The courage of those left behind
For the families of crime victims, there is much more to be remembered than just the last 12 months as they fight to ensure tragedies are not forgotten
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good party just as much as the next person but I’ve always hated the emotional tsunami that suddenly sweeps in as the clock strikes midnight.
And my idea of hell is drunk people slobbering over me while wailing in my ear about ringing out the old and bringing in the new, even if they’ve had the best year of their lives.
Why does it feel like misery is hanging in the air as we say goodbye to one year and hello to the next?
I guess it’s only natural to look back on the year you’ve just had and to reflect on your life, recounting the good and the bad of the previous 12 months and wondering what’s coming in the year ahead.
The year 2021 has been tumultuous for crime – but for me personally three standout moments (and people) will be in my thoughts as we welcome in 2022.
Hogmanay took on a new meaning for me in 2017 with the untimely and tragic death of Shaun Woodburn in Edinburgh. Shaun died as the result of head injuries suffered during an unprovoked assault while celebrating New Year with his friends. Since then, I’ve been writing about him as his family shared their grief and heartache and his dad, Kevin, ferociously fought for the rights of crime victims in Scotland to be treated with compassion, dignity and respect by a faceless, bureaucratic and often cold criminal justice system.
I didn’t know Shaun or the Woodburns before but I feel like I’ve come to know what a beautiful, kind soul this young man was and I know the impact his death has had on his family.
Kevin’s courage and dignity has been astonishing to witness. It’s one of those stories you wish you never had to write but I’m proud this paper has given a voice to this remarkable family.
In 2022, Scotland will have its own victims commissioner and it’s largely down to the efforts of Kevin, backed by the Record. that Shaun’s death has created a legacy that will help other families for years to come.
Opening up to a stranger about the loss of a loved one must be incredibly hard – especially when that stranger is going to tell the world all about it.
But this year, two people who share a tragic experience spoke out for very different reasons. Gina McGavin lost her mum, Mary McLaughlin, 36 years ago. She had been murdered in her own home.
Thanks to Gina’s tenacity and the skill and dedication of Police Scotland’s Homicide Governance Review Team, Mary’s killer was finally found guilty in April and will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Gina wanted to talk about her mum and why solving her murder – even after all those years – mattered. The passage of time doesn’t lessen grief – as we learned through several interviews with George Puttock, the husband of Bible John victim Helen Puttock, who died in 1969.
Gina and George’s bravery in speaking out about the challenges faced when a tragedy seems forgotten was a reminder that seeking justice has no limit of time and that hope is a powerful tool for families who go through the worst of times.
Their stories gave us insight into how terrifying situations bring out courage, strength and love, and demonstrated how important it is to keep telling them.