Prison anguish led couple's daughter to take her own life

The parents of a 20-year-old who took her life while serving a prison sentence have called on the justice system to better protect vulnerable inmates.

Linda and Stuart Allan told the BBC that their daughter had not even basic toiletries when she was detained.

The university student was sentenced to 16 months in jail after admitting knocking down a teenage boy while drunk behind the wheel of a car.

Ms Allan's mother, Linda, said: "When we went to see her it was pretty awful. Katie always put on a brace face for us though, every time we saw Katie she smiled and said: 'It's all right, mum and dad, it's not as bad as it seems and it's ok'. She protected us throughout all of this."

25 October 2018