Why was serial domestic abuser allowed to leave jail to murder mum-of-four?
Keel must serve a minimum of 22 years before being considered for parole
Despite his history of violence, Keel was released on bail to Ms Clark's home in the Riddrie area of Glasgow
He was the subject of separate non-harassment orders banning him from approaching or contacting three former partners
Keel was also referred to the Caledonian System – designed to rehabilitate male perpetrators of domestic abuse
His attendance on the programme was described as 'sporadic'
Keel pleaded guilty to a murder charge last month and was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday
Mark Keel had a long history of violent and abusive behaviour.
He was a serial domestic abuser deemed at high risk of reoffending.
As a result, he was the subject of non-harassment orders banning him from approaching or contacting three former partners.
He was also placed on the Caledonian Programme, designed to rehabilitate male perpetrators of domestic abuse.
But all of those measures failed to prevent him from murdering mum-of-four Maxine Clark at her home in Riddrie, north-east Glasgow, in June 2024.
Opposition politicians and campaign groups say her death is an example of a justice system 'that betrays victims'.
On Tuesday, Keel was jailed for life and he must serve a minimum of 22 years before being eligible for parole. Mark Keel jailed in June 2022 for domestic violence
In 2023, Keel, who was deemed a 'high-risk offender', was told to attend the Caledonian Programme
His attendance was described as 'sporadic'
In January 2024, he was instead given a 12-month supervision order as well as an 18-week night-time curfew
On June 27, 2024, emergency services attended the home address of Maxine Clark in Riddrie, Glasgow; Despite the efforts of emergency services, Maxine died
Keel was convicted of murder after pleading guilty at the High Court in Glasgow on April 30, 2025
Sentenced to 22 years in jail at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday
Deemed at high risk of offending again, Keel was referred to the Caledonian Programme, a behavioural programme designed to rehabilitate male perpetrators of domestic abuse.
The programme is a requirement of a community payback or probation order – normally for a period of two years.
It aims to reduce the chances of reoffending, but Keel's attendance was described as 'sporadic'.
He also went on to flout a court-imposed community payback order. In January 2024, Keel was instead put on 12-month supervision as well as an 18-week curfew.
The Caledonian Programme is operated by local authority criminal justice social work departments and works with domestic abuse perpetrators who present as being moderate and above in terms of risk of re-offending.
The programme has been independently accredited, and a requirement of receiving the programme is that an individual is subject to a court order of at least two years' duration.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Maxine Clark who have lost a loved one in horrific circumstances.
'Sentencing in any given case, including the imposition of Community Payback Orders and Restriction of Liberty Orders, is always a matter for the independent courts. The Scottish Government cannot comment on sentencing decisions.'
At the time of the killing, Keel and mum-of-four Ms Clark had been in a relationship for 18 months.
He had recently moved into her home in Riddrie.
Maxine had once been described as 'healthy, happy and outgoing'. However, she had told others of physical violence being inflicted on her by Keel. Police Scotland Maxine Clark
Ms Clark had been seen with black eyes as well as an injury to her jaw. She also had 'grab marks' around her neck.
Prosecutor David Dickson said: 'Family and friends warned her they felt Keel posed a threat to her.'
In the hours before the murder on Thursday, June 27, 2024, Keel called his own mum asking to get picked up, claiming he was 'leaving' Ms Clark.
They went to his father's home in the Southside of Glasgow before he later got a taxi back to Ms Clark's house.
He was described as 'drunk' and Ms Clark was in bed when he got there.
Mr Dickson said it was at the property that the fatal attack occurred.
A child also staying at the house got up the next morning to find Ms Clark still in the bed with Keel wrapped in a blanket sitting beside her.
Mr Dickson said: 'She appeared to have fresh injuries to her face and her breathing was described as laboured.'
Ms Clark was rolled onto her side. The child left to play with friends, but returned every hour to see how she was.
Advocate depute Mr Dickson told the court: 'Keel said he thought she was having an allergic reaction and that there was no need to call an ambulance.'
At around 6pm, G4S security staff arrived to fit an electronic tag on Keel due to the curfew imposed on him weeks earlier.
But he steered them away, claiming he had just woken up. Spindrift Mark Keel
Keel instead went on to dial 999, claiming Ms Clark's tongue was swollen and that he had not seen her awake that day.
Emergency crews arrived to find her still lying on the blood-stained bed, partially covered with a duvet.
It was found she was already dead.
Mr Dickson said Ms Clark had 51 separate injuries, including brain damage, significant bruising, fractures, and wounds.
These were likely caused by punches, kicks, and being stamped upon. The imprint of the soles of Keel's shoes were found on her leg such was the force.
Emergency services attended the home address of Maxine Clark in Riddrie, Glasgow. Despite the efforts of emergency services, Maxine died.
