Minister backs parole changes for killers who refuse to reveal victim’s location

Murderers who fail to reveal the location of their victim’s body may be refused parole, after the Scottish Government agreed to a Conservative MSP’s proposal for an amendment he described as “Suzanne’s Law”.

Named after Edinburgh bookkeeper Suzanne Pilley, who was murdered by her work colleague David Gilroy in 2010, Jamie Greene’s proposal is set to be incorporated into an overhaul of the justice system.

Gilroy was given a life sentence for the murder of Ms Pilley, whose body has never been found.

She is thought to have been secretly buried in a remote part of Argyll.

It means parole boards must always take into account whether the location of a victim’s body has been revealed.

The government says decisions are always for the independent parole board.

On Wednesday, Holyrood’s Criminal Justice Committee debated amendments to the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill at stage two.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance acknowledged the “deep hurt” caused to families and friends when a loved one’s remains cannot be found.

She backed Mr Greene’s amendment, saying: “I am happy to support this amendment, it may be that we propose some tweaks to the drafting at stage three… some minor changes may be needed but I’m happy to support amendment 260 for now.”

Mr Greene said later: “This is a fantastic victory for victims and their families, and I’m delighted SNP ministers have agreed to back Suzanne’s Law, which I first brought forward in my own Victims Law proposals.

“It should always be the case that killers like David Gilroy should not be released until they disclose the whereabouts of a victim’s remains.

“The callous refusal of dangerous criminals to reveal such information only causes more suffering for families, which is why it is welcome the SNP have agreed with my call for the parole board to always take this into account in these cases.

“This, alongside my many other amendments to their justice reform Bill, should represent the first step in the SNP finally prioritising the needs of victims in Scotland’s justice criminal system after repeatedly treating them as an afterthought.”

Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs Angela Constance said: “My thoughts go out to all families who have lost loved ones and been robbed of the closure of knowing where the victim’s remains are. I am very aware of the deep hurt that this issue can cause to a victim’s family and friends.

“Whilst the Parole Board already does take such matters into account when considering release, I was happy to be able to support Mr Greene’s amendment which will now require the Parole Board to take account of whether the prisoner has information about the disposal of the victims’ remains, but has not disclosed it.”