TRANSCRIPT 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.880
Welcome to A Dark City, the podcast that delves into the shadowy underbell of Glasgow, a city with a storied past and a reputation for resilience.
00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:18.160
Here, we uncover the chilling true stories of serious crimes that have left their mark on the city's history.
00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:29.280
From notorious gangland wars to unsolved mysteries, join us as we explore the darker side of Glasgow and the people whose lives were forever changed by its crimes.
00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:22.319
And only a few hours later, the community was overwhelmed with concern when she vanished in broad daylight without a trace.
00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:37.599
Paige Doherty was born on April 17th, 2000, and grew up in Clydebank, Scotland, United Kingdom, where she lived with her mother, Pamela Munro, her stepfather, Andy, and her three siblings in a close-knit family.
00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:46.159
And she attended a local high school where teachers described her as a hard-working student who always put genuine effort into every task given to her.
00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:54.719
And outside of school, Paige worked part-time at a nearby hair salon on weekends, seeing it as the first step toward her passion for beauty.
00:01:54.879 --> 00:02:00.480
And she was especially close to her mother, with Pamela being the person Paige confided in about everything.
00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:12.400
And although she was only about four feet, eight inches tall, Paige was an energetic and resilient teenager with a talent for dancing, who often impressed her teachers with her humor and wit.
00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:20.800
And with her love for fashion and beauty, she always hoped to one day own a salon of her own, a dream she was determined to pursue.
00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:29.439
On Friday, March 18, 2016, Paige left home to spend the night at a friend's house as she had already planned.
00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:45.520
And the next morning, she woke up early to head to her part-time job at a hair salon in Kirkintillock, about 12 miles from Clydebank, a job she deeply valued as the first real step toward her dream of one day opening her own beauty salon.
00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:55.520
And with her love for hair, makeup, and fashion, Paige was always excited to experiment with new styles, seeing it as a source of daily joy.
00:02:55.759 --> 00:03:06.879
And after leaving her friend's house at around after 8 a.m., she walked to the bus stop as usual, often stopping by a small shop to buy her breakfast before continuing her trip to work.
00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:14.719
Around midday, Paige's boyfriend, Dylan, began to worry because he had not received any messages or calls from her all morning.
00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:27.280
And since Paige was someone who always kept her phone with her, stayed active on social media, and almost never left a message unanswered for long, this unusual silence immediately caught his attention.
00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:33.919
And thinking her phone might have run out of battery, he called the hair salon to check whether Paige had arrived at work.
00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:40.719
But even though the shop was open and everyone was expecting her, no one had seen or heard anything about her that morning.
00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:50.159
And her absence only increased the concern because Paige was a responsible employee who was always on time and had never skipped work without notice.
00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:53.840
And Dylan quickly contacted Paige's mother, Pamela.
00:03:54.000 --> 00:04:00.960
And when he learned that she had not heard from her daughter either, everyone began to realize the situation was becoming serious.
00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:10.560
And Pamela immediately asked relatives and friends to help search, while also notifying the police so they could begin verifying and investigating the case.
00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:17.519
Police were quickly notified and arrived at Paige's home to gather initial details about the last moments she was seen.
00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:33.759
And once they learned that Paige had not used her phone, had not been active on social media, and had not contacted her mother, boyfriend, or workplace throughout the entire morning, they identified this as an unusual situation requiring urgent attention.
00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:42.720
And officers immediately began searching the areas around Paige's house, the home where she had stayed the night before, and the routes she normally traveled.
00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:58.079
But as time passed and the search radius expanded, there were still no signs indicating where Paige had gone or whom she might have encountered, which quickly ruled out the possibility that she had simply forgotten to charge her phone or had been occupied with something personal.
00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:04.720
And the situation was now treated as a serious disappearance that required a full investigative response.
00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:12.639
And while police were carrying out the search, Paige's family grew increasingly worried and wanted to spread information as quickly as possible.
00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:29.199
So they created a Facebook page called Help Find Page, where Pamela posted photos of the clothes Paige was last seen wearing, the locations she frequently passed, and the bus routes she might have used, hoping the community would help provide any useful leads.
00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:37.680
Based on the routes Paige usually took, police began checking every house and business located along the bus line she used to get to work.
