Nationalist MP's email swipe at Scots law

Published on Saturday 3 October 2009 19:43

A SCOTTISH National Party MP has criticised the Scots legal system for "repeatedly" releasing criminals on technicalities and claiming it "caved in" to public opinion by convicting the Lockerbie bomber.

In what represents a major embarrassment to the Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, John Mason said he had a "very poor impression" of the legal system adding that cases appeared to "drag on for ages".

Mason, who secured one of the SNP's greatest-ever by-election victories by winning Glasgow East from Labour, made his remarks in an email to a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, Kenneth Faulds.

In the message, he said: "It seems to me that the courts may well have caved in to public opinion on the Lockerbie case and convicted someone who was only a bit-player.

"Also they repeatedly let people off on a technicality who have clearly committed the crime."

Mason complained about the time it takes to process cases in an email he wrote when asked for his views on having Fatal Accident Inquiries in Scotland for Scots who died abroad.

"My other complaint is how long everything takes," he said. "What is the point of a teenager committing some minor offence and it takes two years to come to court?

"Once cases are in court there seems to be no time limit and cases can drag on for ages."

Labour MSP Margaret Curran said: "John Mason's comments are bizarre. He clearly has not thought through the implications and is either confused or has a very poor grasp of the criminal justice system."

Yesterday Mason said: "I was happy to offer my personal views about lawyers, courts and the Lockerbie trial to a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, who unfortunately, chose to play party politics."

MacAskill's spokesman said: "The government are in no doubt about the Lockerbie conviction, but parliamentarians must be free to express their own view."