Transgender woman who raped two women will not be imprisoned at an all-female jail says Nicola Sturgeon

The Scottish First Minister addressed the issue as the row continued over where Isla Bryson, 31, from Clydebank, should be imprisoned after being found guilty of two rapes carried out when she was a man.

Speaking during First Minister's Questions at Holyrood on Thursday, Ms Sturgeon confirmed a risk assessment is being carried out by the Scottish Prison Service, but she stressed Bryson will not be housed at Cornton Vale women's prison near Stirling.

She said: "It would not be appropriate for me, in respect of any prisoner, to give details of where they are being incarcerated.

"But given the understandable public and parliamentary concern in this case, I can confirm to Parliament that this prisoner will not be incarcerated at Cornton Vale women's prison.

"I hope that provides assurance to the public."

She added that the Scottish Prison Service is now "in the process of giving effect to the decision it has taken not to incarcerate this prisoner at Cornton Vale".

The case was raised by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, who questioned why Bryson had initially been placed in the female-only jail after being remanded into custody prior to sentencing.

Branding Bryson a "beast", Mr Ross said: "This double rapist only decided to change gender after he was charged by the police.

"It took the threat of jail for this criminal to decide to change his gender. That's not a coincidence, that is a conscious decision.

"We think it is wrong that a rapist is sent to a women's prison. We believe a rapist having access to a women's single-sex space is a threat."

Ms Sturgeon said: "Short term or long term, this prisoner is not going to be in Cornton Vale.

"But it is important to allow the Scottish Prison Service operationally to give effect to the decisions that they have taken."

Speaking to journalists later, the First Minister said no "formal direction" had been given to the prison service by the Government on where Bryson should be imprisoned.

She added: "In all cases where a risk assessment is being done, the prison service will not necessarily wait until it is concluded if there are reasons for a different decision on where a prisoner is accommodated.

"This individual case is not about whether they are trans or not, in this individual case this is a person who's been convicted of rape, so this individual is a rapist and a sex offender and that is what's important."

Bryson, previously known as Adam Graham, was on Tuesday found guilty of raping one woman in Clydebank in 2016 and another in Drumchapel, Glasgow, in 2019, following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Her estranged wife, Shonna Graham, 31, claimed her former partner's transition was a "sham for attention" and that she is attempting to fool the authorities.

Ms Graham told the Daily Mail: "Never once did he say anything to me about feeling he was in the wrong body or anything.

"I have a lot of sympathy for real transgender people, it's a hard thing to live with, but he's just bullshitting the authorities."

During the court proceedings, Bryson claimed she knew she was transgender at the age of four but did not make the decision to transition until she was 29, and is currently taking hormones and seeking surgery to complete gender reassignment.

She said that in 2016 she was "struggling with my sexuality and having issues emotionally".

Ms Graham however said: "I can see why he doesn't want to be in a prison with loads of big scary men, so he's come up with this ploy to get himself a much easier sentence."

Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper was also critical of the potential for Bryson to be held in a women's prison.

She told BBC Radio 4: "This dangerous rapist should not be in a women's prison and it should be clear that if someone poses a danger to women and committed crimes against women, they should not be being housed in a women's prison."

Ms Sturgeon told MSPs she agrees with Sandy Brindley, chief executive of Rape Crisis Scotland, who said: "I don't see how it is possible to have a rapist within a female prison."

The First Minister stressed it is important not to "even inadvertently suggest that somehow trans women pose an inherent threat to women", adding that "predatory men, as has always been the case, are the risk to women".

However she added: "As with any group in society, a small number of trans people will offend and when that relates to sexual offending, public concern is understandable."