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.
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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 Adele Rennie
Sep 13, 2024
On sentencing, Sheriff Patrick said:
"Adele Rennie, I have considered carefully the circumstances of these offences and have the benefit of a detailed criminal justice social work report and a psychological report. I have also taken account of the very detailed submissions made by Mr McPherson on your behalf.
By your own admission you deliberately sought out your victim and embarked on a course of conduct designed to cause her distress. Your actions involved a significant degree of pre- meditation, deception and manipulation and it is clear from the victim impact statement they have had a profound effect on the victim so much so that she has had to seek support and assistance to deal with the trauma you caused her.
Having regard to the very serious nature of these offences and your record for conduct of a similar nature I am of the view that no sentence other than one of imprisonment is appropriate. Accordingly, you are sentenced as follows. In respect of each of charges 1, 2 and 4, 12 months imprisonment, each of these sentences would have been 18 months but for the fact you have plead guilty at the earliest opportunity. In respect of charge 3 you are sentenced to imprisonment for a period of 28 months, that period would have been 42 months but for the fact you plead guilty and avoided putting the victim through the ordeal of giving evidence. All of these sentences will run concurrently because the various different offences essentially form part of a single course of conduct and will be backdated to 15th November 2023.
In my judgement, it is necessary in order to protect the public from serious harm on your release, to impose on you a Supervised Release Order. Accordingly, in respect of charge 3, I order that, on your release from custody, you will be under the supervision of the local authority for a period of 12 months. During that period, you will report to the supervising officer allocated to supervise you in a manner and at intervals specified by him or her; you will keep your supervising officer informed of your current address and you will comply with any other requirement he or she may reasonably specify. I will also require you to engage in offence focussed work as deemed appropriate by your supervising officer to try and assist in the process of rehabilitation by addressing any issues which underly your offending behaviour, a factor on which Mr McPherson focussed.
If you breach the order, you may be brought back to court and returned to custody for all or any part of a period equal to that between the date of your first breach of the order and the date when your supervision would expire. Do you understand?
In respect of the victim in this case I am imposing a non-harassment order for a period of five years which means you must not approach, contact or communicate with her in any way whatsoever and you must not go to her address. Breach of a non-harassment order is a serious offence and will likely lead to a custodial sentence
In terms of the Crown motion for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) I am granting that order for a period of five years.
The terms of which will be contained in the order which will be served on you.
Finally, you will be subject to the Sex Offender Notification requirements for a period of ten years."
13 September 2024