Sharon Dowey, Scottish Conservative shadow minister for victims and community safety, said: 'This tragic case is another shocking example of the SNP's justice system betraying victims.
'This dangerous offender had a history of violence yet was free to brutally carry out this murder of Maxine Clark.
'Cases like this expose the stark reality of the SNP's relentless weakening of the justice system which repeatedly prioritises criminals over victims.
'He must now feel the full force of the law given the clear and huge risk he presents to public safety.'
On sentencing, Lord Mulholland said: 'What you did to this defenceless woman was cowardly and evil. They were the actions of a brute.
'You have a history of domestic violence as confirmed by your criminal record and in the agreed narrative read to the court. STV News
'You have been violent to three previous partners, and you were also violent to Maxine Clark. Witnesses speak to seeing her with black eyes and grab marks to her neck.
'I also note that at the time of the murder you were subject to a community payback order with a curfew and a restriction of liberty order for a previous domestic abuse conviction.
here is no guarantee that you will ever be granted parole and you may never be released from prison. You are assessed as posing a very high risk to women in a relationship with you.
'You will only be released if you are considered by the parole board to pose no risk to the public, particularly women, and that is a long way off, if ever.'
Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said 'more' needs to be done to better support victims of domestic abuse in Scotland.
This includes having robust risk assessments and monitoring arrangements in place when offenders are released back into communities.
Victim Support Scotland argued against the removal of existing protections in the recently passed Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act, such as Section 23D of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.
'Section 23D set out a presumption against Bail for people accused of violent, sexual, and/or domestic abuse offences in solemn proceedings, where they had a previous conviction of a similar nature – so that they would only be granted Bail in 'exceptional' circumstances,' Ms Wallace said.
'We believe that it was an important safeguarding tool and it will be much missed in the new regulations, in which bail is expected to be granted unless the court can determine a good reason for refusing it.
'Cases like those of Maxine Clark tragically underscore the dangers of not having adequate safeguards in place.
'Victims of domestic abuse need to have the confidence to come forward for help, knowing that their fears will be taken seriously and that they will receive assistance to plan for their safety of that of their family.'
If you don't feel comfortable reporting it to the Police, Victim Support Scotland can provide essential support, including financial aid if you have no other funds available.
You can call its helpline 0800 160 1985 or visit its website for a free, confidential chat: victimsupport.scot.
Detective sergeant Ian Evans said: Detective Sergeant Ian Evans said: 'Keel is a violent individual and women are safer now he has been convicted for his crimes.
'Maxine was a beloved mum and daughter. Maxine's family miss her every day and they still feel her loss profoundly. I hope they find some solace in knowing Keel is no longer able to inflict his brutal and violent behaviour on any other women.
'We are committed to tackling violence against women and girls. I would like to assure anyone suffering at the hands of an abuser not to suffer in silence.
'We have detectives dedicated to investigating such offences, please report it. You can be assured that you will be fully supported by officers and our partner agencies.'
Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
PETER HITCHENS: I'm pleased public sentiment on Lucy Letby has shifted – but there's still one puzzle in this case that would baffle even Sherlock Holmes
How public opinion can change. Do you remember reporters rushing from the Manchester courthouse on August 18, 2023, breathlessly exclaiming, 'She's guilty!', moments after Lucy Letby 's convictions were announced? Looking back, do those journalists wonder if they might have said, in more measured tones, 'She's been found guilty'. For, as we now discover all too often, as innocent people stumble, blinking out of the High Court, having endured years of wrongful imprisonment, being convicted and being guilty are not necessarily the same thing.
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
HMRC starts brutal VAT crackdown on people who 'should have known'
HMRC is set to target the construction industry in a VAT crackdown that's seen the taxman take on people they think 'should have known' HMRC is reportedly setting its sights on the construction industry in a VAT crackdown. It's been claimed that HMRC is "pursuing" compliant businesses for sums owed by others, amid an ongoing dispute between HMRC and fraudsters exploiting staffing agencies to swindle the taxman. HMRC's list of deliberate defaulters for the first half of 2025 includes at least six staff companies that have defaulted on a whopping £51m of tax. The fraudsters prey on innocent victims who require temporary workers and outsource their payrolls and pensions. These scammers set up what seem to be legitimate staffing agencies - but then conveniently forget to pay the VAT. HMRC has found it challenging to recover the outstanding tax because these staff agencies have few assets, according to reports. In other news, thousands of Brits to get shock letter from HMRC after drastic new tax rule comes into force. READ MORE: HMRC seven-year rule rule could land you with hefty tax bill if you don't act now Now, the taxman is turning his attention to firms using the temp workers. All HMRC needs to do is prove that a taxpayer 'should have known' that the transactions were linked with fraud. This crackdown all ties back to the so-called Kittel principle, which initially pondered the question of exactly what the taxable person 'should have known', reports Birmingham Live. The High Court, in its judgment, concluded that the right to deduct could only be denied where the taxable person knew or should have known that the transaction was connected with fraudulent evasion of VAT. HMRC argued that a taxable person's right to deduct could be denied if he knew or should have known that it was more likely than not that his purchase was connected with fraudulent evasion of VAT. HMRC states: "The test in Kittel is simple and should not be over-refined. It embraces not only those who know of the connection but those who 'should have known'. Thus it includes those who should have known from the circumstances which surround their transactions that they were connected to fraudulent evasion." The site added: "If a trader should have known that the only reasonable explanation for the transaction in which he was involved was that it was connected with fraud and if it turns out that the transaction was connected with fraudulent evasion of VAT then he should have known of that fact. He may properly be regarded as a participant for the reasons explained in Kittel. "The true principle to be derived from Kittel does not extend to circumstances in which a taxable person should have known that by his purchase it was more likely than not that his transaction was connected with fraudulent evasion." "But a trader may be regarded as a participant where he should have known that the only reasonable explanation for the circumstances in which his purchase took place was that it was a transaction connected with such fraudulent evasion," it adds.
