WORKERS have welcomed Kilmarnock prison finally coming under state ownership for the first time in its 25-year history.

The 500-cell facility was Scotland’s first private prison when it was opened by the then Labour-Liberal Scottish Executive in 1999, and run by outsourcing giant Serco ever since, despite the protestations of the Prison Officers Association (POA).

POA assistant secretary Phil Fairlie welcomed that the Ayrshire prison would finally be out of profiteering hands and brought under public ownership.