00:05:37.839 --> 00:06:03.120
And during this process, a local shop owner named Ashi Ahmed reported that he had seen Paige walking past his store that morning, and that she had waved at him as she usually did, and the time was around 8 15 a.m., a detail that helped police confirm that Paige had indeed left her friend's home and was on her way to work as planned that day, while also giving
Load full transcript
them the last clearly verified moment she was seen.
00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:19.199
Ashi added that on previous Saturdays, Paige would sometimes stop by his shop to buy a breakfast roll, but that morning he saw her walk straight toward a fast food deli right next door, a place called Delicious Deli, owned by a man named John Letham.
00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:28.800
And this information helped police identify Paige's next direction of travel and narrow down the area they needed to examine during the investigation.
00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:38.160
Ashe explained that after seeing Paige walk toward Delicious Deli, he spoke with John Letham to ask whether Letham had seen her that morning.
00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:42.079
And Letham's reaction at the time showed no unusual signs.
00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:50.800
And because Ashy had run his shop for about 20 years and had known Paige since she was a child, he wanted to support the police as much as possible.
00:06:51.040 --> 00:07:03.360
So, he provided surveillance footage that captured the front area of the row of shops, helping investigators determine the direction Paige moved after entering the area where the fast food deli was located.
00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:12.319
And although his CCTV system only covered the storefronts, it still gave police a clear overall view of the location where Paige was last seen.
00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:17.040
And extracting and processing the full footage required additional time.
00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:23.600
But at this stage, it was the only direct lead the investigation team had to continue tracing Paige's movements.
00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:46.240
On Monday afternoon, at about 12.45 p.m., two days after Paige was last seen, the news that her family and the community had feared was finally confirmed as a passerby walking through a wooded area along Great Western Road discovered a body in the bushes and immediately called the police, and officers quickly secured the area and examined the scene.
00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:56.000
And when she heard the news, Paige's mother shared that she had felt a deep sense of unease since Saturday night when she could no longer reach her daughter.
00:07:56.240 --> 00:08:04.079
And although she had hoped for a different outcome, she had already been bracing herself for the possibility of a heartbreaking situation.
00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:31.839
The examination was carried out after Paige's body was taken to a forensic facility in the Glasgow area, where forensic specialists evaluated all of the injuries, and they documented multiple marks caused by a sharp object on her neck, along with about 61 deep injuries and more than 100 additional signs of harm on her body, which were determined to have been caused by at least three different types of dangerous objects.
00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:48.559
And these findings showed that Paige had faced an act of harm of exceptional severity, reflected in the large number of injuries and the complex nature of the marks left behind, confirming that this was an incident involving a level of damage far beyond ordinary cases.
00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:58.879
No one could understand why someone like Paige would face such a severe and troubling incident, and the absence of any clear leads only intensified the fear surrounding the case.
00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:09.679
And during this time, Paige's mother became the target of anonymous online accounts that sent her images of her daughter, accompanied by comments filled with disturbing insinuations.
00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:21.440
And although these actions caused her significant emotional distress, police determined that the individuals behind those accounts showed no signs of being directly connected to the incident.
00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:29.919
So, investigators decided to return to the row of shops where Paige had last been seen that morning to continue gathering information.
00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:44.080
And while waiting for CCTV footage from multiple sources to be processed and delivered, officers proactively revisited the local shop owners in the area in search of any additional details that might assist the investigation.
00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:57.919
Despite the information Ashi Ahmed provided about his conversation with John Leetham, the 31-year-old man told police that he could not remember every customer who came in and insisted he did not recognize Pai that morning.
00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:09.759
And although this explanation could be possible in some situations, officers remained doubtful because the area was a small community, and Page was a familiar face who often stopped by on weekends.
00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:26.320
So, to clarify the situation, police conducted a formal interview with Letham right inside Delicious Deli, asking him to describe the entire morning timeline, including when he opened the shop, how many customers came in, and any activities that took place inside the store.
00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:32.879
And during questioning, several of Letham's answers did not match what the neighboring shop owner had reported.
00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:41.440
And he also could not clearly identify the moment Page supposedly left the deli, an unusual detail for such a small space like delicious deli.
00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:54.240
And when asked to explain more specifically, Letham altered his statement and said he did remember Paige stopping in to buy a breakfast roll, that they had a brief conversation, and that she then left to catch a bus.
