Conservatives propose bill for whole life custody for "worst criminals"

"In Scotland, courts cannot ensure that the worst criminals are never released from prison", according to Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr MSP, who has opened a consultation on a proposed Whole Life Custody (Scotland) Bill as a member's bill in the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Kerr says he wants to give Scottish judges the same power that is afforded to their counterparts south of the border, "to put the worst criminals behind bars for the rest of their lives". While a court should always have the discretion to impose the appropriate sentence based on the facts of each case, "the worst offenders should be in no doubt that they face the severest consequences for their actions, with a whole life custody sentence being the starting point for the most serious murders and sexual offences".

A Scottish Government spokesperson said the Scottish courts already had power to impose a punishment part of a life sentence that could extend beyond the rest of a person's life.

Click here to view the consultation. The deadline for responses is 30 August 2019.