Paige Doherty’s devastated family slam appeal that sliced four years off killer John Leathem’s sentence
THE 32-year-old was jailed for life after he brutally murdered Paige and dumped her body in a wooded area
PAIGE Doherty's devastated family have today slammed the decision to take four years off her killer's sentence.
Evil John Leathem, who brutally murdered the Clydebank schoolgirl, has won an appeal against his 27-year jail term.
The decision read: "For the reasons which we have set out above we shall quash the punishment part imposed in this case and substitute therefor a period of 23 years."
In a statement on the Justice for Paige Facebook page her heartbroken friends and family wrote: "The verdict is out. The man who brutally murdered a 15 year old defenceless child has been given more time off his sentence. He will only have to serve 23 years.
"There is no words to describe how we feel. It's heartbreaking and serves no justice to Paige and her family. She had her whole life ahead of her and it's been ripped apart. In 23 years her killer will walk the streets.
"Thank you for your continued support. It will never be forgotten."
Leathem killed the 15-year-old in a "savage and frenzied" attack at his sandwich shop in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, in March before he moved her body in bin bags to the boot of his car.
He then disposed of the popular teenager's body, which was left with more than 146 injuries as a result of Leathem's attack, in a wooded area next to busy Great Western Road.
The 32-year-old was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 27 years by Lady Rae in October last year.
It emerged that same month he would appeal the sentence.
He demanded reduced jail time because Paige’s remains were easy to locate.
Leathem's legal referred to a number of notorious killers including Tanveer Ahmed, who murdered shopkeeper Asad Shah, Alexander Pacteau, who murdered nurse Karen Buckley, and the two men convicted of murdering three members of the Sharkey family in Helensburgh.
The lawyer argued that Leathem's sentence was inconsistent with the sentencing practice used in similar cases.
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