The sister of a murdered Dundee father-of-two has branded his killer’s bid for freedom as “disgusting and low”.
Matthew Pope, who drunkenly battered Michael Given to death as he lay defenceless on his living-room floor, has taken the first legal steps to appeal against his conviction and 17-and-a-half-year minimum prison term.
Mr Given’s sister Nikki told the Courier: “I’m so angry about this. Who does he think he is?
“Seventeen-and-a-half years is nothing compared to what he took from us. He should be locked up and the key should be thrown away.
“Now Michael is finally being allowed to rest in peace, but now it’s just dragging it on.
“He put us through hell. He put us through a trial that was absolutely horrific and now he’s appealing it.
“He took Michael away from us and now he’s continuing it by putting us through all this.
“Why doesn’t he just admit what he’s done? I hate him so much. To me, he’s still pulling the strings of my family.”
Miss Given said the news had soured preparations for a celebration of her brother’s life in April.
She said: “What really gets me about this is that Michael would have been 30 next month and now this is going to be hanging over us as well.
“We are going to go up to Michael’s grave and let off lots of balloons and there will be a fundraising night too.”
Pope, 22 was sentenced last month after being found guilty of murder following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen.
He was told by trial judge Lord Armstrong he had been convicted of “an obscenely violent attack” when 29-year-old Mr Given was unable to defend himself.
A High Court of Justiciary spokesman confirmed Pope had lodged an intimation of intention to appeal against both his conviction and sentence.
The paperwork from Pope’s defence team was lodged on the day of the deadline to give any indication of an appeal.
A detailed document setting out the defence’s grounds of appeal will be lodged at a later date for the full appeal to go ahead.
Pope has eight weeks to complete the formal appeal process.
When a completed appeal is submitted, the case will go to a judge to decide if there are grounds for it to be heard.
If allowed, Pope’s motion would be heard at the High Court in Edinburgh in the Court of Criminal Appeal and would be likely to take place within a three-month period.
If refused, the defence can appeal for a second “sift” where their case would be brought before a panel of three judges for determination.