Please note this blog post does provide a case update on a case concerning serious child abuse/harm and attempted murder. This talk had a recommended age of 16+ due to discussion on sensitive topics and as such, this content may be upsetting.
In October, we launched our first online event for Halloween, focusing on Investigating Witchcraft in the Modern Age. Many of you loved this event, and recently, I have had a few of you reach out about a particular case that we covered.
During the event, we examined a number of cases from around the world involving witchcraft, considering the sentencing of these offences and the policies put in place to protect victims. However, we also explored a Scottish case. At the time, this case was still at the trial stage, meaning we could only briefly touch on it due to restricted reporting and our commitment to respecting court proceedings.
This case has now reached its conclusion. The jury has delivered its findings of guilt, and those involved have recently been sentenced. Although, I would also expect that appeals concerning sentence and/or conviction may arise in the future, if not planned already.
It was a particularly distressing case involving the serious harm and abuse of young children by a group of individuals from the Glasgow area. There has been recent media coverage of this story, and I have included additional links for those who wish to explore further.
My reason for highlighting this case was due to the initial media reports stating that the individuals had been 'charged' with the offence of witchcraft. Some outlets referred to 'allegations' of witchcraft. As we discussed in the talk, witchcraft has not been a criminal offence in Scotland for a very long time—since around 1563. This discrepancy in reporting piqued my interest.
I have been in contact with a legal professional involved in the case to clarify whether the charge of witchcraft was brought to court, etc, but I have yet to receive a definitive answer. Ultimately, I may not receive clarification on this. However, the sentencing statement from Lord Beckett has now been released for the public to read if they wish. For those interested, I have included a link to the full statement. Please be aware that, while Lord Beckett does not go into explicit details of the offences, there is still distressing content that may be upsetting to read. Please exercise caution.
The sentencing statement provides insight into how the final sentences were determined for each offender. It also sheds light on the use of an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR) in Scotland for cases of this nature, which may be of particular interest to those keen to understand sentencing in our legal system.
Lastly, I wish to extend my thoughts to the victims and all those affected by this case, including the jury and all of the criminal justice professionals involved. As Lord Beckett stated:
"This court is used to hearing about some of the worst examples of human behaviour, but such depravity as you displayed against young children is beyond my experience."
This is one of the most harrowing and deeply disturbing cases to have taken place on Scottish soil in recent history, and I can only imagine the profound impact it has had on those involved in this case.
Links are included below this image.
Reports on the initial case:
Sentencing Statement:
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