Former SNP North Lanarkshire Council Leader Jailed 18 Months for Sexually Assaulting Five Men

Jordan Linden, 30, formerly the leader of North Lanarkshire Council, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting five young men. Sheriff Christopher Shead also ordered Linden to be placed on the sex offenders register at Falkirk Sheriff Court.

Linden, who resigned as council leader in 2022 following the emergence of allegations, was found guilty in March after a seven-day trial. He was also convicted of directing unwanted sexual communications, including images of himself and his genitalia, towards seven teenagers, the youngest of whom was 14 years old. The offences occurred over a 10-year period, from 2011 to 2021.

Witness Accounts Detail Abuse

During the trial, an SNP party official testified that Linden had locked him in a bathroom and attempted to coerce him into urinating while being watched, an incident occurring after a Dundee Pride parade. The witness, 18 at the time, described Linden as being "very handsy" and repeatedly touching him inappropriately.

Another man, who joined the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) with Linden as a teenager, described Linden's touching — on the face, cheek, or neck — as "relentless." His concerns were reportedly dismissed by a youth worker as "just Jordan." A different witness recounted a "traumatic evening" in 2018 at Linden's flat, stating he "vomited in disgust" upon waking to find Linden performing a sex act on him.

One witness, referred to as James, who met Linden while campaigning for the SNP in 2015, detailed an incident during an overseas trip with Young Scots for Independence where Linden climbed into his bed and attempted to kiss him. James stated he eventually went to the police after the SNP "tried to avoid the whole situation" regarding his complaint.

First Minister John Swinney has since apologised to those affected by Linden's actions and initiated an independent review of the SNP's complaints process, prompted by claims that the party ignored earlier complaints about Linden. The Scottish Youth Parliament stated that an independent review found its child protection policies to be compliant with national guidelines.