A man has been convicted of sexual offences while he was working as a politician. Jordan Linden, 30, was convicted of ten offences following a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court of crimes which included sexual assault, stalking, and sexual communication.
The victims were all boys or young men, and the offences took place between 2011 and 2021. The age of the youngest victim was 14.
One of the offences saw Linden sexually assault two victims at a house party in Dundee after a Pride march in 2019.
Linden, who was former leader of North Lanarkshire Council and earlier chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, was arrested and charged by specialist officers from Police Scotland in February 2024.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Diane Barr said: “This was a protracted investigation which involved speaking with a broad range of people, many of whom regarded Linden as being in a position of trust.
“He abused this position to befriend young males who were seeking his support and the opportunity to learn from his work, however his conduct toward them was far from professional.
“I’d like to thank the victims who came forward to report their experiences to police. Their testimony and support ensured that we were able to bring Linden before the courts.
“No-one should be subjected to sexual offending, and we will always investigate reports, regardless of when they occurred or who the perpetrator is.”
Linden was placed on the sex offenders register and is due to be sentenced in May.
