Mick Hartley

From Scotland's Daily Record:

A murderer who changed gender is demanding to be treated as a baby by prison staff.

Sophie Eastwood was formerly known as Daniel and was jailed for life in 2004 for strangling a cell-mate with shoelaces.

The killer has now told the prison governor at Polmont jail that she wants to identify as a baby, wear nappies and have meals blended like baby food.

Eastwood has also demanded that prison officers hold her hand when she is escorted from her cell.

It is understood that prison bosses are treating the demands seriously and considering which protocols might be established in dealing with the prisoner.

Eastwood has already been supplied with a dummy.

A source said: “This prisoner has been difficult and manipulative over the years, which is why she is still behind bars after 17 years.

“She decided that she would ‘trans’ from a man to woman, which is becoming more common in jails these days.

“But this is obviously something else entirely and the Scottish Prison Service has no protocol in place for dealing with prisoners who decide they are babies.”

The source added: “Eastwood is a complex person and intelligent but she is pretty demanding on the resources of the prison and enjoys being the centre of attention.

"It’s difficult to know if she really does feel a natural inclination to be treated like a baby or if it’s just some kind of attention seeking.

“Modern prisons are very tuned in to human rights and the legal implications they throw up, so it’s being given proper consideration.”

Eastwood, 36, is serving a life sentence for killing Paul Algie, 22, in 2004.

Formerly Daniel Eastwood, she has been living as a woman in jail for four years and completed her 15-year minimum term in 2019.

Do the prison staff have to change his nappy? The protocols are no doubt still under discussion.

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