SENTENCING STATEMENTS

A judge may decide to publish a statement after passing sentence on an offender in cases where there is particular public interest; where a case has legal significance; or where providing the reasons for the decision might assist public understanding.

Please note that statements may include graphic details of offences when it is necessary to fully explain the reasons behind a sentencing decision.

Once charges are spent, any statement in relation to them is removed and cannot be provided or acknowledged. Statements published before the launch of the website may be available on request. Please email judicialcomms@scotcourts.gov.uk.

The independence of the judiciary is essential to safeguard people’s rights under law - enabling judges to make decisions impartially based solely on evidence and law, without interference or influence from the government or politicians.

When deciding a sentence, a judge must deal with the offence that the offender has been convicted of, taking into account the unique circumstances of each particular case. The judge will carefully consider the facts that are presented to the Court by both the prosecution and by the defence.

For more information about how judges decide sentences; what sentences are available; and matters such as temporary release, see the independent Scottish Sentencing Council website .

Read more about victims of crime and sentencing.

HMA v Neil Kirkton

Jun 8, 2022

At the High Court in Paisley on June 1, Lord Arthurson sentenced Neil Kirkton to seven years imprisonment for assaulting a 2-month-old child to his severe injury, permanent impairment and danger of life.

HMA v Jack McBride

Jun 7, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Lady Haldane sentenced Jack McBride to 6 years and 8 months imprisonment after the offender pled guilty to Culpable Homicide

HMA v Patrick Keenan and Patrick Mooney

Jun 6, 2022

At the High Court in Paisley today, Lord Arthurson imposed extended sentences of 9 years and 9 months and 10 years and 6 months on Patrick Keenan and Patrick Mooney after they both pled guilty to two charges of abduction, assault and robbery.

HMA v Alasdair Gray and Jordan Gray

May 31, 2022

At the High Court in Glasgow today Lord Matthews imposed an extended sentence of 6 years and 10 months on Alasdair Gray after he pled guilty to assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement ,permanent impairment and danger to life. Jordan Gray was also sentenced to 2 years and 2 months after he pled guilty to assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment.

HMA v Raymond Ward

May 30, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Judge Fiona Tait sentenced Raymond Ward to six years imprisonment for causing death by dangerous driving. Mr Ward was also disqualified from driving for a period of ten years.

HMA v The Richmond Fellowship Scotland

May 26, 2022

At Glasgow Sheriff Court today, Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull fined The Richmond Fellowship Scotland £450,000 following the death of a 59-year-old woman in their care. A jury convicted the organisation of a breach of health and safety at work legislation.

HMA v Krishna Singh

May 25, 2022

At the High Court in Glasgow, Krishna Singh was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment after he was convicted of 54 charges of sexual abuse involving patients in his care as a GP.

HMA v Lawrence Brolly

May 25, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Boyd sentenced Lawrence Brolly to an extended sentence of eight years for assault to injury and danger of life. The sentence comprises four years in custody and four years under supervision in the community.

HMA v Brandon Boyd and Connor Clark

May 16, 2022

At the High Court in Glasgow today, Lord Fairley sentenced Brandon Boyd to 6 years and 10 months and Connor Clark to 8 years imprisonment after the offenders pled guilty to hamesucken and robbery

HMA v James McGee

May 16, 2022

At Ayr Sheriff Court today, Sheriff Mhairi Mactaggart sentenced James McGee to 30 months imprisonment, after the offender was convicted of money laundering and VAT fraud, aggravated by connection with serious organised crime.

HMA v Kyle McKenzie

May 13, 2022

At the High Court at Edinburgh Lord Boyd imposed a 16 years extended sentence on Kyle McKenzie, comprising of a custodial part of 11 years and a 5 years extension period, after the accused pled guilty to rape and assault to injury

HMA v Shaun Munro

May 12, 2022

At the High Court at Edinburgh today, Lord Matthews sentenced Shaun Munro to 4 years imprisonment after the offender pled guilty to causing death by dangerous driving while under the influence of alcohol.

HMA V Lukasz Czapla

May 4, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Lord Beckett sentenced Lukasz Czapla to life imprisonment after the offender was found guilty of murdering his son.

HMA v Andrew Gaffney

Apr 28, 2022

At the High Court at Glasgow, today, Judge Douglas Brown sentenced Andrew Gaffney to an extended sentence of 10 years, consisting of a custodial term of 7 years backdated to 25 August 2020 and an extension period of 3 years after being convicted of rape.

HMA v Richard Stewart

Apr 19, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Lord Boyd imposed an Order for Lifelong Restriction with a punishment part of 3 years and 4 months on Richard Stewart after the offender pled guilty to seven charges of rape, one charge of sexual assault and one contravention of section 1 of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018.

HMA v Lee Ibbotson

Apr 1, 2022

At the High Court in Glasgow Lord Summers' sentenced Lee Ibbotson to six years imprisonment after the offender was convicted of rape and will run consecutively to the period of imprisonment he is currently serving.

HMA v Adam Fernie

Mar 31, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh today Lord Weir sentenced Adam Fernie to 32 months imprisonment and disqualified him from driving for 76 months after the offender was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

HMA v David Bain

Mar 17, 2022

At the High Court at Edinburgh today, Lord Boyd of Duncansby sentenced David Bain to life imprisonment after the offender was convicted of murder. The punishment part is 16 years. This is the minimum time that the offender must remain in jail before he can be considered for parole.

HMA v Reginald Maxwell

Mar 15, 2022

At the High Court at Edinburgh today, Lord Boyd of Duncansby imposed a community sentence on Reginald Maxwell after the offender was found guilty of sexual abuse. A probation order was made with a supervision requirement for a period of three years and a work requirement of 240 hours. Further conditions were imposed for the protection of the complainers and to address problems of addiction.

HMA v Ulf Koischwitz

Mar 14, 2022

At Dundee Sheriff Court today, Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown took into account that Ulf Koischwitz had completed the equivalent of a community payback order in Germany for causing death by careless driving and admonished him. He was previously disqualified from driving for two years.