Former SNP council leader jailed for 18 months over sexual offences

A former Scottish National Party council leader has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of sexual offences against young men and teenagers as young as 14. Jordan Linden, once seen as a rising star in the SNP, was convicted of five sexual assaults on young men and directed unwanted sexual communications toward seven teenagers, with the youngest being 14. The offences stretched from 2011 to 2021, including an incident at a house party in Dundee following a Pride march in 2019. Linden also appeared to have posted intimate images online for some victims. He has been placed on the sex offender register. He stood down as leader of North Lanarkshire council in 2022 after the allegations emerged, and the case raised questions about how complaints were handled within the party.

During the trial, witnesses described attempts to get help within the SNP, with one saying complaints were ignored or downplayed by party figures. John Swinney, the SNP leader, said he hoped the sentence would give victims some assurance that Linden had been held to account. Anas Sarwar and others spoke about strengthening complaint handling and seeking independent scrutiny, though some critics argued more needed to be done to restore trust. Linden’s supporters said he maintained his innocence and that the case was about overcoming personal issues rather than political motivation. The sentence places Linden on the sex offender register and marks a contentious moment for the SNP’s past leadership in North Lanarkshire.

#ScotlandNews, #Accountability, #SexualOffences