A convicted sex offender who once moved in the same south Glasgow criminal circle as Imran “Baldy” Shahid has reportedly asked Shahid to fund protection inside prison — a plea the jailed gang figure has declined, according to a local newspaper source. The development raises fresh questions about power, loyalties and informal justice inside Scotland’s prisons.
Prison safety is an immediate concern for the man at the centre of the request, Ameer Arshad, 31, who was jailed last year for two separate sexual offences. A source told the Daily Record that Arshad has been threatened by other inmates and sought help from his former associates.
What the request involved
The account given to the Daily Record says Arshad asked members of his old crew — who still answer to Shahid — to pay roughly £10,000 to inmates for on‑the‑inside protection. The source added that Shahid, who is serving a lengthy sentence, refused to provide any money.
- Ameer Arshad: convicted of raping a 17‑year‑old boy in July 2022 and repeatedly raping an intoxicated woman at the St Enoch Centre in July 2023; received a 10‑year prison sentence after a High Court trial and was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
- Imran “Baldy” Shahid: serving a 25‑year term for the racially motivated murder of 15‑year‑old Kriss Donald in 2004; described by sources as retaining influence over the Shielders gang from behind bars.
- Reported price for protection: around £10,000, according to the source quoted by the Daily Record.
Those close to the situation told the paper that Arshad’s crimes breach an informal code in the gang’s culture: sex offenders are frequently ostracised rather than protected. The source suggested that, given that code, the Shielders are more likely to tolerate or even arrange violence against Arshad than to bankroll his safety.
Background: the men and the gang
The two men were linked previously by geography and criminal networks in Pollokshields and the wider south side of Glasgow. Shahid and his associates — often referred to as the Shielders — were central to the 2004 abduction and murder of schoolboy Kriss Donald, an attack that remains one of Scotland’s highest‑profile racially motivated killings.
The murder took place on 15 March 2004 after a nightclub altercation; five men abducted Kriss, took him to a walkway, stabbed him multiple times and set him on fire. Shahid was later convicted and sentenced for his role.
Prison incidents and influence
Shahid has been held at several Scottish prisons over the years, and reports have recorded attacks on him while inside custody. Media accounts list previous incidents at institutions including Inverness, Peterhead, Perth, Kilmarnock and Saughton.
- 2011: reports that Shahid was slashed in Saughton after an alleged extortion attempt.
- 2013: attacked at a Kilmarnock jail gym by a convicted murderer, who reportedly struck him with a heavy weight.
- 2022: hospitalised after an apparent self‑harm incident in Peterhead; circumstances were not publicly detailed.
Sources stress these episodes underline the volatile and often violent environment inside custodial settings, and they note that established inmates and gangs can still exert significant influence over what happens to new or vulnerable prisoners.
Why it matters now
This report touches on two broader subjects: how prison hierarchies handle inmates convicted of sexual offences, and how authority exercised by influential prisoners can affect safety and discipline inside the system.
While the Daily Record provided the account of the request and Shahid’s refusal, the claims rest on unnamed sources. Prison authorities do not comment on individual security arrangements, though they regularly say they aim to protect vulnerable prisoners through formal measures rather than informal payments or interventions.
Given the sensitivity of the allegations and the potential for violence, the situation underlines ongoing challenges for prison management and the risks that arise when outside criminal networks remain active within custody.
Hi, I’m Benjamin, a member of the Sherburne County Citizen team. With a passion for writing and a deep interest in current affairs, I thoroughly enjoy bringing you the latest news and trends that affect our daily lives.
