Former council leader guilty of preying on young men and boys

A former SNP council leader has been found guilty of preying on young men and boys.

Jordan Linden, 30, was convicted of 10 offences - including five sexual assaults, stalking and sexual communication - following a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court. Linden, who stood down as leader of North Lanarkshire Council in 2022 after the allegations came to light, was placed on the sex offenders' register ahead of his sentencing in May.

The offences took place over a 10-year period between 2011 and 2021. Police Scotland said all of the victims were either boys or young men, with the youngest aged just 14.

The force said Linden, who also chaired the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) between 2015 and 2016, sexually assaulted two victims at a house party following a Dundee Pride parade in 2019. Linden was charged in February 2024.

Detective Chief Inspector Diane Barr said: "This was a protracted investigation which involved speaking with a broad range of people, many of whom regarded Linden as being in a position of trust. "He abused this position to befriend young males who were seeking his support and the opportunity to learn from his work, however his conduct toward them was far from professional.

"I'd like to thank the victims who came forward to report their experiences to police. Their testimony and support ensured that we were able to bring Linden before the courts.

"No one should be subjected to sexual offending, and we will always investigate reports, regardless of when they occurred or who the perpetrator is." Read more from Sky News:Attacker jailed after Barron Trump alerted UK policeAppeal over woman murdered 30 years ago Linden stepped down as North Lanarkshire Council leader in July 2022. He later quit the council and the SNP in March 2023.

During his trial, some witnesses testified their complaints were downplayed or ignored by adults in the SYP and SNP. Following Linden's conviction, the Scottish Conservatives said John Swinney must be "completely transparent" about how the SNP leadership handled the complaints.

An SNP spokesperson said: "We have undertaken a comprehensive review of our complaints procedures since 2016, but in light of this case the party leader, John Swinney, has today instructed that an independent review of these procedures be conducted. "This will ensure people are protected and our complaints procedures are as robust as they can be.

"More generally, the SNP welcomes the verdict against Mr Linden and commends the bravery of the individuals who came forward and shared their experiences with the police." A spokesperson for the SYP said: "The guilty verdict confirms that Jordan Linden committed serious offences against young men, and our first thoughts are with those he harmed. "His actions were reprehensible and diametrically opposed to the values and ethos of the Scottish Youth Parliament, and we have fully supported the investigation by Police Scotland and subsequent prosecution.

"An independent review of our safeguarding arrangements, commissioned in the wake of the allegations, found that our child protection policies fully complied with national guidelines and legislation. "Safeguarding, wellbeing and child protection are of paramount importance to SYP.

"We continually strengthen our guidelines and procedures in line with evolving national policies and best practice, which includes updating policies, training and support every two years.".