Grieving father hits out at justice system

● Son’s killer given four-year sentence ● Questions asked at Holyrood

The grieving father of junior footballer Shaun Woodburn has said his son’s death has made him call into question Scotland’s justice system.

Kevin Woodburn spoke out after attending the Scottish Parliament where he heard Lothian Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale ask what plans the Scottish Government had to enhance the rights of victims during court procedures.

Mr Woodburn, 30, was killed by a single punch from a then 16-year-old schoolboy, Mohammed Ibnomer, outside a pub in Leith in the early hours on 1 January 2017.

Ibnomer was sentenced to four years for culpable homicide and Mr Woodburn’s family believes the sentence was too lenient.

Ms Dugdale said she had raised the issue with the Lord President Lord Carloway, who said relatives could ask for the

0 Shaun Woodburn was killed by a single punch on a night out in January last year final decision of a trial and any reasons for it.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson told her: “Sentencing in any given case, including decisions relating to the publication of sentencing statements, is a matter for the court.”

Mr Woodburn said: “There are certain things politicians can get involved in and probably quite rightly can’t get involved in.

“But I’m in a position where I want to call into question the entire system, not just the political part of the system, but the entire justice system and the lack of public accountability there is.

“There is no real common touch to the system, no real interest in anything other than the legalities of the system.

“The people involved in it maybe need to take lessons from the public at large and there need to be more public involvement in the process.”

He also spoke of his anguish at the fact his son was subjected to two post mortems because under Scottish law the defence has the right to a second post mortem.

He said: “I see no reason where in any civilised society there has to be a God-given right that there will be a second post-mortem on behalf of an accused,” he said.

“Why can we not have a system where representatives from the prosecution and defence are at the same post mortem?

“My son had to endure being cut open and examined again – for what need?

“If there was a dispute over medical things I would understand that – but have both representatives there at the same time. Why is that so difficult?”

He said the second post mortem delayed the release of Mr Woodburn’s body to the family and meant the funeral could not take place until 27 January.

“The whole process just comes across as barbaric, medieval.”