00:10:54.480 --> 00:11:11.840
But this sudden shift in his account, noticeably different from what he originally claimed, immediately drew police attention, placing Letham among those who needed closer scrutiny as investigators prepared to request a review of any recording devices inside the shop to compare with his statements.
00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:20.559
From the location where the body was found, police determined that Paige almost certainly never made it onto the bus as
she had originally planned.
00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:34.320
And when the CCTV footage was finally delivered, the images clearly showed Paige entering delicious Delhi at about 8.21 a.m., consistent with the information Ashi Ahmed had provided earlier.
00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:55.679
But after reviewing the entire recorded time frame, investigators did not find any moment showing Paige leaving the shop, and the absence of footage of her walking back out raised a serious question, because based on the schedule, she needed to be at work shortly after, leaving no reasonable explanation for why she would have stayed inside the store for an extended period.
00:11:55.919 --> 00:12:12.159
And although the footage only covered a limited window, and it was possible she had been inside before or after the recorded segment, John Letham's statement that Paige simply stopped in to buy something and then immediately left did not match the CCTV data.
00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:25.440
And this contradiction between his account and the surveillance footage prompted police to examine more closely what had taken place inside Delicious Delhi that morning, while placing John Letham among those requiring deeper investigation.
00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:37.440
Police requested that John Letham come in for a formal interview to clarify why he had provided information that did not match the actual time frame of Paige's presence inside Delicious Delhi.
00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:52.639
And during the questioning, they asked Letham to hand over all interior surveillance footage from the shop, while also collecting additional CCTV clips from the storefront cameras belonging to Ashi Ahmed in order to compare the full sequence of events.
00:12:52.879 --> 00:13:01.840
And although Letham submitted the videos he claimed were complete, the technical team quickly noticed that large portions of the data were unusually missing.
00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:12.799
And even more concerning, the footage he provided did not include the moment Paige entered the shop, despite the exterior camera clearly showing her walking in at 8.21 a.m.
00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:29.360
And the fact that the interior surveillance had been cut and did not match the external recordings led police to suspect that something serious had occurred involving Paige inside the building, as well as the possibility that someone had intentionally removed critical sections of the video.
00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:46.159
And recognizing how abnormal the CCTV data was, investigators immediately increased their focus on what took place inside Delicious Deli that morning and shifted their analysis toward the likelihood of deliberate concealment connected to the incident.
00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:53.519
The footage collected by police showed that John Leetham opened Delicious Deli at about 7.17 a.m.
00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:58.879
and brought in several takeaway coffees consistent with the shop's usual morning routine.
00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:07.200
And at
8.21 a.m., the camera from Ashi Ahmed's row of shops captured the moment Paige walked into the area of the deli.
00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:18.559
But only about 10 minutes after that, the front shutter of Delicious Deli was pulled down, blocking the exterior camera's view and preventing it from capturing any further activity inside the shop.
00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:24.879
The CCTV system continued to capture several unusual actions from John Letham that morning.
00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:33.279
And at about 9.27 a.m., he left Delicious Delhi and returned a few minutes later with his car parked right in front of the shop.
00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:39.200
And by 9.36 a.m., the deli was opened again to serve customers as usual.
00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:53.919
And not long after, at 9.58 a.m., the camera recorded Letham running from the back of his shop into the neighboring store, then just a minute later, running back out and moving toward the rear of the building, showing hurried and repeated movements.
00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:00.799
And about four minutes after that, he appeared beside his car and opened the trunk while shifting several items inside.
00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:07.759
And the trunk remained open as he went back into the shop, before soon bringing out a large trash bag.
00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:15.600
And near midday, he left the building, got into his car, and drove away, later returning at about 6.04 p.m.
00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:18.080
wearing a different set of clothes.
00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:30.559
And this rapid sequence of irregular actions, inconsistent with normal business operations, led police to treat them as significant details requiring careful analysis in the investigation.
00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:46.399
According to a shop owner, next to Delicious Deli at about 9.58 a.m., John Leatham appeared at their store to buy cleaning products and trash bags, which matched the moment the camera captured him, moving hurriedly back and forth between the shops.
