Transgender inmate who complained about women’s jail is back inside

A transgender offender, who complained she was called “it” during her time at Cornton Vale women’s jail, is back behind bars.

Last year, Shantelle Taylor claimed she was reduced to tears by degrading treatment and that she was banned from mixing with other inmates. 

Now she is back at the prison after allegedly breaching bail conditions not to have any contact with her partner. 

When the police searched Taylor’s Blairhall home, her partner was found hiding in the loft. 

Taylor, who had previously committed similar offences, denied this breach. 

Taylor (25), of Rintoul Avenue, appeared from custody at Dunfermline Sheriff Court. 

It is alleged that having been granted bail on 22^nd March not to contact or approach Michael Moloney, she breached this on 25^th May when she was with him. 

She submitted a not guilty plea through her solicitor Peter Robertson who asked for bail. 

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia opposed bail saying, “When police searched the house with the accused’s consent, she pro-actively said there was no-one up in the loft. 

“She said she had been working in the loft and that there was nobody up there.” 

Mr Robertson said his client’s position was that her partner had not been invited to go there and had just entered the property. 

“She would be vulnerable in a prison environment,” he added. 

Taylor was already on a restriction of liberty order and has a deferred sentence pending for similar offences. 

The court was told the relationship had been on-going for three years. 

Sheriff Linda Smith refused to grant bail and trial was set for 26^th June. 

Taylor previously spent two weeks on remand at Cornton Vale after a disturbance at a homeless hostel in Glasgow.

She claimed that a prison guard said about her, “He, she or whatever it is needs to keep quiet.”

Taylor also claimed, “I wasn’t allowed to go into the cells with other inmates. I had to sit at the door because of my gender status.”

After being released she said she was moving to Fife to start a new life with her partner.