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.
Follow us if you wish to receive alerts as soon as statements are published.
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 Ruaridh Levey
Jul 31, 2024
On sentencing, Lord Ericht said:
"After an evening drinking in your flat with Craig McNaught, you stabbed him in the back with a broken golf club shaft which pierced his right lung and heart before exiting through the front of his chest. The jury rejected self-defence. You committed a brutal murder.
The punishment for murder is fixed by law. You will be sentenced to life imprisonment.
I am obliged to fix a period of time which you must serve in custody before being considered for parole. In fixing this period, known as the punishment part, I must reflect the need to punish you for the crime of murder and to deter you and others from committing murder.
In fixing the punishment part of your sentence the law requires me to ignore the risk that you may pose to the public in the future. This does not mean that you will serve just this period.
It will be for the Parole Board to determine when it is safe for you to be released from prison. The question of parole cannot arise before the punishment period has passed.
I am also obliged to take account of the seriousness of the crime of murder of which you have been convicted and your previous convictions.
Although you have had no convictions since 2018, before then you have a number of convictions for assault, including a 2012 High Court conviction for assault to injury and danger of life.
I have listened carefully to what has been said on your behalf in mitigation and I’ve taken it all into account.
You accept that the fatal wound had been caused by you, and maintained that it was in self-defence, although this was rejected by the jury.
Having regard to the whole circumstances, the punishment part will be one of 18 years. This period of 18 years is backdated to 9 March 2023 when you were first taken into custody.
This does not mean that this is a sentence of 18 years. You are sentenced to life imprisonment and you will serve at least 18 years before you can be considered for release on parole and it will be for the Parole Board to determine when you will ultimately be released and they will have regard to the safety of the public in reaching that decision."