Arabic version: حُكم على زعيم مجلس SNP السابق بالسجن بتهمة الاعتداء الجنسي
Jordan Linden, a former leader of North Lanarkshire Council, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually assaulting five young men. The 30-year-old was convicted in March following a seven-day trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court. He was also found guilty of directing unwanted sexual communications towards seven teenagers, the youngest being just 14 years old. According to BBC News, these communications included inappropriate photos of Linden.
The offences occurred over a decade, from 2011 to 2021. Linden was acquitted of a sixth charge of sexual assault and five other charges related to stalking and sexual communication. During sentencing, Sheriff Christopher Shead stated that custody was the only appropriate response to the nature of the offences. Linden displayed no emotion as he received his sentence but blew a kiss to his father before being taken away by guards.
Linden, who had previously served as the chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, denied all allegations, claiming they were either consensual or did not occur. His defence counsel argued that Linden had faced bullying in his teenage years due to his sexuality, leading to social isolation and inappropriate behavior later in life.
The court heard accounts from multiple victims, including one incident where Linden allegedly locked an 18-year-old in a bathroom after a Dundee Pride parade. Another witness recounted a traumatic experience at Linden’s flat, where he woke up to find Linden performing a sex act on him. Following the trial, First Minister John Swinney expressed regret for those affected by Linden’s actions and announced an independent review of the SNP’s complaints process.
The Scottish Youth Parliament acknowledged the seriousness of the case and stated that they had previously referred allegations against Linden to the police. They emphasized their commitment to maintaining a safe environment for young people and noted that their safeguarding policies had been regularly reviewed and strengthened.
