Former SNP council leader jailed for sexually assaulting five men and boys

A former SNP council leader guilty of multiple sex offences against young men and teenagers has been jailed.

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 three counts of engaging in a course of conduct causing fear or alarm and of charges involving sexual communication.

The offences spanned the period 2011 to 2021.

Linden, 30, was put on the sex offenders register and jailed for 18 months at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Sheriff Christopher Shead told him: “Standing the verdicts the first question the court requires to address is whether a custodial sentence is the only appropriate disposal. Deciding that, it is necessary to consider the nature and number of the offences.

“I have reached the conclusion that the nature of the offences is such that custody is the only appropriate disposal.”

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.

Swinney’s party welcomed the verdict against Linden and commended “the bravery of the individuals who came forward and shared their experiences with the police”.

The SNP’s political opponents have criticised the way the party handled the allegations of Linden’s misconduct, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accusing them of “double standards”.