Why was tag thug free to kill dad Craig?
Life for killer who was unlawfully at large for six months before senseless murder
A JUDGE and MSPs yesterday demanded to know why a tagged thug was free to stab a dad-of-three to death. James Wright, 25, had been illegally at liberty for six months after breaching his curfew when he knifed Craig McClelland, 31. Wright was handed a life sentence by Judge Lord Matthews.
Lord Matthews said of the victim: “He was sailing through university and had everything to live for. On July 23, 2017, he left his partner and children to visit his brother.
“He was never to reach his destination or to return home because he was brutally stabbed in the street for no reason brought out in the evidence other than blood lust.”
Lord Matthews said the case had affected him, saying: “I don’t know if I will never forget the sight of an experienced paramedic almost breaking down in court as she relived her efforts to save Mr McClelland, who was begging not to be allowed to die.”
And he told Wright: “There is nothing to be said in mitigation of what I have no doubt was the premeditated stabbing of a victim picked at random.
“The sentence is one of life imprisonment to run from 15 September 2017. I fix the punishment part at 20 years.” The case prompted fury from MSPs last night as details emerged about Wright’s previous convictions and breaches of his electronically monitored curfew.
Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: “The victim’s family will be furious about the circumstances which enabled this to happen.
“Here’s a dangerous individual, released virtually negligently early from his sentences. Now a man’s paid for this ineptitude with his life.The SNP’s drive to empty prisons is letting dangerous offenders off the hook and, so long as this continues, more incidents like this will occur.”
Lib Dem justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: “This was a barbaric killing. It is impossible to measure the hurt it has caused.
“Both the victim’s family and the public, whom he was allowed to walk among, deserve to know the grounds on which James Wright was released, and why he was not tracked down and returned to prison when he broke the rules.”
Scottish Labour justice spokesman Daniel Johnson MSP said: “It is vital that when curfews are broken, the authorities are able to trace and return that person to custody.
“It is important that the public now receive answers as to how many people are currently out while having broken their curfews, and for how long.” A Scottish Government spokesman said: “This was a dreadful crime and we note and welcome the sentence imposed on the individual responsible.
“If a prisoner released on an HDC licence breaches any of the licence conditions, he or she may be recalled to custody by the SPS based on evidence of a breach supplied by the electronic monitoring company, the criminal justice social worker or the police.”