Jordan Linden, a former SNP council leader and chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP), has lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence for sexually assaulting five young men. According to multiple reports, Linden was sentenced to 18 months in prison following a seven-day trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court.
Key Takeaways
Jordan Linden, a former SNP council leader and chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP), has appealed his conviction and sentence for sexually assaulting five young men and directing unwanted sexual communications towards seven teenagers. The offenses spanned from 2011 to 2021.
- Linden was sentenced to 18 months in prison after a seven-day trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court.
- He denied all charges, claiming the incidents either did not take place or were consensual.
- The charity regulator has opened an inquiry into the SYP's regulatory and governance procedures following Linden's crimes.
- First Minister John Swinney expressed his apology to anyone affected by Linden's actions.
Linden, who was also found guilty of directing unwanted sexual communications towards seven teenagers, including one as young as 14, denied all charges during the trial. He claimed that the incidents either did not take place or were consensual. The offenses spanned a decade from 2011 until 2021.
The Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service confirmed that an intention to appeal against Linden's conviction and sentence had been lodged within the required two-week period. A note with the full grounds of appeal must be submitted within eight weeks. The trial revealed disturbing details, including Linden locking a party official in a bathroom and attempting to get him to urinate while he watched.
Linden stepped down as leader of North Lanarkshire Council in 2022 after the allegations emerged and was arrested in 2024. The court heard from multiple victims, including an SNP party official who described Linden's behavior as 'very handsy' during a Dundee Pride parade.
The Scottish Youth Parliament conducted investigations into how original complaints against Linden were handled, finding that procedures and guidelines were properly followed. However, the charity regulator has now opened an inquiry into the SYP's regulatory and governance procedures following Linden's crimes. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator said it would look into these matters after receiving concerns about the organization.
The case has led to an independent review of the SNP’s complaints process after some witnesses claimed their allegations were ignored by the party. First Minister John Swinney expressed his apology to anyone who suffered because of Linden and urged him to apologize to his victims.
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