A prison officer jailed for sexually assaulting two inmates was released yesterday after serving just half his sentence.
Brian Johnstone, 62, was sentenced to three years in jail last year for abusing his position to prey on the men and repeatedly attack them in their cells at HMP Barlinnie in Glasgow.
A source close to the case said: “What he has done will affect the victims for the rest of their lives, yet he is out in one-and-a-half years getting on with his.”
Johnstone, from Greenock, denied the charges but was convicted of sexually assaulting his first victim between December 2013 and March 2014 and the second from March to August 2016.
Jailing the prison officer of 30 years in April last year, Sheriff Joseph Platt put Johnstone on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, saying: “You betrayed the trust of the prison service and your fellow employees.”
His victims, 26 and 35 at the time, recalled how Johnstone would come into their cell, often before they were awake, and touch them inappropriately.
Both men were also subjected to at least one assault in the shower.
The younger of the two men and Johnstone’s first victim described an incident when Johnstone carried out a sex act on him while he lay in bed, ill with food poisoning.
The older victim was on remand at the time of the attacks and subsequently acquitted of the charge he faced.
He described Johnstone coming into his cell and “lunging” at him before touching him between his legs, over his boxer shorts.
The man told the jury that Johnston would come into his cell before he was awake and touch him.
The court also heard of another incident when he was assaulted by Johnstone in the shower area.
Johnstone claimed to have vague memories of the men and denied any sexual contact before being convicted.
He resigned from the prison service following the guilty verdict and was sent to HMP Dumfries to serve his sentence.
The Scottish Prison Service said they do not comment on individual prisoners.
