Who was Katie Allan? 21-year-old died by suicide inside prison after being "berated by inmates," claims her mother

21-year-old Katie Allan reportedly took her own life while incarcerated in Polmont YOI on June 4, 2018. Her sudden death shocked locals, the prison system, and the Scottish government. Allegations from her mother suggest that Katie had been subjected to relentless harassment by fellow inmates, raising serious concerns about the circumstances leading to her tragic death.

Katie Allan was a third-year geography student. However, in February 2018, she pleaded guilty in a hit-and-run case where she was driving recklessly and was drunk. Katie was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

In 2018, a similar incident happened when a 16-year-old boy, William Brown, also known as William Lindsay, committed suicide at Polmont Young Offenders Institution. Lindsay was remanded in custody after being judged for "potential risk to public safety" at Glasgow Sheriff's Court on October 4, 2018.

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Who was Katie Allan?

Katie Allan was a third-year Geography student at the University of Glasgow. According to her mother, Linda Allan, she was very vibrant, compassionate, and a very hard-working girl. Speaking to the public, she reportedly said,

"Katie was a vibrant, compassionate young 3rd year geography student, working hard to achieve her degree. She made a mistake and broke the law. No one more than Katie accepted that she deserved to receive judicial punishment."

Katie Allan had an elder brother named Scott Allan, who has allegedly questioned the Scottish Prison Service. He said,

"They have not been held accountable after his sister's death."

Speaking publicly for the first time, Scott reportedly said,

"What the Scottish criminal justice system has taken from my family is beyond words. Since Katie's death, I have lost more than a sister; I have lost my dearest friend, I have lost hope in the 'state,' and I have lost what remained of my childhood."

"The hatred I feel towards those responsible for Katie's death is one that lingers even now. The state has taken from me my sister, but once again today, it continues to fail Katie by failing to hold to account the Scottish Prison Service," he added.

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What happened to Katie Allan?

Katie Allan was sentenced to 16 months of prison in a hit-and-run case, where she hit a 15-year-old boy while driving and left him unconscious. However, she escaped from the crime scene, but an eyewitness took note of her registration number. She suffered from alopecia and had a history of self-harm.

According to her mother, while in prison, she was subjected to targeted strip moves. However, the staff allegedly failed to act accordingly on the warning given by Katie's family about how vulnerable she is and had a history of self-harm. As per Linda Allan, Katie was bullied in her prison span and lost 80% of her hair. Linda Allen further said,

"My daughter's was berated by inmates and I believe her compliant nature was making her an easy target for the wardens to 'reach their strip-search quotas,'" Daily Mail quoted Linda Allen as saying.

According to Linda Allan, Katie did not realize she had hit someone as her tire blew, and she hit an island after drinking four pints. Also, the family of the boy and he himself pleaded not to sentence her despite her imprisonment of 16 months.

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Katie Allan and William Lindsay's families call on Scotland’s First Minister to take action ahead of inquiry

The parents of Katie, her brother, and the brother of William Lindsay, who killed himself after being in prison for three days, met senior figures from the Crown Office in Edinburgh on Thursday, October 21, 2022.

However, in a conversation with Principal Crown Counsel Ashley Edwards KC, the families came out, and solicitor Aamer Anwar allegedly said,

"There has been no justice for them."

Linda Allan, the mother of Katie Allan, vowed justice for her daughter in 2019 and wrote on X:

Now, on January 8, 2024, solicitor Aamer Anwar, representing the families of Katie Allan and William Lindsay, pleaded with First Minister Humza Yousaf to work to remove Crown immunity.

In a statement outside the Falkirk Sheriff Court, Mr. Anwer said:

"Whilst the families recognize today as a milestone in their journey for the truth, it is certainly not the end of the process. The First Minister, Humza Yousaf, must not betray the many promises he made to these families whilst the justice minister. He cannot escape behind a veil of silence."

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the deaths of Katie and William is ongoing at Falkirk Sheriff Court. The Scottish government has said it could not comment on the FAI but would "carefully consider the outcome."