Paige’s family lef t ‘heartbroken’ as her killer’s prison sentence is reduced
Appeal judges rule 27-year term ‘excessive’
THE family of murdered schoolgirl Paige Doherty were yesterday ‘heartbroken’ after her killer’s sentence was reduced by four years. Sandwich shop owner John Leathem carried out a frenzied knife attack on the 15-year-old.
Paige suffered more than 140 injuries after going in to his Delicious Deli in Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, last March. Her body was dumped in bushes two days later.
In October Leathem, 32, was given a mandatory life sentence at the High Court in Glasgow and ordered to spend at least 27 years behind bars. However, he launched an appeal against the minimum jail term later that month.
Yesterday, senior judges at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh quashed the original punishment set by Lady Rae and imposed a 23-year sentence.
Following the decision, those close to Paige said neither she nor her loved ones had been served by justice.
A post on a Facebook page understood to be managed by her family and friends stated: ‘The man who murdered a 15-year-old defenceless child has been given more time off his sentence. He will only have to serve 23 years.
‘It’s heartbreaking and serves no justice to Paige and her family.
‘She had her whole life ahead of her and it’s been ripped apart. In 23 years her killer will walk the streets.’
While the opinion of the court, delivered by Lord Turnbull, said Leathem had committed a ‘most appalling murder’, it said other circumstances had to be given ‘proper weight’.
At a hearing in December the killer’s lawyer, Iain Duguid, QC, said the pun- ishment part of his client’s sentence was higher than other child murder cases and ‘represents a significant increase in the tariff’ for such offences.
He compared the sentence to those of others including the 23 years given to Alexander Pacteau, who murdered Irish student Karen Buckley in Glasgow then tried to dispose of her body in a barrel of chemicals.
Ruling on Leathem’s appeal, the judges said: ‘The appellant had not offended before and had expressed remorse. The murder was not premeditated.’
The ruling said that taking into account all the circumstances ‘the length of the punishment part selected in this case was inconsistent with current sentencing practice and was excessive’.
Paige’s mother, Pamela Munro, last year described the appeal as ‘cruel’ and thousands of people signed a petition opposing any reduction in the sentence. Yesterday, Asha
‘No justice to Paige or her family’
Ahmad said he was the last person to see Paige alive as she entered Leathem’s shop and said he thought five years should have been added to the sentence rather than removed from it.
Mr Ahmad added: ‘If he does come out of jail he will be still a young man and he’s got his whole life all in front of him, which isn’t right when a wee lassie’s been killed.’