Jail sentence of St Giles’ vandal is cut

Published on 31/03/2012 13:38

A VANDAL who went on the rampage through St Giles’ Cathedral has had his jail sentence slashed.

Appeal judges heard Lee Peattie, who caused £12,000 worth of damage at the historic Royal Mile church, was suffering an “almost perfect storm of difficulties” at the time of the wrecking spree.

He smashed chairs and hurled them through stained glass windows in front of shocked visitors in June 2011.

Peattie, 35, was later convicted of a breach of the peace and malicious damage and jailed for 42 months – but that was cut to 33 months yesterday at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh.

Lord Hardie, who was sitting with Lord Emslie, agreed Peattie had been sentenced correctly, but said additional information hadn’t been available to the judge last October.

Peattie had represented himself at his trial and did not make a plea in mitigation after being found guilty.

The appeal judges heard he had been suffering malnourishment and was taking prescription medicine on an empty stomach. He was also facing a delay in his benefit money.