Now victims are barred from parole hearings - to avoid harming prisoners' mental health

By GRAHAM GRANT HOME AFFAIRS EDITOR FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL Published: 20:33, 30 April 2026 | Updated: 20:42, 30 April 2026 Victims of crime have been barred from parole hearings – to avoid harming prisoners’ mental health. A growing number of refusals have been granted by parole chiefs when victims have asked to attend, according to official figures. Other reasons include shutting out victims when there is ‘potential to disrupt proceedings and [a] risk of detriment to the public interest’. Cases where victims of relatives were told they could not attend included parole hearings for murderers and rapists. Last night Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: ‘These damning revelations confirm Scotland’s outdated parole system remains fundamentally stacked against victims. ‘It is indefensible victims are being shut out of hearings for spurious reasons while the system bends over backwards for offenders. ‘After two decades of SNP soft touch justice, the system is broken - and Scotland cannot endure another five years of this.’ Figures from the Parole Board for Scotland (PBS) show there were 14 refusals between 2023 and 2025. Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr warned Scotland’s 'outdated parole system remains fundamentally stacked against victims' In 2023, there were two refusals of victims who wanted access to hearings, including one for a murder case ‘on the grounds of fairness and security’. The following year, five victims’ applications to attend were turned down, rising to seven in 2025. In 2024, the PBS said hearings relating to murder and indecent assault were closed to the victim of their relatives because they were ‘likely to focus on sensitive and confidential issues’. There were also concerns ‘relating to the prisoner’s mental health’ in a case of murder, assault and robbery. In a murder case, a victim’s relative was barred from attending because of the ‘potential to disrupt proceedings’ and ‘risk of detriment to the public interest’. On other occasions, victims were turned away because parole bosses decided here was no need for an oral hearing. This happened in 2024 when the PBS decided no oral hearing was needed in a case where a prisoner had been convicted of attempted murder, rape, assault to severe injury and danger to life. The PBS said this ‘normally [happens] where a prisoner is not seeking their release and has often disengaged from the parole process, including refusing to attend a hearing’. It said: ‘In these cases, the panel will assess if there is anything to be gained from proceeding with a hearing and, if there is nothing to be gained, will make a decision without a hearing on the basis of the dossier of evidence that they have been provided with by Scottish ministers.’ A Scottish Government consultation published in August last year proposed that victims could get the right to plead in person for criminals to be kept in prison under plans for a shake-up of the parole system. Under the current rules, they can provide written representations to the PBS - though oral submissions can be made where the criminal is a life prisoner. But they can only be made to a member of the PBS - not directly to those considering the case. The public consultation launched by the Scottish Government asked whether there should be a rule change so there is an automatic right for victims to make their case orally. Other proposed measures include the PBS publishing decisions on parole in full - including names of ‘relevant individuals’ on a case-by-case basis. The Scottish Government said the analysis of the consultation responses is ‘currently in progress, with the findings scheduled for publication in May 2026’, after the election. The PBS spokesman said all requests from registered victims to observe hearings are ‘carefully considered.’ A spokesman for the Scottish Government has said previously that it ‘cannot intervene’ on PBS decisions but ‘the needs of victims should be a priority’. Measures in the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act mean that the PBS must consider the safety and security of any victim and/or family members as part of decisions on release. From August 1, when setting licence conditions the PBS must consider whether an exclusion zone should be included as a condition to ‘protect the safety and security or wellbeing of a victim and/or family members’. The Scottish Government said ‘decisions on parole in individual cases is a matter for the independent PBS who make their decisions based on a clear risk assessment of whether an individual can be managed safely in the community’. Measures in the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act mean that the PBS must consider the safety and security of any victim and/or family members as part of decisions on release. From August 1, when setting licence conditions the PBS must consider whether an exclusion zone should be included as a condition to ‘protect the safety and security or wellbeing of a victim and/or family members’. The Scottish Government said ‘decisions on parole in individual cases is a matter for the independent PBS who make their decisions based on a clear risk assessment of whether an individual can be managed safely in the community’. The comments below have not been moderated. 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