Disgraced former MSP Bill Walker’s appeal for early release rejected

A bid by disgraced wife-beater Bill Walker to be released early from prison has been rejected by justice officials.

The former SNP MSP for Dunfermline had applied to be released on a home detention curfew just three months in to a one-year jail sentence for assaulting three former wives.

However, his application was thrown out after officials said that they could not allow him to live with his current wife during his sentence.

Mr Walker, 71, was found guilty of assaulting three former wives and a stepdaughter between 1967 and 1995 following a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in August.

He was convicted of 23 charges of domestic violence and jailed in September.

Fourth wife June said that Mr Walker’s early release had been halted on a technicality, saying: “There is an appeal coming up. The man is in prison for something that is a travesty of justice.”

In October, his former Dunfermline constituency was won by Labour candidate Cara Hilton in the by-election that followed his resignation.