A PETITION for the review of a four-year jail sentence handed to the teenage killer of popular junior footballer Shaun Woodburn had gained more than 25,000 signatures by 6pm yesterday.
The extraordinary response to the petition will put pressure on the authorities to review the four-year sentence issued by Lady Stacey on Wednesday after a 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of culpable homicide and five assaults.
However, a spokesman for the Crown Office would only say last night: “As with all cases, the Crown will consider the sentence and give consideration to whether it might be unduly lenient.”
The High Court heard that the killer, who had originally been charged with murder, had been out drinking and causing trouble during Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh.
He punched and badly injured a student who had wished him a “Happy New Year”.
The 17-year-old was then part of a group that attacked a man who had just left Gladstone’s Bar and then trouble broke out in the streets of Leith, where Shaun Woodburn, 30, was punched to the ground and died later of massive brain injuries.
The online petition at charge.org in the name of Woodburn’s father Kevin states: “Please support this petition to appeal the sentences given today by Lady Stacey in the case of my son Shaun Woodburn.
“Shaun was killed in a needless act of violence and if you agree that a four-year custodial sentence with an 18-month supervisory order DOES NOT represent justice then please support our petition to the First Minister of Scotland, and the Justice Minister for Scotland, and finally the Lord Advocate.
“Help us tell the authorities that this is not acceptable justice.”
Earlier Woodburn’s mother, Denise Syme, said: “What kind of message are we sending to young people if you can kill someone and only get a four-year sentence?”
“I feel numb – four years is not enough. It’s an insult to my family and all of the other victims too.”
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