Dad’s relief
Prison transfer
The father of former boxing champion Scott Harrison has spoken of his relief at his son’s return to Scotland from Spanish jail.
Peter Harrison was speaking on the day it was revealed the former Trinity pupil was being allowed to finish the rest of a four-year sentence at Barlinnie.
Former world boxing champion Scott Harrison has seen his four children for the first time in a year after being transferred from a Spanish prison.
It was reported on Monday morning that the 38-yearold from Cambuslang would serve the final three years of his four-year sentence in Glasgow.
The former WBO champion was extradited a year ago after he fled from the Costa del Sol following a conviction for assaulting three men during a 2007 brawl.
A Spanish court found him guilty of the attack on club boss Francisco Gonzalez, construction worker Salvador Jimenez and Rafael Sainz, who later took his own life.
His chances of getting back to Scotland suffered a blow when he lost an extradition battle.
But his family have battled tirelessly to bring him home to be closer to his four children and his girlfriend Stacey.
And his dad Peter told the Reformer the children had already been to see Scott.
He said: “They are delighted. His family are growing up and it was important for him to see them.
“I’m pleased he is back. It was difficult being away from his family.
“Scott is OK but he will not be in good spirits until he is out.”
Peter, who runs a boxing club named after his son, said he believed the sentence handed down to the former Trinity pupil was too long.
“The only reason he got a four- year sentence is because he is a boxer,”he said. “Boxers seem to be treated differently.
“He did not get a fair trial and the Scottish legal system did not give him much support.”
Harrison burst on to the boxing scene in 2002 when he won the WBO championship by defeating Victor Santiago by technical knock-out at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena.
After two successful defences he lost his title in 2003 to Manuel Medina before winning it back at the first attempt. He went on to make a further six defences but after battling addiction he was stripped of his title in 2006.
After serving four months in Barlinnie for drink driving he was sentenced to 30 months in jails near Malaga and Algeciras in southern Spain after being convicted of assaulting two men including a police officer in October 2006. He was released in September 2011.
He attempted a comeback in 2012, winning two fights but losing a third in 2013.