reducing future offending. That consultation has now closed, and we will consider all responses to help inform next steps.”

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