New appointments to the Scottish Sentencing Council
28 October 2020
The Lord Justice General has appointed Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull and Matt Jackson QC to fill vacant positions on the Scottish Sentencing Council.
Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull replaces Sheriff Principal Ian Abercrombie following his retirement earlier this year. Matt Jackson QC has been appointed as advocate member on the Council replacing Stephen O’Rourke QC.
The Lord Justice Clerk and Chair of the Scottish Sentencing Council, Lady Dorrian, said: “I am delighted to welcome Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull and Matt Jackson QC to the Scottish Sentencing Council. They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience which will be invaluable as we continue to develop a range of sentencing guidelines in line with our current business plan.
“I would also like to pay tribute to Sheriff Principal Ian Abercrombie and Stephen O’Rourke for their contributions to the Council over the last five years. In particular Ian Abercrombie was instrumental in driving forward work in respect of our guideline on sentencing young people, on which we have just concluded a public consultation. I wish him well for a long and happy retirement.”
Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull and Matt Jackson QC have both been appointed for a 5 year term and recently attended the Council meeting which was held on 9th October 2020.
Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull
A graduate of the University of Strathclyde, Craig Turnbull was admitted as a solicitor in 1988, working for A.C. White in Ayr and Levy & McRae in Glasgow before joining MacRoberts in 1993.
He became a partner there in 1997, specialising in commercial and construction disputes and health and safety and environmental prosecutions, and served as the managing partner from 2011 to 2014.
Following his appointment as a part-time sheriff in 2011 and then a full-time sheriff in 2014, he was appointed as the Sheriff Principal of Glasgow and Strathkelvin in 2016.
Matt Jackson QC
Matt Jackson was a qualified solicitor for 10 years prior to calling at the bar in 2000. During that period he worked as both a corporate lawyer, and latterly, as principal of his own practice specialising in criminal law.
Since calling at the bar, Matt has been involved in numerous types of case, tending predominantly to appear for clients in the Court of Appeal and High Court as well as developing an expertise in representation at Fatal Accident Inquiries.