00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:52.159
And in addition, a local hairdresser said she saw John shortly before 9.30 a.m.
00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:59.200
as he was walking toward his car, where he explained that he had just had a nosebleed and needed to get something from the vehicle.
00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:14.159
And while these explanations were documented by police, when placed alongside the full CCTV data and Letham's sequence of movements that morning, they further increased investigators' attention on the unusual activities taking place inside Delicious Delhi.
00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:30.879
On March 21st, two days after Page was last seen, footage from another surveillance camera captured John Letham in a wooded area off Great Western Road, less than one mile from Delicious Delhi and very close to the location where Paige's body was later discovered.
00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:37.600
And his presence in that area during such a sensitive time frame drew significant attention from investigators.
00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:52.960
The evidence quickly became clearer, and on March 23, 2016, four days after Paige Doherty went missing, authorities officially sealed off Delicious Deli as an active investigation scene and took John Leatham into custody for questioning.
00:16:53.200 --> 00:17:04.000
And during the first interview, he chose to remain silent with repeated no-comment responses while insisting that officials would not find any marks related to Paige inside the shop.
00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:07.680
But forensic results disproved this almost immediately.
00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:26.720
And when specialists examined the structure of the building, they discovered Paige's DNA in multiple areas, including spots on the walls, between the wooden floorboards, and in several hidden sections behind the counter, locations that indicated there had been significant impact and attempts to handle the aftermath.
00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:37.519
And several items in the small kitchen and counter area had been moved in unusual ways, exposing surfaces that showed signs of being wiped with cleaning chemicals.
00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:49.920
And under specialized investigative lighting, the forensic team documented large areas that had been thoroughly scrubbed, creating irregular patterns inconsistent with normal cleaning routines in a business setting.
00:17:50.079 --> 00:18:01.680
And these findings showed that deliberate cleanup activity had taken place, strongly reinforcing the investigative focus on what occurred inside Delicious Delhi on the morning of March 19th.
00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:20.400
Based on the surveillance data and the evidence collected, police determined that near midday on March 19th, after leaving Delicious Delhi, John Letham drove to his home, located only about 500 yards from the shop, and investigators believe he stored Paige's body in the shed behind the family's garden.
00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:33.200
And what drew particular attention from authorities was that the very next day, Letham still took his wife and child out for a meal as usual, maintaining normal routines without showing any visible signs of distress.
00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:42.960
And on the following day, he was believed to have moved Paige's body from the shed and taken it to the wooded area off Great Western Road, where it was later discovered.
00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:56.160
On March 24th, the town's iconic Titan crane was illuminated in pink throughout the night as a tribute to Paige Doherty and as a symbol of the community's unity during a time of loss.
00:18:56.400 --> 00:19:04.880
And the severe incident that led to her passing left a profound sense of shock, placing the entire town in a state of mourning.
00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:15.279
And residents, both those who knew Paige and those who had never met her, were deeply affected by the loss, showing how important she was to the Clydebank community.
00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:28.400
The case moved quickly, and John Leatham was charged in
connection with the incident and appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court on March 26th, and again on April 1st, but both times he offered no plea.
00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:51.119
On April 26, 2016, Paige Doherty's funeral was held, marking the moment when the Clyde Bank community came together to say goodbye to the young girl in an atmosphere filled with sorrow, and the pain felt by residents was unmistakable, along with the sense of outrage that such a severe incident could happen to a teenager so deeply loved.
00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:55.680
And just a few days after the service, Paige would have turned 16.
00:19:56.079 --> 00:20:12.319
And in response to the family's loss, two fundraising campaigns were created and quickly received overwhelming support from the community, collecting more than 14,000 pounds in just one day to help cover funeral costs and other essential needs for Paige's family.
00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:29.359
Seven months after Paige was last seen, on October 12, 2016, John Letham appeared at the High Court in Glasgow and formally admitted responsibility for the incident that led to the passing of Paige Doherty, as well as for attempting to conceal what happened afterward.
00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:42.160
And based on the investigative record, forensic evidence, and the exceptional severity of the situation, the court sentenced Letham to life in prison with a minimum term of 27 years before review.
00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:58.799
And the panel emphasized that the nature of the case, the number of marks documented on the victim's body, and the actions taken to handle the scene afterward showed a level of harm far beyond typical incidents, meaning the punishment needed to reflect the seriousness of the behavior.
