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 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.

HMA v Peter Renton

Mar 10, 2022

At the High Court at Edinburgh, Lady Scott sentenced Peter Renton to an extended sentence of 9 years and 3 months after the offender pled guilty to rape. This consists of 6 years and 3 months imprisonment and a 3 year extended period on licence. Lady Scott also put in place non-harassment orders for 10 years.

HMA v Kevin Sands

Mar 8, 2022

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, Sheriff Kenneth Campbell sentenced Kevin Sands to nearly 4 years’ imprisonment after the offender was found guilty of a number of offences including assault, malicious damage and domestic abuse. The Sheriff also imposed a supervised release order for a further 12 months and put in place a non-harassment order for 25 years.

HMA v Shaun Rimmer

Mar 3, 2022

Today at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Boyd sentenced Shaun Rimmer to 8 years’ imprisonment after the offender pled guilty to death by dangerous driving.

HMA v Michael Conroy

Mar 2, 2022

Today at Airdrie Sheriff Court, Sheriff Fergus Thomson sentenced Michael Conroy to 62 weeks imprisonment after the offender pled guilty to child neglect.

HMA v Nikolaos Karvounakis

Feb 16, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Lord Braid sentenced Nikolaos Karvounakis to 8 years and 4 months imprisonment after the offender pled guilty to a contravention of section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

HMA V James Davidson, David Mullarkey, Ellis Hardy, Wayne Smith

Feb 15, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Boyd sentenced James Davidson and David Mullarkey to 6 years and 3 months imprisonment, Ellis Hardy to 5 years and Wayne Smith to 4 years 6 months after they all pled guilty to being involved in serious organised crime.

HMA v Reece Sweeney

Feb 11, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh today Lord Boyd sentenced Reece Sweeney to life imprisonment after the offender was found guilty of murder.

HMA v Morton Eadie and others

Feb 9, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Lord Beckett sentenced four people to life imprisonment after they were found guilty of murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

HMA v Brandon Bloice

Feb 3, 2022

At the High Court at Glasgow, Judge Gillian Wade sentenced Brandon Bloice to an Order for Lifelong Restriction after the offender pled guilty to attempted murder with intent to rape. This is a sentence of imprisonment for an indeterminate period.

HMA V Hisham Awad

Jan 27, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh today, an extended sentence of 9 years was imposed on Hisham Awad with a custodial part of 6 years. This sentence will run consecutively to a determinate sentence of 18 months, after the offender pled guilty to two serious sexual offences against young women.

HMA v Raymond Bell

Jan 26, 2022

At the High Court in Glasgow today, Lord Arthurson sentenced Raymond Bell to life imprisonment after the offender was found guilty of murder.

HMA v Matthew Watson

Jan 17, 2022

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Richardson imposed an extended sentence of 13 years on Matthew Watson after the offender was found guilty of 5 charges and pled guilty to a further 13 charges of the sexual abuse of 10 young women.

HMA v Peter Antonelli

Dec 23, 2021

At the High Court in Edinburgh on 22 December, Judge Gilchrist sentenced Peter Antonelli to eight years’ imprisonment after the offender was found guilty of sexual abuse.

HMA v Garry John Martin

Dec 21, 2021

At Glasgow High Court, Lord Arthurson imposed an extended sentence of 14 years and a determinate sentence of four years imprisonment on Garry John Martin, after the offender was found guilty of 19 charges involving violent and sexual offending against nine complainers spanning almost three decades. The sentences will run consecutively.