Jolanta killer's sentence cut to 18 years after appeal win

Published on Thursday 20 August 2009 22:01

ONE of the killers of a Lithuanian migrant worker whose body was cut up and dumped in the sea off the Angus coast won an appeal against his sentence yesterday.

Aleksandras Skirda, 20, was jailed for life for his part in the murder of Jolanta Bledaite, 35, in Brechin and ordered to serve at least 20 years before he could be paroled.

However, the minimum term was lowered to 18 years by the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh.

It ruled that the sentencing judge had not given enough credit to Skirda for pleading guilty and testifying against his co-accused and fellow Lithuanian, Vitas Plytnykas, 41. A life sentence and 28-year minimum tariff, one of the heaviest sentences handed down in Scotland, had been imposed on Plytnykas after his trial earlier this year.

Only Skirda's case was considered at yesterday's hearing.

Yesterday, the defence counsel, Mark Stewart, QC, told the appeal court that Lord Pentland had chosen 24 years as the minimum term for Skirda, and allowed a discount of one-sixth.

Mr Stewart argued that the starting point was excessive because it meant only a four-year distinction between the two guilty men.

He said Skirda had been the much younger, he had no criminal record and he had not been the main player in the planning and execution of the crime.