Former SNP council leader jailed for string of sex offences against young men and boys
A former SNP council leader who was found guilty of multiple sex offences against young men and teenagers has been jailed for 18 months.
Listen to this article
Jordan Linden resigned as the leader of North Lanarkshire Council in July 2022 after reports of alleged sexual harassment emerged, leading to the collapse of the SNP administration in the area.
Linden, who left the SNP in 2024, was convicted of 10 separate offences in March following a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court, including five sexual assaults.
He was also found guilty of charges involving sexual communication and of engaging in a course of conduct causing fear or alarm.
The offences spanned the period 2011 to 2021 and took place at locations in North Lanarkshire and elsewhere.
One offence saw Linden sexually assault two victims at a house party in Dundee after a Pride march in 2019.
The 30-year-old was jailed for 18 months when he appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Wednesday and placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.
The victims were all boys or young men, and the offences took place between 2011 and 2021. The age of the youngest victim was 14.
'Held to account'
Speaking to LBC after the sentencing, SNP leader John Swinney said he welcomed the sentence.
"I hope it provides for the victims of Jordan Linden some assurance that the unacceptable behaviour that he has taken forward and committed, he's been held to account for that," he told reporter Gina Davidson.
He also called on Linden to apologise for his actions.
Mr Swinney added the SNP has a "robust" handling procedure for any complaints in the future.
Read more: Who are the two men charged with murdering paedophile rock star Ian Watkins?
John Swinney has been responding to the Jordan Linden sentencing- @LBC asked him if 18 months was long enough, if another Linden could happen in the SNP and if he would tell him to apologise to his victims https://t.co/PqZYIq6Oft pic.twitter.com/sNE6MymFE0
— @GinaDavidson (@ginadavidsonlbc) May 6, 2026
Sentencing Linden, Sheriff Christopher Shead said he had considered submissions from Linden’s lawyer David Moggach KC but decided that jail was the only appropriate way of dealing with matter.
However he said: “The first question the court requires to address is if a custodial sentence is the only disposal.
“It’s necessary for the court to consider the number of offences of which Mr Linden was convicted which includes sexual assault and to balance those against factors favourable to Mr Linden advanced by Mr Moggach including that Mr Linden has no previous convictions.
“I’ve reflected on the submissions of Mr Moggach and reached the conclusion that the nature of the offences is such that the test has been met and that custody is the only appropriate disposal.”
Mr Moggach had urged the Sheriff to consider alternatives to custody.
He said that Linden had been diagnosed with autism in 2021 and has not offended since then, and pointed out that Linden was a teenager himself at the time of some of the earlier offences.
Mr Moggach said: “In 2021 he was diagnosed with autism and it highlighted his lack of awareness of social boundaries and may go some way to explain the behaviour.”
The lawyer told the court: “Subsequent to 2021 there has been no offending.
“There is an awareness on Mr Linden’s part of how his behaviour was simply unacceptable.
“He now appreciates that he overstepped certain boundaries and now knows where those boundaries are. “This has been a hugely significant and sobering experience for him.”
Following the conviction, First Minister John Swinney ordered an independent review of the SNP’s processes in the wake of concerns about the handling of complaints against Linden.
'Abused this position'
After being found guilty, Senior Investigating Officer, 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.
"Noone should be subjected to sexual offending, and we will always investigate reports, regardless of when they occurred or who the perpetrator is."