Prisoner transfer firm handed more than £2m to bosses while asking for taxpayer cash

Prisoner transfer firm GeoAmey handed more than £2million to shareholders and bosses while demanding more money from Scottish taxpayers to prop up its failing service.

The Sunday Mail can reveal the huge dividends being paid out by the firm, which has hampered the justice system by consistently bringing criminals late to court for cases.

Despite already having a £238million contract, GeoAmey was last year given yet more money by the Scottish ­Government to try to fix their disastrous performance.

But newly published accounts reveal the Manchester-based firm has £11.1million in the bank while dividends of £1.3million were paid to its shareholders.

And five members of senior management earned a total income of £854,000 – an average of more than £170,000 each.

The accounts also revealed the firm’s total revenue for the year was £97.3million and it made a pre-tax profit of £3.3million.

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur

Profit was down by almost £2million on the previous year and shameless bosses blamed issues with the Scottish contract.

Their other prisoner escort contract with the Ministry of Justice in England is said to be performing well.

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said: “The Scottish Government’s contract with GEOAmey increasingly seems to be a case of heads they win, tails the taxpayer loses.

“In my own Orkney constituency, GEOAmey’s failure to deliver on the terms of the contract has resulted in jury trials having to take place on the mainland, undermining local access to justice.

“It is time for the Justice Secretary to tell GEOAmey to shape up or ship out.”

A report in their accounts states that in 2021 profitability was “adversely affected” by the SCCPES (Scottish Court Custody and Prisoner Escorting Services) contract, “which was loss-making during the year”.

In 2022, it added, there was a larger loss.

The report blamed labour market issues leading to reduced staff availability, “and the impact of performance penalty regime within the contract against increasing and uncapped customer demand”.

The company has been fined £4million for poor performance by the Scottish Government.

And an Audit Scotland report last year revealed the Scottish Prison Service had taken several actions to support improvement in GeoAmey’s performance but these have had “limited impact”.

The Sunday Mail revealed last year that witnesses in trials were being left to wait hours due to delays in accused persons being brought into court.

GeoAmey was the sole bidder for its eight-year £238million deal awarded in 2018 after Serco and previous holder G4S pulled out.

Staff shortages have since led to delays in criminal trials and hearings, with the Law Society of Scotland describing the problem as “disgraceful” in July.

The Audit Scotland report also found only 62 per cent of prisoners due in court returned on time between July and September.

Only 65 per cent of transfers to hospitals, ID parades or special escorted leave met the deadline.

GeoAmey has also struggled to recruit or retain guards due to low wages.

Staffing levels fell from about 660 to 520 between April last year and October this year – a quarter less than that needed to deliver the service.

Asked about the accounts, GEOAmey said: “Our single biggest cost is associated with providing employment for almost 2300 people throughout the UK, with the number in full-time employment expected to rise significantly this year.”

The Scottish Government said: “The current performance of the GeoAmey contract has not been working as it should and has caused disruption.

“We have been supporting SPS and other partners in delivering an improvement in the contract resulting in some progress, with a slowdown in staff attrition and improved staff numbers.”

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