Recent revelations have sparked concern as prisoners sentenced to ‘life’ are being released after serving only around ten years. This startling trend has emerged from new data acquired by the Mail, revealing that since 2021, more than 100 individuals serving life sentences have been freed.

These releases, primarily involving convicted murderers, suggest a pattern where dangerous offenders are re-entering society at a frequency of one every 11 days over the span of a year. This occurrence coincides with the Scottish National Party (SNP) government’s initiative to alleviate overcrowded prisons by granting early release to numerous inmates, including those with violent histories, raising significant public safety concerns.

Sharon Dowey, the Scottish Tory spokesperson for victims, voiced her outrage, stating, “These alarming statistics undermine the very concept of life sentences and betray the victims and their families.” She further expressed the public’s likely dismay at the prospect of individuals, whose crimes necessitated life sentences, walking free after just a decade.

The figures come as the SNP Government grants early release to hundreds of criminals including violent thugs to free up space in crowded jails, sparking fears over the risk to public safety.

Last night Scottish Tory victims spokesman Sharon Dowey said: ‘These stark figures make a mockery of life sentences and are a betrayal of victims.

‘The public will be dismayed that those who have committed crimes so serious they warrant a life sentence are being released after only a decade.

‘It’s simply common sense that life should mean life – and it’s high time the SNP’s justice system delivered on that to keep communities safe.’

The figures have fuelled demands for the introduction of whole-life tariffs, which mean the worst offenders are never released from prison.

More than 100 ‘lifers’ have been released from Scotland’s jails since 2021

Scottish Tory victims spokesman Sharon Dowey said the figures ‘make a mockery of life sentences and are a betrayal of victims’

But the soft-touch SNP Government has so far ruled out tougher sentences – despite life tariffs being used by courts south of the Border.

Figures published by the Parole Board for Scotland (PBS) show 34 lifers were freed in 2023/24, with one of them released after 10-11 years. Since 2021/22, a total of 106 lifers have been freed.

The PBS figures show in 2023/24, one lifer was freed after 10-11 years, one was freed after 11-12 years, two were let out after 12-13 years, and 30 had been in prison for ‘over 14’ years.

Since 2021, four lifers have been freed after serving 11-12 years in jail. In one shocking case, John Wilson, 36, was jailed for life in 2009 with a minimum of only 12 years behind bars for the murder of Michelle Stewart, 17, in Drongan, Ayrshire.

The schoolgirl was stabbed to death by Wilson, her former partner, near her home. Wilson was freed on parole back in January 2025.

In April 2013 in Dumfries, a thug who murdered his friend in a savage attack was jailed for life and given a punishment part of only nine years and nine months, later increased to 14-and-a-half years after an appeal by the Crown Office.

Darrin Callander punched, kicked and stamped on Brian Scott, 54, and left him to die. The 49-year-old killer died in October 2021 while serving a life sentence at HMP Shotts in Lanarkshire.

In 2001, European laws led to radical changes in the system which compelled judges to set a punishment part for lifers – the period of time a prisoner must spend in jail before becoming eligible to apply for parole.

John Wilson, 36, who was jailed for life in 2009 with a minimum of only 12 years behind bars for the murder of schoolgirl Michelle Stewart, 17, was freed on parole in January 2025

If parole chiefs rule a prisoner can be released on licence after the punishment element is complete, the convict can be freed.

The punishment part must be served by everyone regardless of their prison record, and any request for parole can be rejected if the prisoner is deemed to need further rehabilitation.

Although the PBS is independent, members are appointed by ministers, who also refer prisoners to the board for possible parole.

Prisoners serving a sentence of four years or more are eligible for parole if they can satisfy the PBS that they do not pose a danger to the public.

Debbie Adams, director of development and external affairs at Victim Support Scotland, said: ‘Victims tell us that understanding sentencing can be very complicated.

‘When a perpetrator is given a life sentence, many people expect them to serve the full time in custody.

‘However, Scotland does not have “whole life sentences” unlike other jurisdictions.

‘As each case is different, the time spent in prison depends on the length of the punishment part of the sentence given by the judge.

‘Release from prison is accompanied by licence conditions that are in place for life, which can ultimately mean recall back to custody.

‘Any decision to grant parole is based entirely on risk, and sometimes this means that perpetrators with a life sentence are released part way through their sentence.’

A PBS spokesman said: ‘The Parole Board does not comment on individual cases.

‘Where an offender receives a life sentence, the court will set a “punishment part” of the sentence.

‘At the end of the punishment part, Scottish ministers are required by statute to refer the case to the Parole Board for Scotland.

‘The Board then considers the case against the statutory test for release which requires that the panel of the Board must be satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the prisoner should be confined.’

He added: ‘A life sentence prisoner remains on licence for the rest of their life and their case can be referred back to the Board at any time by Scottish ministers for consideration as to whether they should be recalled to custody if licence conditions are breached.’

Scottish Government officials say that ‘if the offender reaches the point in the life sentence where they are eligible to be considered for parole, it is for the independent PBS to decide if they should be released’.

There have been a ‘number of victim-centred reforms to the parole process in recent years including the right for victims, or a family member of a victim, to make representations on licence conditions and, in certain circumstances, to attend oral hearings’.

A dedicated victims’ team has been established in Parole Scotland to support victims through the process.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ’The independent courts determine the punishment period a life prisoner must serve in custody, and only once that period has been served do they become eligible for consideration of release by the Parole Board.

‘Life sentence prisoners, if approved for release, remain on licence for the rest of their life and are subject to recall at any time should they breach their licence.

‘The average length of punishment parts of life sentences is at its highest level since records began, at 20.5 years in 2023-24, as compared with 14.3 years in 2007-08.’