VICTIMS’ VICTORY
SNP pledges to appoint commissioner after campaign
THE SNP will promise to appoint a victims commissioner following a campaign by the brave dad of a man killed outside an Edinburgh pub.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf will back a new law four years after Shaun Woodburn was attacked by thug Mohammed Ibnomer.
Yousaf is expected to say today: “The commissioner will provide an independent voice to victims and witnesses and review the provision of victim services.”
Dad-of-one Shaun died after being assaulted by the 16-year-old early on New Year’s Day 2017 outside Gladstone’s pub in Leith.
Sean’s dad Kevin has since campaigned for victims’ rights and championed the creation of a dedicated post. He made his case to the Justice Secretary in 2018.
Yousaf was originally sceptical and argued the money was better spent on support groups.
However, a special taskforce considered the commissioner idea and Yousaf has been won over.
He will back the policy today. He will say: “In government, the SNP has put victims’ rights at the heart of the criminal justice system.
“We’ve invested over £75million in victim support over the last five years. We set up the victims taskforce to improve support, advice and information for victims of crime. From our work on the taskforce and listening directly to the views and experiences of victims – I can announce we will pass a new law to appoint a victims commissioner for Scotland.”
He will add: “Where necessary, they will provide challenge to Government, and those across the Justice system, if there are steps we need to take to improve a victim’s justice journey – and we will develop a new funding regime for victim support organisations and introduce a justice-specific knowledge and skills framework for trauma informed practice.”
The idea of a the commissioner has been raised several times since devolution, such as when Labour
MSP David Stewart introduced a members’ bill in 2010.
It is understood the post will be modelled on the existing commissioner for children and young people. The minute of a taskforce meeting noted that the estimated start-up costs for the Stewart bill came to about £481,159.
It added that the office of victims commissioner in England and Wales has a team of five and an annual budget of about £0.5million.
Scottish Labour justice spokesman Neil Bibby said: “The SNP has been in power for 14 years and in that time countless victims of crime and their families have been let down.
“So while this is a welcome step in the right direction, the question has to be asked, ‘Why has it taken so long for the SNP to take victims seriously?’”
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: “For the SNP to suddenly show an interest in crime victims is shameless electioneering.
“They have cut funding for victims while increasing support for criminals and have failed to deliver on their promise of Michelle’s Law to give greater rights to victims.” ●The SNP will hold annual Citizens’ Assemblies if re-elected in May, its depute leader Keith Brown has said. Future assemblies could look at assisted dying, council tax and local authorities.