00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:08.880
And the sentencing brought the months-long investigation to a close and provided the legal resolution that Paige's family and the Clydebank community had been waiting for.
00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:20.000
The judge said, You have pleaded guilty to the murder of a 15-year-old defenseless child and a second charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by trying to cover up your actions.
00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:28.400
The circumstances of the crime, all as described in the agreed narrative, disclosed that this was a savage, frenzied attack.
00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:34.640
In my view, no evidence of any motive has been put before me to explain the ferocity of this attack.
00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:43.519
You must have struck the victim in excess of 146 times with a knife, which on your account just happened to be handy in the back room of your shop.
00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:59.519
These were not just stab wounds, but they included many slashing type injuries, and this number of injuries excludes separate repeated blows which must have been delivered to inflict the large gaping wound on her neck, which ultimately left, led to her.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.039
Bleeding to death.
00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:03.920
What you
did was truly reprehensible.
00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:14.160
It is impossible to comprehend how an apparently happily married man with a young child who's running a successful business is capable of such an horrific level of violence.
00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:24.720
Your mental state has been investigated, and there is no suggestion, as far as I can determine, of any psychiatric or psychological explanation for what you did.
00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:31.839
In respect of the murder charge, there is only one sentence which I can impose, and that is life imprisonment.
00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:36.000
On charge one, you'll be sentenced to life imprisonment.
00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:49.279
And in view of the brutality and nature of this attack, together with the aggravating factors, all as disclosed in the narrative, including the circumstances of charge two, the punishment part I would have imposed.
00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:51.759
But for the discount is 30 years.
00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:57.440
I'm prepared to discount that by three years, having regard to the point at which you pleaded guilty.
00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:00.880
The resultant punishment part is 27 years.
00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:08.160
Those periods will run concurrently and will date from the 26th of March this year, when you were first remanded in custody.
00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:16.880
During the proceedings, John Leatham claimed that on the morning of March 19th, Page had asked him about a job at Delicious Delhi.
00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:34.640
But when he learned she was only fifteen, he told her the chances of being hired were very low, and he then offered the explanation that Paige pressured him by saying that if she was not given the job, she would tell others he had behaved inappropriately, which he said caused him to panic and led to the harmful incident.
00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:45.200
But this account was immediately rejected by Paige's family, who insisted she had never behaved that way, and that there was no independent evidence supporting Leetham's explanation.
00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:53.519
And prosecutors also emphasized that his version of events had no solid basis and did not reduce the seriousness of the situation.
00:23:53.920 --> 00:24:11.200
And after the trial concluded and the sentence was delivered, Paige's mother, Pamela Munro, stepped before the press to make an official statement, saying that, Today, we see a monster put behind bars for the unthinkable, brutal crime he committed against our daughter, Paige.
00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:19.359
A beautiful 15-year-old with her whole life ahead of her, and a massive family group and friends are left to carry on with her no longer here.
00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:30.640
There is no sentence high enough to justify what has happened, but we can now say there is one less evil man in this world, which then makes the world that bit more safe for our kids to grow up in.
00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:36.960
Paige is now safe and can finally rest in peace knowing justice has been served to a high standard.
00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:41.039
We would like to thank the public for their support over the last seven months.
00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:44.400
Without their support, we might very nearly have gave up.
00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:49.359
But reading comments and hearing some touching words gave us strength to carry on.
00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:53.039
All we can do as a family is take each day at a time.
00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:57.279
There is a huge piece missing in our family that can never be replaced.
00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:06.000
I am thankful for the 15 years we had with Paige, from the kind and generous wee soul she was, to the mature young woman she grew into.
00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:12.480
She may not be with us anymore, but she will live on through her brothers and sister, and all the memories that we share.
00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:19.920
Also, we would like to give the murder investigation team and anyone else who worked on Paige's case at the time a huge thank you.
00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:24.000
Without their hard work, we would never have got the results so quickly.
00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:30.319
Special recognition must also give to be given to two women, Maureen Sharkey and Shona Baird.
00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:35.440
These ladies worked around the clock to get us answers, while also seeing to us as a family.
00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:37.759
Nothing was too much bother to them.
00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:40.400
They taught us how to trust and be patient.
