Appeal against killer's 'too lenient' sentence

Published on Tuesday 15 July 2008 22:06

AN APPEAL has been lodged by the Lord Advocate against the sentence given to a teenager who kicked a man to death in the street.

James Simpson, 16, was put behind bars for four years in June for the culpable homicide of father-of-two Steven Jones. Mr Jones, 33, from Worcestershire, had been visiting family when he was attacked in Dundee.

The sentence prompted anger from the victim's family and friends. Elish Angiolini, the Lord Advocate, has the right to appeal against a sentence if she feels it is unduly lenient.

Simpson had been drinking heavily before the attack on Mr Jones in July last year. One witness described the assault as being like "someone kicking a football". The killer ran away after the assault and minutes later was recorded on CCTV demonstrating how he had stamped on his victim.

Simpson had originally been charged with murder, but was later convicted of culpable homicide.