Latest news with #Donaldsons
The Courier
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Courier
COURIER OPINION: Parole fiasco of Angus killer Tasmin Glass raises serious questions on victim welfare
Tasmin Glass' parole case has been deferred – again. The Angus killer was recalled to prison in April after breaking the conditions of her release. She was granted her freedom last year, halfway through a ten-year sentence for culpable homicide for her involvement in the murder of Steven Donaldson. No official reason has been given as to why Glass finds herself back in prison, not even her victim's family know the details. But under the current law in Scotland, the killer must be considered for parole again 'immediately' after recall. In reality, that 'immediately' was two months, where the possibility of her re-release has hung heavy over the Donaldsons. Now it's been pushed back for another six to eight weeks. In the words of Steven's father Bill: 'This means this is, yet again, going to drag on for us.' The words 'yet again' are very important here. Since Glass first became eligible for parole consideration on February 28 last year, her case will have been before the panel five times when it is called again. Five times in 18 months. Three deferrals. It could be more if the board fail to come to a decision again at the next oral hearing. This presents an obvious issue with victim care and victim welfare. The Donaldsons have been left in limbo for nine of the last 18 months, wondering if Steven's killer will remain in jail. For the other nine? Glass was walking free. These delays take a serious toll on victims and their families and there is no respite for them during these periods. That they are numerous is frightening, and raises serious questions over how this process is handled and governed. The parole board and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) knew for two months that Glass' case would be coming before them. They had from April 1 to June 4 to prepare. It is unacceptable that they did not have the required information on the day to make a decision. Because there is no doubt that it is the victim that suffers in these situations. It is them who steel themselves for an answer, only to be told they must continue to wait. It's an emotional nightmare for those involved and flies in the face of the 'trauma-informed' direction our justice system is supposedly headed. Unfortunately, the Donaldsons are not alone in being put through this turmoil, and deferrals and indecision do not appear to be outliers. Last August, the survivor of Dundee murderer Robbie McIntosh travelled to Perth on the morning of his parole hearing only to be told it had been postponed at the eleventh hour. Linda McDonald made official complaints to both The Parole Board of Scotland and SPS about the circumstances that morning – she is still awaiting a satisfactory reply. Through our A Voice for Victims campaign, The Courier has been fighting for parole reforms in Scotland. The treatment of the Donaldson family, of Linda, in these cases show that there is a dire need for widescale changes in how this process operates. The Justice Secretary has announced a public consultation on parole will begin this August. Lowering the deferral rate should be a high priority.
The Courier
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Courier
Angus killer Tasmin Glass parole deferral slammed as 'appalling'
The deferral of Angus killer Tasmin Glass' parole bid has been slammed as 'appalling'. Liam Kerr, justice spokesperson for the Conservatives, criticised the treatment of her victim's family, the Donaldsons, during the process. Glass' latest parole bid was deferred on Wednesday after the board failed to reach a decision following her recall to prison. It will now be around six to eight weeks before the case is considered again by the board at an oral hearing. Mr Kerr told The Courier: 'It is appalling that this family have once again been left in limbo. 'After first having to suffer through Tasmin Glass being released only halfway through her sentence, this decision will only add to their trauma. 'It looks as though the needs of a cold-blooded killer are being put above those of the victims' family which is all too often the case in the SNP's soft-touch justice system. 'Steven Donaldson's family deserve to be treated much better than this and for parole decisions to stop being kicked into the long grass.' The North East MSP's words reflect the feelings of Steven's dad Bill when he learned the case had been pushed on. He called the situation 'a nonsense'. 'This means this is, yet again, going to drag on for us,' Bill told The Courier. 'We now have to go through the entire procedure yet again. 'We can take comfort from the fact she currently remains in prison but how much longer do we have to deal with this. 'Yet again Glass seems to be dictating terms.' Glass was convicted of culpable homicide in 2019 for her 'pivotal role' in the murder of Steven and sentenced to 10-years in prison. Last July, halfway through her term, the killer was granted her freedom. The Donaldson family were left in limbo twice during that time thanks to deferrals by the board. Nine months after being paroled, Glass was back in jail after breaking the conditions of her release. Through our A Voice for Victims campaign, The Courier has been working with families like the Donaldsons to bring reforms to the Scottish parole system. We want more transparency, better communication for victims and a rethink on automatic parole consideration for violent offenders halfway through their sentence. The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
The Courier
6 days ago
- General
- The Courier
Parole case for Angus killer Tasmin Glass deferred as family brand failure to reach decision 'a nonsense'
A parole bid by Angus killer Tasmin Glass has been deferred after the board failed to reach a decision. Bill Donaldson, the father of Glass' victim Steven Donaldson, has called the outcome 'a nonsense'. The Donaldsons were notified just before 2pm on Wednesday that The Parole Board for Scotland were 'unable to conclude their decision' on the Kirriemuir killer's latest bid for freedom. It will now be around six to eight weeks before the case is considered again at an oral hearing. Glass was granted parole in July last year, halfway through her sentence for culpable homicide, but recalled to prison in April for breaking the conditions of her release. This is the third time a parole case involving Glass has been deferred. The board failed to reach a decision on two other occasions before her eventual release last July, leaving the Donaldson family in a state of limbo for months. The latest deferral has left Steven's family frustrated as they are forced to wait yet again to see if his killer will be released from jail. Steven's dad Bill told The Courier: 'This is nonsense. 'We have not been told why this has happened but we understand it's because today's hearing was purely procedural with neither Glass nor any witnesses present. 'We are aware that she could have requested to be at the hearing but that appears to have not happened. 'This means this is, yet again, going to drag on for us. 'We now have to go through the entire procedure yet again. 'We can take comfort from the fact she currently remains in prison but how much longer do we have to deal with this. 'Yet again Glass seems to be dictating terms.' The Kirriemuir killer was sent back to jail in April after breaking the conditions of her release just nine months after being granted freedom. Under law she must be considered for parole again 'immediately' after recall. The Donaldsons were notified of today's case a fortnight ago. Glass was jailed in 2019 after being convicted of culpable homicide for her 'pivotal role' in the murder of Steven Donaldson in Kirriemuir. Her co-accused, Steven Dickie and Callum Davidson, both received life sentences after being found guilty of murder. Dickie has since taken his own life in prison. In an interview with The Courier on the eve of the parole hearing, Bill Donaldson said he will never forgive Glass or the other killers. He told us: 'We will never forgive Tasmin Glass or the other killers for the brutal way in which they murdered our beloved son. 'What they did was horrific. The way they killed Steven doesn't bear thinking about. 'We, as a family, will never forgive what they did.' Through our A Voice for Victims campaign, The Courier has been working with families like the Donaldsons to bring reforms to the Scottish parole system. We want more transparency, better communication for victims and a rethink on automatic parole consideration for violent offenders halfway through their sentence.