00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:44.400
Without them close at hand, I personally would never have coped.
00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:48.240
If I could give them a medal for their work, I would do it right now.
00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:53.839
As everyone is aware, Paige's case has been very high profile, it's exhausting.
00:25:54.079 --> 00:26:04.400
As a family, we need some space to collect our thoughts and start to rebuild our lives, knowing we can only have memories of Paige included in this long road ahead.
00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:07.599
We ask that media sources can now leave us alone.
00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:10.799
We understand as journalists, you have a job to do.
00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:18.400
But please also understand that as parents, we also have a job to do, which to us is far more important than a story in a newspaper.
00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:28.880
If and when we decide to speak out, we have numerous amounts of business cards, letters, emails, text messages, and phone numbers provided by yourselves.
00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:31.759
We know where to contact you if that time ever comes.
00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:33.359
Thank you for your time.
00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:48.319
When delivering the sentence, Judge Ray noted that John Letham's explanation had no verifiable basis, stating that Letham claimed Paige pressured him by threatening to spread information about inappropriate behavior if she was not given the job.
00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:53.359
Yet, no independent
evidence was presented in court to support that claim.
00:26:53.519 --> 00:27:04.400
And the judge emphasized that, even if his account were assumed to be true, Letham's reaction could not in any way be justified or seen as reducing the seriousness of what happened.
00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:15.119
And he confirmed that there was no data indicating any specific motive or reasonable explanation for the level of harm that escalated far beyond control in this case.
00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:20.480
Not long after he began serving his sentence, John Letham filed an appeal.
00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:25.200
And in February 2017, the Court of Appeal reviewed the case file.
00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:40.640
And after evaluating the factors related to the sentencing guidelines and the way the minimum punishment period is determined under case law, the panel granted part of Letham's request and decided to adjust the minimum term from 27 years to 23 years.
00:27:40.880 --> 00:27:52.079
And this reduction was not based on any new mitigating factors, but on the assessment that the original figure was higher than what is typically applied in incidents of comparable severity.
00:27:52.400 --> 00:28:00.400
Although the nature of the case, the investigative findings, and Latham's legal responsibility remained entirely unchanged.
00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:14.079
On the second anniversary of Page's passing, the West Dunbartonshire Council held a tribute by illuminating the Titan Crane in red lights to honor Page, as well as other victims of severe harmful incidents within the community.
00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:23.680
And this gesture reflected the town's unity and commitment to remembering the losses that had occurred, while also raising awareness about safety for the wider public.
00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:35.759
Page's mother, Pamela, worked together with Kevin Woodburn, whose son, Sean, passed away in a severe incident in 2017, and therefore deeply understood the pain she was experiencing.
00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:49.440
And the two of them proposed a legal change aimed at supporting families of victims, stating that the time frame for a post-mortem examination should be limited to a maximum of 14 days unless the family agrees to an extension.
00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:59.119
And the purpose of this proposal was to prevent grieving families from enduring prolonged waiting periods and to allow them to lay their loved ones to rest sooner.
00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:05.759
And the petition was submitted to the Justice Committee for review, beginning a three-stage parliamentary process.
00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:10.000
And if it passed all stages, it would become official law.
00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:15.599
And as of May 2020, the bill was still in the first phase of the legislative procedure.
00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:31.680
The charity, Page's Promise, was created with the goal of supporting families experiencing loss by organizing retreat programs, providing emotional support services, and offering self-defense classes for children to help raise awareness about personal safety.
00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:43.680
And Paige Doherty, the young girl whose memory inspired the Foundation, is remembered as energetic, enthusiastic, and intelligent, carrying many big aspirations for her future.
00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:56.319
And although her journey ended early, Paige's bright personality and positive presence left a lasting impact on the Clydebank community, where people continue to speak of her with affection and respect.
00:29:56.559 --> 00:30:09.200
And that is the full story of the loss surrounding Paige Doherty, a reminder of the importance of vigilance, compassion, and the shared responsibility to protect those who are vulnerable within our communities.
00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:28.079
And this story, beyond becoming part of the True Crime Documentary series, leaves us with the lesson that every uncontrolled action can create far-reaching consequences, and that we must take an active role in building a safer, more understanding, and more supportive environment for those around us.