 | 'Given the seriousness of the offence, with its reference to endangering life, one senior legal source believes there is no reason Watson should not find himself in jail.' Tom Gordon, Scottish Political Correspondent, in the Herald, 2 nd September 2005. |  |
BESIDES the ruin of his political career, Mike Watson now faces the real possibility of jail.
When he is sentenced on September 22, much will depend on what Sheriff Kathrine Mackie makes of the social inquiry reports, which will likely focus on the stability of home life, years of public service, and the contrition shown by his resignation as an MSP.
Given Sheriff Mackie also asked for community service assessments, she may well decide that a non-custodial sentence is appropriate for a first offence which seems to have been an aberration.
However, given the seriousness of the offence, with its reference to endangering life, one senior legal source believes there is no reason Watson should not find himself in jail.
"Given his years of public service, the court will need to take that into account. However, imprisonment must be a possibility if the court is asking for reports."
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