A former leader of the SNP council, Jordan Linden, has been sentenced to jail for committing multiple sex offenses against teenagers and young men. Linden, aged 30, stepped down as the head of North Lanarkshire Council in July 2022 following allegations of sexual harassment, leading to the collapse of the SNP administration in the region. The convicted sex offender, who departed from the SNP in 2024, was found guilty of 10 separate charges in March after a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court.
The offenses included five counts of sexual assault, as well as charges related to sexual communication and engaging in conduct causing fear or alarm. Linden received an 18-month jail term and was placed on the sex offenders’ register for a decade on Wednesday. The crimes occurred between 2011 and 2021 in various locations in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, and elsewhere. Linden’s trial revealed that he sent unsolicited communications, including explicit images, to seven teenagers, with the youngest victim being only 14 years old.
Furthermore, Linden was reported to have sexually assaulted two individuals at a post-Pride parade gathering in Dundee, as stated by Police Scotland. Despite denying any wrongdoing, Linden was charged in February 2024. Testimonies during the trial detailed instances where Linden exhibited inappropriate behavior, such as locking a party attendee in a bathroom and engaging in unwanted physical contact.
Sheriff Christopher Shead, in sentencing Linden, emphasized the severity of the offenses and the necessity of custodial punishment despite Linden having no prior convictions. Following Linden’s conviction, First Minister John Swinney initiated an independent review of the SNP’s complaint handling procedures. DCI Diane Barr, the lead investigator, commended the victims for their bravery in coming forward and highlighted Linden’s abuse of trust towards vulnerable individuals seeking his guidance.
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