Paige’s murderer: Free me early... I’m not as bad as other monsters
Appeal told body dumped ‘considerately’
A LAWYER yesterday argued that the sandwich shop boss who killed schoolgirl Paige Doherty could not be compared to other vicious murderers, including the man who took the life of student Karen Buckley.
John Leathem, 32, stabbed defenceless teenager Paige 61 times and inflicted more than 140 injuries after she went to buy a breakfast roll at his Delicious Deli in Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, on March 19.
Despite his claims that he was in ‘a panic’, he cleaned up his crime and dumped the 15year-old’s body in bushes two days later.
Yet his legal team have now said the businessman, who admitted Paige’s murder, deliberately left the remains where he believed they would be found.
Leathem was given a life sentence at the High Court in Glasgow in October and was ordered to spend at least 27 years behind bars. He launched an appeal against the minimum jail term later that month. His case was heard by senior judges at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh yesterday.
He appeared by video link from prison as his lawyer, Iain Duguid, QC, addressed Lady Dorrian, Lord Bracadale and Lord Turnbull.
Paige’s mother, Pamela Munro, was joined by family and friends in the court to listen to the appeal.
Mr Duguid said: ‘Nothing I say is intended to diminish the seriousness of the offence… it is simply a matter of law.’
He said Leathem’s sentence – which included six years for an attempt to defeat the ends of justice – was ‘excessive’ and ‘inconsistent with comparable cases’.
The lawyer said that the murderer had no previous record of offending and had shown ‘genuine remorse’. Mr Duguid also said the punishment part of Leathem’s sentence for murder was higher than other child murder cases and ‘represents a significant increase in the tariff’ for such offences.
He also referred to the sentence given to Alexander Pacteau for the murder of Irish student nurse Miss Buckley last year.
Pacteau – who tried to dispose of her body in a barrel of chemicals – was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years.
Mr Duguid said that his client’s actions bore ‘no comparison’.
He suggested that Leathem had said he dumped Paige’s body deliberately in a spot where it would quickly be found. The lawyer added: ‘He never tried to dismember or destroy this girl’s body. He took it to a deposition site where, he indicated, he thought it would quickly be discovered.
‘It is no comparison to the actions of Pacteau.’
Mr Duguid also referred to sentences handed down in other cases, including the murder of two-year- old Madison Horn. Madison was battered to death by career criminal Kevin Park, her mother’s boyfriend, at her home in Kelty, Fife, in 2014.
The toddler suffered a total of 65 separate injuries after he smashed her head off a wall, punched her and stamped on her.
Park was jailed for a minimum of 22 years.
Advocate depute Iain McSporran spoke briefly at yesterday’s hearing to address the issue of when Leathem first entered a plea.
After the submission, Lady Dorrian said: ‘We should take time to make our decision, particularly as it may have consequences for other cases.’
The decision will be issued in writing at a later date.
Paige’s family left court without comment – but a petition opposing any reduction in Leathem’s jail term has been signed by thousands of people.
Mrs Munro recently told a newspaper: ‘Even if he got out at 59, he’d still have a life, so 27 years isn’t long enough. He’s totally deluded. This appeal is cruel.
‘With the appeal being on December 23, there is no way that our first Christmas without Paige can be a normal one – as much as we might try to make it that way for the kids.’ Leathem was moved to HM Prison Dumfries ‘some weeks ago’ following reports he was on constant watch by prison guards at Low Moss, near Bishopbriggs, Dunbartonshire, amid fears of hate attacks by inmates.
Dumfries jail is known for housing a higher concentration of protected prisoners, including high-profile offenders and police officers who have been convicted of crimes.
‘Inconsistent with comparable cases’