It’s a grave punishment for offenders ordered to fix Aberdeen cemeteries

Published on 15/02/2012 01:42

LOW-level offenders on community sentences are being sent out to fix fallen cemetery headstones in a new community pay back scheme in Aberdeen.

The new scheme, centred on the city’s Trinity Cemetery, was officially launched yesterday by Kenny MacAskill, the justice secretary, during a visit to the city.

Mr MacAskill said: “Cemeteries should be a place of quiet reflection, a place to pay your respects and to remember loved ones lost.

“Unfortunately, the scene at many cemeteries in Aberdeen, and more widely across Scotland, is one of fallen and broken headstones. That is unacceptable, it’s a bugbear of many communities up and down the country, and this project will see action being taken to rectify it.”

He added: “The council and church workers do their best, but finding the resources and labour required to carry out these repairs is often a real struggle for many.

“We want to get these low-level offenders out doing some hard work, carrying out tough manual labour to repay their dues to the community they’ve harmed.”

Mr MacAskill revealed that the Aberdeen project was one of a series of community pay back schemes across Scotland which will benefit from a new £500,000 funding package.

He said: “Communities across the country can now identify the local priorities which need work doing and get offenders out doing them for the benefit of the community.

“It may be that Community Payback Order work squads are sent in to clean up streets scrawled in graffiti, or pavements covered in chewing gum are targeted by local residents for action.”