The Scottish Conservatives have today written to the SNP justice secretary demanding that she dismiss a “crackpot” recommendation for a presumption against prison sentences of under two years.
Shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr says that if Angela Constance adopts the proposal of the commission which she established, she will be handing a “get out of jail free card” to dangerous criminals.
He added that, taken as a whole, the paper amounted to a “charter for criminals, which clips the wings of judges and betrays victims”.
Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said: “If the justice secretary has a shred of respect for victims or concern for public safety she will put a red line straight through this crackpot recommendation on prison sentences of up to two years.
“This proposal would hand a get out of jail free card to huge numbers of serious offenders who belong behind bars.
“Angela Constance has already announced plans this week to release huge numbers of inmates when they have served just 30 per cent of their sentence. Now she’s being asked to remove custody as an option altogether for others.
“The SNP’s soft-touch madness must end. Dangerous criminals are being allowed to roam the streets and reoffend because the Nationalists have failed to build the new prisons they promised in Glasgow and the Highlands.
“I’ve written to the justice secretary pleading with her to see sense. This paper amounts to a charter for criminals, which clips the wings of judges and betrays victims.”