Ex-Council Leader Sentenced for Sexual Assaults on Young Men

Former council leader jailed for sexually – Jordan Linden, a former leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) council, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually assaulting five young men. The 30-year-old was convicted in March following a seven-day trial, during which he was found guilty of directing unwanted sexual communications toward seven teenagers, including those as young as 14. Sheriff Christopher Shead, who presided over the case, added Linden to the sex offenders register as part of the sentencing.

Testimonies Highlight Persistent Behavior

The trial revealed that the sexual communications involved images of Linden in a bathtub and explicit photographs of his genitalia. Over a 10-year span from 2011 to 2021, the offenses occurred. Linden was acquitted of a sixth sexual assault charge and five counts of stalking and sexual communications. His defense argued that the behavior stemmed from a combination of social isolation and a lack of awareness regarding appropriate conduct.

“Because of a lack of social skills, social awareness, and social norms, behaviour occurred which, put bluntly, shouldn’t have.”

Linden, who also served as chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP), initially denied all allegations, claiming the incidents were either consensual or had not occurred as described. Sheriff Shead remarked, “The nature of the offences warrants custody as the only suitable sentence,” emphasizing the severity of the charges. As the sentence was delivered, Linden displayed little visible emotion. He extended a kiss to his father while seated on public benches before being escorted by guards to the holding cells.

Allegations and Testimonies

An SNP party official testified that Linden once locked him in a bathroom and attempted to make him urinate while he observed. The individual, who was 18 at the time, recounted the event following a Dundee Pride parade, during which Linden was heavily intoxicated and “very handsy” with others. “He kept sitting on me, putting his hands near my crotch, putting his hands down my top,” he told the court.

Another participant in the Scottish Youth Parliament, who joined at the same time as Linden as a teenager, described the former leader’s physical contact as “relentless,” involving frequent touches on the face, cheeks, and neck. However, when he reported the incidents to a youth worker, they were dismissed as “just Jordan.”

A witness named James, who was not one of the accused but provided testimony during the trial, shared a detailed account of his experience. James, a teenager at the time, first met Linden in 2015 while campaigning for the SNP. He noted that Linden was “very overly friendly” from the beginning, and other members of the party had warned him to maintain a distance. During the trial, James described an incident from an overseas trip with the SNP’s youth wing, Young Scots for Independence, where Linden climbed into his bed and attempted to kiss him. “I sort of shrugged it off and tried to ignore it the next day,” he told BBC Scotland. He said Linden acted as if nothing had happened, and James made an effort to avoid him during the rest of the trip.

“It wasn’t until a couple of years later – when I saw a number of the other individuals coming forward and I was reading the instances that happened with them – that I decided to speak out. It was nearly five or six years later,” James said.

James initially tried to resolve the matter internally with the SNP, but after the party attempted to downplay the situation, he turned to the police. He expressed relief upon learning of Linden’s conviction. “Having to relive it numerous times over the last 10 years, it’s very chilling – but getting this point where there’s justice being served, it’s a good feeling,” he added.

Defense Arguments and Social Context

David Moggach KC, representing Linden, argued that the former council leader faced bullying during his teenage years due to his sexuality. “This led to social isolation,” Moggach explained, “which was partly eased when he joined the Scottish Youth Parliament, connecting with others who shared similar experiences. However, his limited social skills and understanding of appropriate boundaries resulted in actions that, in summary, were inappropriate.” He noted that Linden now recognizes his conduct as “unacceptable” and acknowledges having crossed certain lines.

Linden became a councillor for the SNP in 2017 and rose to the position of North Lanarkshire Council leader in 2022. He resigned from the role shortly after the allegations surfaced and was arrested in