Scotland’s first minister has written to Linda McDonald offering her personal support.
Nicola Sturgeon has promised that any lessons to be learned from Linda’s brutal attack at the hands of killer Robbie McIntosh will be fully implemented.
Linda revealed to the Tele that following the brutal beating in August 2017 which nearly killed her, she wrote to Ms Sturgeon – and received two responses.
McIntosh, who had been serving a life sentence for the 2001 murder of Anne Nicoll – committed when he was just 15 – was on day release from prison at the time.
A significant case review (SCR) into the circumstances leading to the attack on Linda is being carried out by MAPPA – MultiAgency Public Protection Arrangements.
Linda said: “In my bid to make sure what happened to me never happens again I wrote to Nicola Sturgeon.
“I wanted to know her thoughts regarding the SCR.”
In one of her letters to Linda, Ms Sturgeon said: “I support the ongoing review.
“If there are identified lessons to be learned I want to ensure they are taken fully into account and implemented into future practice.
“It is critical we reduce the chances of something like this happening again.”
A freedom of information request submitted to the Scottish Government by the Tele revealed that someone else also wrote in relation to McIntosh being granted home leave.
Linda said: “I am so grateful to whoever it was taking time to write this letter. It shows how outraged they were at his release.”
She added: “When is the government going to realise that the risk is too high when releasing these dangerous category criminals? It’s not justice when victims and their family are being forgotten about once the punishment part has been served and public safety is not the priority.”