Spectator
13 hours ago
- Spectator
Why is Nicola Sturgeon fighting the ghost of Alex Salmond?
What was Nicola Sturgeon thinking, reopening the war with Alex Salmond, her former mentor, who died last year, in her forthcoming book, Frankly? What did she hope to gain by raking over the darkest episode in Scottish nationalist history, claiming that it was all an attempt by Salmond to 'destroy' her politically? Poor me, wronged by the big bad man. What point was served by claiming that Salmond had 'privately' admitted to the 'substance' of the allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against him nearly a decade ago? These are allegations that Salmond always strenuously denied and of which he was acquitted in March 2020 by a woman-majority jury before a female judge, Lady Dorrian, in the High Court. Does Sturgeon now expect us to believe that she knows better? It certainly seems that way. Sturgeon writes that, in seeking to defend himself against these heinous allegations, the Salmond was perpetrating a form of psychological abuse on the complainants. 'He was prepared to traumatise, time and time again, the women at the centre of it all.' Well, what was he supposed to do? Admit to charges that he knew to be false, and which were dismissed as such in the highest court in the land? This self-pitying demolition job, contained in an extract from her forthcoming autobiography in the Sunday Times, was presumably intended to build sales. But it only serves to remind Scottish voters that her government's investigation into the original sexual misconduct allegations against Salmond was condemned by the Court of Session in 2019 as unlawful and 'tainted with apparent bias'. The final litigation score was Salmond 2; Sturgeon nil, but she is still crying foul. She even claims that Salmond had himself leaked the shocking sexual allegations against him to the Daily Record in August 2018. This claim was duly rubbished by the former Record political editor who broke that very story, David Clegg. On BBC Radio this morning, he said the idea in Sturgeon's claim that Salmond had been responsible for this potentially criminal leak was 'not credible'. And no wonder. The headline splash on the Record read: 'Alex Salmond accused of 'touching woman's breasts and bum in boozy Bute House bedroom encounter''. If this was leaked by Salmond to 'control the narrative', as Sturgeon suggests, it was a funny way to go about it. But according to her, it was all part of his attempt to win public sympathy for his cause and bamboozle his detractors. 'At a stroke', she goes on, 'he was able to cast himself as the victim.' I doubt if the people who read the story thought this. Salmond cannot respond to these allegations because he is deceased, but his many supporters in Scottish politics have rounded on Sturgeon's allegations as self-serving 'fabrications'. They are pledged to continue the legal action against the Scottish government for 'misfeasance' which Salmond launched shortly before he died. Sturgeon's renewed assault on Salmond's integrity will likely also revive attempts by his many allies to expose the women who made the allegations. They were SNP politicians, party workers and Scottish government officials. The judge awarded them lifetime anonymity, even though the jury didn't believe them. Nearly everyone in Scottish politics knows their identities and their proximity to Nicola Sturgeon. Salmond told the parliamentary inquiry into the affair that he was subjected to 'a deliberate, prolonged, malicious and concerted effort amongst a range of individuals within the Scottish government and the SNP to damage my reputation, even to the extent of having me imprisoned'. The Sturgeon memoirs will only embolden those in the independence movement who believe that to be true and consider it their duty to clear the name of the SNP's most successful leader. Over 25 years in charge, Salmond is credited with having transformed the party from a marginal force in politics to a party of government. Sturgeon concludes that the court cases were all part of his campaign against her. 'Eventually,' she writes, 'I had to face the fact that he was determined to destroy me. I was now engaged in mortal political combat with someone I knew to be both ruthless and highly effective.' In that, at least, she is telling it like it is. She can't move on. Sturgeon is still in mortal combat with Salmond's ghost. And he is still winning.
