Prisoner wins compensation
It has been revealed that a convicted paedophile has won a compensation claim amount, after prison guards were unable to find him a dentist to treat his toothache.
The con who is jailed in Peterhead Prison for abusing a seven year old girl, filed the claim after he blamed prison chiefs for failing to find an NHS dentist to treat his toothache and sued the Scottish Prison Service over a delayed treatment.
The payout has sent shock and anger across the country, especially as Aberdeenshire has one of the longest UK waiting lists of people seeking an NHS dentist.
Furious Lesley Wood, 22, a nursery assistant from Aberdeen, has been without an NHS dentist for six years.
She condemned the payout, saying: “It's totally out of order. People are paying for emergency treatment and he's getting our money. All his teeth should be ripped out after what he did.”
Kincardine and West Aberdeenshire MSP Mike Rumbles said the public would be outraged at seeing a sex offender compensated. He stated: “The dental crisis in the north-east is the worst in the country. It affects everyone and I'm not surprised the prison service failed to find access to an NHS dentist.”
Shadow justice spokesman and north-east Labour MSP Richard Baker described the settlement as "extraordinary" and commented: “This is public money and people rightly find compensation payments to prisoners offensive. It is a sad irony that many people have problems getting access to dental treatment but now this prisoner has sought compensation for dental pain.
“Prison authorities need to take every step they can to stop prisoners being able to sue for compensation. The Scottish Government should also take further action.”Updated on 14/12/2009