REVEALED: Top Scots Judge Orders Review After Blunder Delays Major Murder Sentencing Hearing
19 January 2017, 11:13
Capital has learned a top Scottish judge has ordered a review after sentencing on a major murder trial was delayed over a transport blunder.
An error by the Scottish Prison Service resulted in the justice system being disrupted for hours at the High Court in Livingston.
Officials sent the wrong truck to get Steven Jackson to his hearing where Lady Rae eventually locked him up for 26 years for killing and dismembering his victim in Montrose.
The senior judge is now demanding full answers in a formal report.
Jackson, 40, landed around 10 hammer blows on Kimberley MacKenzie's head before stabbing her about 40 times.
He then cut up the 37-year-old's body in a bath, before dumping the parts in bins in Angus, in October 2015 with the help of his partner.
Connor Gillies reports:
Shadow Justice Secretary Douglas Ross, said: "It is unbelievable that so many errors could be made with a very dangerous criminal who was coming to be sentenced.
"People will find it incredible that important sentencing had to be delayed because of these errors."
A spokesperson for the Scottish Prison Service said: "We do not comment on individual prisoners. SPS recognises that the correct booking information was not passed to G4S.
"We will work with G4S to review what happened in this case to prevent similar issues arising in the future."
A G4S spokesman, said: "Unfortunately, the booking form we received from Scottish Prison Service staff at Barlinnie Prison didn't have the correct information regarding the prisoner's mobility which led to the delay in sending the correct vehicle.
"We will work with SPS to review what happened in this case to prevent similar issues arising in the future."
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government, said: "These are matters for the Scottish Prison Service and G4S and the Scottish Government does not comment on individual cases.”
