Dundee toddler Brandon Muir’s killer has been released from prison.
Robert Cunningham, who was jailed for 10 years in 2009 for killing 23-month-old Brandon, was released on Friday.
The toddler’s father has described his anger at the killer being freed for Christmas and told The Courier he “does not know what he would do” if he saw Cunningham on the street.
John Muir said: “I’m truly hurt over this and can’t believe that he is out for Christmas and New Year when it’s hard enough at this time of year for all my family
“I am very angry about all this. What father wouldn’t be?”
He added: “We wish that Brandon was here so can see his face light up on Christmas day but yet that was taken away from not only me but from Brandon as well. Yet they let Robert out so he can spend it with his family where there is one empty seat at my table.”
Mr Muir added that he did not know how he would react if he saw Cunningham in Dundee.
“I don’t really know what I would do – probably be the wrong thing but so right,” he said.
Cunningham, who had a history of violence, attacked the child with such force that he suffered a ruptured intestine and several cracked ribs.
Brandon died just three weeks after Cunningham moved in with the youngster’s mother, Heather Boyd, at her flat on Balunie Crescent, Dundee.
Boyd was cleared of any role in her son’s death, but Cunningham was found guilty of culpable homicide after a four-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow, despite claiming he had only lightly smacked Brandon.
He was eligible for early release from prison after completing two-thirds of his sentence.
The Scottish Prison Service said it could not comment on individual prisoners but The Courier understands Cunningham was released at the end of last week.