A former Scottish National Party (SNP) council leader has been jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty to a string of sex offenses against boys and young men, sparking an angry scene outside the court as he arrived for sentencing.Jordan Linden, 30, was sentenced at Falkirk Sheriff Court after being found guilty of 10 offenses including sexual assault, stalking and inappropriate sexual communication following a trial earlier this year.

Crowd’s anger outside the court

Video circulating online shows an angry crowd shouting at Linden as he arrived for sentencing for a series of sexual crimes against boys and young men. However, he refused to answer media questions.

crime over a decade

The court heard the crimes took place over a 10-year period between 2011 and 2021, with the victims being under the age of 14. Prosecutors said Linden targeted vulnerable teenagers and young men who repeatedly engaged in inappropriate behavior, including unwanted sexual contact and explicit communications.He was convicted of five counts of sexual assault, as well as charges of stalking individuals and forcing them to view sexual images.

Court rejected the plea for leniency

Defense attorney David Moggach Casey argued for a non-custodial sentence, citing Linden’s difficult adolescence, bullying and later autism diagnosis.However, Sheriff Christopher Sheed ruled that jail was necessary due to the seriousness of the crimes, and said that custody was “the only appropriate disposal”. Linden was also placed on the sex offenders register.

political outcome

Lyndon stepped down as leader of North Lanarkshire Council in 2022 after the allegations emerged, subsequently leaving both the council and the SNP.The case has sparked widespread political controversy, with questions raised over how earlier complaints were handled within the party and youth organisations. Some witnesses claimed that concerns were previously downplayed or ignored.The SNP said it welcomed the decision and has since ordered a review of its complaints procedures, while the Scottish Youth Parliament said it recognized the seriousness of the matter and had co-operated fully with the investigation.The sentence was handed down after a detailed investigation, officials said, adding that officials hope the sentence will provide some measure of justice to the victims.