2 PROBES INTO TAG CONVICT’S CRAIG KILLING
Why was Wright free to murder?
TWO probes were yesterday ordered by the Justice Secretary into the knife murder of dad-of-three Craig McClelland.
Michael Matheson stepped in after it emerged that Craig’s killer was a repeat offender who had breached his home detention curfew.
Craig’s partner yesterday said that the justice system was negligent and had “completely failed to protect an innocent man”.
The father of three young sons was stopped by James Wright in Paisley in February last year and asked if he would light his cigarette. Seconds later, Wright stabbed his 31-yearold victim twice.
He had been at large for nearly six months when the attack took place.
The killer, who had 16 previous convictions, was given a life sentence on Monday and will spend at least 20 years in jail.
At the High Court in Livingston, judge Lord Matthews said he had “no answers” to why Wright, from Paisley, had not been recaptured for breaching his curfew imposed for an earlier knife offence.
Craig’s girlfriend Stacey Wilcox said she believed he would still be alive if the authorities had done their job.
She wrote on social media: “The justice system completely failed to protect an innocent man.
“The law must change. As a result of negligence, Craig lost his life in the most brutal way.
“If procedures had been followed correctly then this devastating crime would never have happened and Craig would be at home with his family right now.”
Matheson faced calls to take action when he appeared before MSPs on Holyrood’s justice committee. He said: “This is clearly an appalling case which raises a number of questions which the family want answers to, and I want answers to.”
Matheson ordered HM Inspectorate of Prisons to look at the assessment process which leads to home detention curfew.
HM Inspectorate of Constabulary were asked to look at the way breaches are investigated and how offenders are recaptured.
The murder was raised in committee by Paisley MSP George Adam, who said: “Anyone dying at a young age is tragic enough without these circumstances, and it is a massive thing for the family to deal with.”