Member’s bill on whole-life sentences to be brought before MSPs

A member’s bill on whole-life sentences will be brought before MSPs following an exchange at Holyrood this week.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson highlighted the case of John Leathem, who murdered of 15-year-old Paige Doherty and whose sentence was reduced to 23 years this month.

She asked Nicola Sturgeon to commit to introducing whole-life sentences, but the First Minister stopped short of committing to the move, meaning a member’s bill will now be brought forward in an attempt to make whole life sentences possible north of the border.

Ms Davidson said: “It’s entirely unacceptable that, less than a year after watching her killer get locked up, Paige Doherty’s family should go through the ordeal if seeing him reduce his sentence, on the flawed basis he’s not as bad a killer as others.

“Of course it is right to point out we should uphold the independence of the judiciary.

“But it is also the case that the parliament makes law and the Scottish government sets the framework under which our judges operate.

“That’s why there has to be change.

“A system which cuts a child murderer’s sentence because he’s deemed not as bad as others is rightly seen by most people as a disgrace.

“So if the SNP won’t act then we will, by pushing ahead with a member’s bill making the case for the introduction of whole-life sentencing in Scotland.

“Whole-life sentences are a tool that judges should have at their disposal. As it stands, in Scotland, they do not.”