Dundee murderer Robbie McIntosh will go before the parole board today after a hearing in August was deferred at the 11th hour.
This is the second time McIntosh has been eligible for parole since he was convicted of attempted murder in 2018 after bludgeoning Dundee gran Linda McDonald in Templeton Woods.
The convicted killer was out on release for the murder of Anne Nicoll at the time of the brutal assault.
The hearing today (Friday) was originally scheduled for August 9 but was postponed at the last minute – after Linda had travelled from Dundee to Perth to attend.
Linda made a formal complaint to the parole board about the handling of the case, who directed her to take the complaint to the Scottish Prison Service (SPS).
Earlier this week, SPS in turn claimed it was not their responsibility, telling Linda to take her complaint to the Scottish Government.
Calls for rethink on hearing every two years
Linda has been outspoken in The Courier’s A Voice for Victims campaign which wants reforms to the parole system.
McIntosh was sentenced to a life restriction order with a minimum penalty of five years in prison.
Under the current law, this means the killer will go before the parole board at least every two years.
Linda and other victims have spoken about how this set up re-traumatises those hurt by violent crime.
She believes that changes should be made when it comes to offenders like McIntosh so she does not need to go through the constant worry and fear surrounding his potential parole.
“I don’t understand why if this evil murderer may never be released – Lord Arthurson sentenced McIntosh to a lifelong restriction of liberty order – why is he having the same parole hearings as other category prisoners who have a chance of release?” said Linda.
Linda has been backed in her calls by human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar.
He told The Courier: “The fact that every (two) years this comes back up again is pretty shocking.
“Where it’s pretty clear that individuals cannot rehabilitate as they are a danger to public safety, then I think they do need to look at that.”
Linda will travel to Perth again for today’s hearing hoping the murderer is denied parole.
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