Scotland’s justice secretary has pledged to hold talks with a Dundee woman who was brutally battered by a convicted murderer on day release from jail.
Linda McDonald was subjected to the vicious assault by killer Robbie McIntosh in Templeton Woods in August last year.
Earlier this month, Mrs McDonald, 53, spoke in harrowing detail about how she “played dead” after being struck repeatedly by a dumbbell – in the hope her attacker would go away.
McIntosh was on day release from prison at the time of the terrifying attack, while serving a life sentence for stabbing dog walker Anne Nicoll to death on the Law when he was just 15 in 2002.
Mrs McDonald also revealed to the Tele she had launched a campaign to get the law changed over the parole and home release of convicted murderers.
She enlisted the help of Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick, who wrote to Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf asking for a meeting.
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Now Mr Yousaf has written to Mr FitzPatrick agreeing to the face-to-face talks once a significant case review into the attack on Mrs McDonald is published next year.
Mr Yousaf wrote: “I would be happy to organise a meeting with you and Mrs McDonald.
“I have noted that Mrs McDonald would like to discuss the significant case review which is currently being undertaken by Tayside MAPPA (multi agency public protection arrangements) Strategic Oversight Group and Angus Council, the Scottish Prison Service’s (SPS) critical incident review and the recent suspension of home detention curfew for violent offenders.”
He added: “I also note that Mrs McDonald would like to discuss the outcome of the SPS critical incident review carried out following the tragic events of last year.
“An overview report of this review was passed to the MAPPA Strategic Overview Group chairman and has been made available to the independent reviewer to inform the significant case review.
“At this stage I would not be able to offer any comment but will be happy to meet with yourself and Mrs McDonald.”
Mrs McDonad said: “It looks like it will be into next year before this investigation is published, which is later than I would have hoped for, but I welcome the commitment from Mr Yousaf.”