Petition his family ask Lord Advocate to lenient four-year sentence given to killer
community, that it’s all right to take a life, just punch them, kill them and you’ll get four years.”
Businessman Kevin said the Lord Advocate had sent him a standard response stating his letter is “receiving attention and a response issued in due course”.
But he said he had not received any acknowledgement from the First Minister’s office or her Justice Minister.
Yesterday, the family released details of the harrowing victim impact statements they prepared for the courts.
Shaun’s mum Denise Syme wrote: “The death of my son Shaun has been a huge loss to myself and my family, so much so my life will never be the same again.
“I brought Shaun up on my own from the age of three and even then he took on the role of protector and role model for his younger sisters Lauren and Abby.
“He worked his way through university and was awarded an Honours degree in Architectural Engineering.
“I have had to stay strong for my daughters and grandchildren but it is so difficult emotionally. I am not the strong woman I always was.
“Shaun was first and foremost a great dad and was very hands-on.
“In the last two years of his life, he had given up playing professional football to spend more time with his daughter. I miss them both coming round to visit and feel I have lost her as well as Shaun.
“We all have to learn to live with it, carrying on with a smile on our faces while we are dying inside.”
Kevin told the judge the impact of Shaun’s death had been “catastrophic” for him and the family.
He told her he could not face work for four months after he died and when he did return, it was difficult because he worked with his son every day.
Kevin wrote: “There is not a room in this office that does not hold memories for me and to be blunt, I find it impossible to be here.
“My life has been shattered by Shaun’s death. Shaun’s daughter looks so much like her daddy that although I try, I cannot stop the constant thoughts that run through my mind and the sadness it brings watching her grow up without her daddy being there.
“We had plans to expand our business looking to secure both Shaun’s and my futures. This was particularly important to Shaun – to secure his family’s future long term.
“My life has been shattered by Shaun’s death, I am constantly in a state of depression and totally unable to concentrate on even the most mundane of tasks without breaking into tears.
“I haven’t gone out socially much at all and the two occasions that I have this year, I had to leave and go home as I felt guilty at even being out at all.
“I am just generally finding it extremely difficult to cope. There is a natural order to life, but this is not the natural order of things.
“No parent should have their child taken away from them under any circumstances but the fact that this has not been down to illness and that Shaun has been taken away by the actions of another has made this even more impossible.”
Shaun’s devastated grandad Oliver Woodburn told the Record last night: “I attended the trial every day with my wife. Not once during the 19 days did we see an ounce of remorse. His lawyer stated he was full of remorse – he is only remorseful because he was found guilty.
“He was laughing and smiling and waving to his parents and even joking with prison guards so the remorse was only for the court.”
Oliver, 74, said: “Nothing will replace our beautiful grandson, who was a pillar of society and loved by thousands.
“No one has a bad word against him and is very sadly missed by his father, mother, sisters, grandparents and extended family but he will be most of all missed by his beautiful daughter.
“She was the apple of his eye but we can assure Shaun we will look after her and let no one take advantage of her our great granddaughter.”
The killer, now 17, had been part of a group who assaulted random strangers celebrating Hogmanay in the capital.
They were later involved in a brawl outside Gladstones in Leith, which led to Shaun being fatally injured.
Shaun’s killer was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday after he was convicted of a reduced charge of culpable homicide.
He was sentenced to four years but could be back on the streets within two.
Co-accused Zakariyah, 19, was ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to two assaults and a breach of the peace.
A third teen was acquitted of the charges he faced.
Not only my family but the public at large find this totally wrong KEVIN WOODBURN