Investigation ordered over curfew breach murder

An investigation has been ordered into how a man was able to commit a "brutal" murder despite breaching his home release curfew six months earlier.

James Wright was jailed for life for killing Craig McClelland, 31, in a random street attack in Paisley.

He was "unlawfully at large" having breached the conditions of his curfew.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson told MSPs he had asked the prisons and police watchdogs to "look at this matter thoroughly".

The Scottish Conservatives called for major reforms to the parole system in light of the case and others.

During sentencing at the High Court in Livingston on Monday, Lord Matthews said he had "no doubt that questions will be asked" about why Wright, 25, had been at large to commit the "brutal" attack.

Wright had breached curfew in February 2017, but was still free on 23 July that year when he approached Mr McClelland in the street and asked him for a light before stabbing him twice.

He had 16 previous convictions, including two for knife crimes, and will serve a minimum of 20 years behind bars.

Paisley MSP George Adam raised the "tragic" case at Holyrood's justice committee, saying it was "a massive thing for the family to deal with.

He asked Mr Matheson: "Is there anything you can say to try and provide some kind of comfort to the family in Paisley, or any answers or assurances you can provide that the Scottish Prison Service and Police Scotland followed appropriate procedure in this matter?"

The justice secretary said it was "clearly an appalling case", which "raises a number of questions" which both he and the family wanted answers to.

He said: "In order to look at this matter thoroughly, I've asked both HM Inspector of Prisons and HM Inspector of Constabulary to look at the case, to determine whether there are further aspects that can be improved in how they make assessments, in determining whether someone should be provided with home detention curfew (HDC).

"Secondly, to look at whether there are ways in which the police process for investigating such breaches and apprehending such individuals when they have breached a HDC are brought to account and apprehended.

"They will report directly to me and once we have those reports we can determine whether there are any further actions that need to be taken."

The case was also discussed at the Scottish government's cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The Scottish Conservatives called for "a shake-up of the entire system to tilt it back in favour of the victim".

Justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: "Parole boards should provide more information explaining why prisoners are being released. And we need to give victims more rights to appeal.

"The SNP government is currently examining parole reform in Scotland. It is the perfect opportunity to ensure that victims are placed at the centre of the system, and not treated as an after-thought."