48 INMATES TRASH LUXURY JAIL; EXCLUSIVE Violent cons barricaded in eight-week-old prison.

Byline: By Keith McLeod 

RIOTING constrashed Scotland's newest prison last night.

Up to 48 inmates went on the rampage at state-of-the-art Addiewell Prison and barricaded security doors with pool tables. The luxurious pounds 18million HMP Addiewell, dubbed "The Addison" by prisoners after the Radisson hotel chain, opened just eight weeks ago.

Police and fire crews were called to the privately run jail, near West Calder, Midlothian, just after 8pm while members of the public were still visiting.

Ambulances were also called to the scene as a precaution.

Violence flared when prisoners took control of a hall in one wing of the jail, sparking a major lock-down

Witnesses said they saw drainpipes being torn from walls and cons threw up barricades using pool tables and furniture.

Police set up roadblocks in a perimeter of one mile from the prison but here was no suggestion of any escapes and all prison officers were accounted for.

One man who was visiting a friend in jail said: "It was panic stations at first.

"They didn't know what to do with the prisoners or visitors.

"The prisoner I was visiting was marched out, brought back and then marched out again."

He added: "We had to wait ages until they felt it was safe enough to let us out.

"There were police and fire engines everywhere. I saw people in riot gear entering the prison."

Another visitor said: "They were damaging the inside of the prison.

"There was a report of fires being lit but I didn't see this, though there was a smell of smoke."

A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: "We can confirm that a group of prisoners is in a hall in one of the wings.

"My information is it is in the tens, rather than hundreds.

"The fire service, police and ambulance have responded as part of an automatic protocol for dealing with these types of situations.

"We have people in there hoping to speak to those involved and the hope is this will end peacefully." A police spokesman said: "We have officers on the scene, though the matter is being dealt with by the SPS." Addiewell houses 700 prisoners, some lifers, including killers and rapists.

It has already gained a reputation for being a soft option by cons who have en-suite bathrooms and showers and flat-screen TVs.

The prison is run by the private firm Kalyx. It has 12 wings and entry is controlled by kiosks which have finger scan recognition technology. There were claims that cons pretended to come from Lanarkshire or West Lothian so they would be transferred to Addiewell.

Last night, there was no word on what may have sparked the alert.

Three weeks ago, drug courier Richard Crompton, 41, was the first to die in the prison.

He was found dead in his cell. It is thought he took his own life.

CAPTION(S):

ALL MOD CONS: Inmates call pounds 18million jail 'The Addison'; SPORTS: Snooker tables; COMFORT FOR CONS: Prisoners' rooms and the library in the jail