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 Robert Greig, Kieran Crawford, Jamie Fullerton, Laughlin Duffy & Dylan Marshall
Jul 1, 2024
At the High Court in Glasgow today, Lord Arthurson imprisoned Robert Greig for 7 years & 6 months after he pled guilty to culpable homicide. Kieran Crawford, Jamie Fullerton, Laughlin Duffy and Dylan Marshall all pled guilty to charges of assault to severe injury. Crawford & Fullerton will be imprisoned for 2 years. Duffy & Marshall received 18 months detention.
HMA v Bill Russell Ray McKenzie
Jun 27, 2024
At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Lady Poole imposed a community payback order of 300 hours unpaid work on Bill Russell Ray McKenzie. He had previously pled guilty to causing death by careless driving. McKenzie has also been disqualified from driving for 5 years and must resit an extended test if he chooses to drive again
HMA v Qin Huang, Xiao Min & Guolei Huang
Jun 25, 2024
At the High Court in Glasgow, Lady Poole imprisoned Qin Huang for 8 years and Xiao Min for 8 years 6 months after the pair pled guilty to human trafficking. Guolei Huang received 4 years 3 months having pled guilty to brothel keeping. Charges against all 3 were aggravated by a connection to serious organised crime.
HMA v Morgan Houldsworth
Jun 24, 2024
At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Tyre imposed an extended sentence of 9 years and 8 months on Morgan Houldsworth after the offender pled guilty to attempted murder. The extended sentence comprises a custodial term of 6 years and 8 months with an extension period of 3 years.
HMA v Paul McNaughton & Paul Black
Jun 17, 2024
At the High Court in Glasgow today, Lord Scott sentenced Paul McNaughton to life imprisonment for the murder of Peter Coshan. McNaughton must serve a minimum period of 22 years before he can be considered for parole. Paul Black was sentenced to 5 and a half years in prison for attempting to pervert the course of justice.
HMA v Stewart McIntosh McQuade Kennedy
Jun 14, 2024
At the High Court in Glasgow today, Lord Scott sentenced Stewart McIntosh McQuade Kennedy to an extended sentence of 9 years, made up of a 7 years custodial term and 2 years on licence in the community. Kennedy had been found guilty of 15 charges, including violence and sexual offences. He has been issued with non-harassment orders and added to the sex offenders register.
HMA v Anthony Walker
Jun 11, 2024
At the High Court in Livingston today, Judge Craig sentenced Anthony Walker to 12 years’ imprisonment. Walker had previously been found guilty of rape and sexual abuse of one child and further sexual offences against four other children. His name will be on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period and he has been added to the list of people unsuitable to work with vulnerable groups.
HMA v Dale Allan Cleeton, Calvin Boyd Begbie, Fraser Boyd and Mitchel Whyte
Jun 7, 2024
At the High Court in Glasgow today, Lord Arthurson sentenced Dale Allan Cleeton, Calvin Boyd Begbie, Fraser Boyd and Mitchel Whyte for their involvement in serious organised crime. They received respective prison sentences of 7 years, 6 years, 3 years and 32 months. Cleeton and Begbie have also been issued with further 3 year Serious Crime Prevention Orders. All 4 pled guilty to being involved in the supply of controlled class A drugs.
HMA v Anthony Kelly
Jun 6, 2024
At the High Court in Aberdeen today, Judge Andrew Miller sentenced Anthony Kelly to 7 years 6 months in prison and a subsequent 30 month Serious Crime Prevention Order. Kelly pled guilty to being involved in serious organised crime and the supply of controlled drugs.
HMA v Keir Johnston
Jun 6, 2024
At the High Court in Glasgow, Lady Drummond sentenced Keir Johnston to 54 months’ imprisonment. The offender had previously pled guilty to assault to injury and danger of life. He has also been issued with a non-harassment order.
HMA v Leslie Scott Jackson
Jun 5, 2024
At the High Court in Glasgow today, Lord Arthurson imposed an extended sentence of 12 years on Leslie Jackson. The offender had pled guilty to a charge of the abduction, assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life. The sentence is made up of a punishment period of 8 years in prison with a further 4 years on licence in the community.
HMA v Richard Taylor
May 31, 2024
On 31 May 2024 at the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh Richard Taylor pled guilty using the s 76 procedure to being concerned in the supplying of cocaine and diamorphine. Lord Doherty sentenced him to 5 years and 219 days’ imprisonment backdated to 5 March 2024.
HMA v Lyndsay Lawrence
May 28, 2024
At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Lord Tyre sentenced Lyndsay Lawrence to 4 years imprisonment after the offender was found guilty of assaulting a nine-month-old baby to his severe injury and to the danger of his life and exposing the child to unnecessary suffering or injury.
HMA v NHS Ayrshire and Arran Health Board
May 28, 2024
At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court today, Sheriff Patrick fined NHS Ayrshire and Arran Health Board £66,000 after the health board admitted, via s76 procedure, a failure to ensure meals it provided minimised the risk of choking and caused the death of Iris McNaught.
HMA v Scott Nairns
May 24, 2024
At the High Court in Livingston, Lord Young imposed an extended sentence of 10 years on Scott Nairn, after the offender was found guilty of attempted murder. The custodial part of the sentence is 8 years, with a 2 years extended period to be served in the community
HMA V Steven Ronan McMath
May 24, 2024
At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Fairley imposed an extended sentence of 8 years on Steven McMath after the offender was convicted of two charges of rape committed against two different complainers.The custodial element of the sentence will be 5 years, with an extended licence period of 3 years.
HMA v RF
May 23, 2024
On 6 March 2024 at the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh RF was convicted of an assault to severe injury, a contravention of section 1 of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, and four contraventions of section 90 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.
On 23 May 2024 at the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh Lord Doherty sentenced him to a cumulo sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment for the contraventions of section 90 and to a further cumulo extended sentence of 9 years’ imprisonment for the assault to severe injury and the contravention of section 1 made up of a custodial term of 7 years and an extension period of 2 years.
HMA v Alan Robert David Leishman
May 23, 2024
At the High Court in Glasgow, Lord Arthurson sentenced Alan Robert David Leishman to 10 years' imprisonment. Leishman pled guilty to a charge of culpable homicide.
HMA v Craig Andrew McQuillian
May 22, 2024
At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Lord Mulholland sentenced Craig McQuillian to 6 years’ imprisonment after the offender pled guilty to attempted murder.
HMA v Malcolm Lamont
May 21, 2024
At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Judge Tait sentenced Malcolm Lamont to 7 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of sexual offences against two people. Lamont has also been added to the sex offenders' register indefinitely.