The former girlfriend of Arbroath man Steven Donaldson is set for day release four years after being jailed for her part in his murder.
Tasmin Glass is now entitled to apply for day release in a bid to prepare her for life back in the community.
Glass’s initial leave from prison will be accompanied by a prison service employee, leading eventually to unaccompanied day leave followed by overnight stays at home, according to prison sources.
In a statement to The Courier, Steven’s family say they are “disgusted” that she will be allowed out of prison.
‘This suggests Steven’s life was not valued’
Relatives of the 27-year-old oil worker were made aware of the situation through the Victim Notification Scheme.
A family spokesperson said: “As Steven’s family and friends, we are absolutely disgusted to be informed that Tasmin Glass, the person who orchestrated Steven’s murder, is eligible for day release from prison just four years into her sentence.
“While we appreciate that this follows procedures in place, we feel that this is completely disrespectful to Steven and his family, and suggests that his life was not valued.
“It is of huge concern to us that anyone who is convicted of such a crime can be within our community after such a short time.
“As a family we were asked if we wanted to make representations in regards to her release and, despite having done this, it would appear that our views have not been considered or taken seriously, nor has the safety of ourselves or the wider community.”
Glass was sentenced to 10 years in prison in May 2019 after a 22-day trial for her part in the killing of her one-time boyfriend in Kirriemuir in 2018.
Glass eligible to apply for parole after 5 years
Glass – who was convicted of culpable homicide – gave birth to Mr Donaldson’s baby before she was sent to prison.
She is eligible to apply for parole five years after conviction, but can apply for day leave after four-and-a-half years.
It is understood that the time she has spent on remand means she is now at the stage where she can be granted day leave.
Mr Donaldson’s battered and burned body was discovered next to his burnt-out BMW at Loch of Kinnordy Nature Reserve on the morning of June 7 2018.
Glass’s co-accused, Kirriemuir friends Callum Davidson and Steven Dickie, were given life sentences with minimum terms of 23 and 24 years respectively for the “savage and depraved” brutality which ended his life.
The men assaulted Mr Donaldson at Kirriemuir’s Peter Pan playpark before driving him to Kinnordy Nature Reserve and killing him with a bladed weapon.
Glass was convicted of instigating and planning the attack.
A month later she appealed her conviction and sentence.
That freedom bid failed, with appeal judges saying she played a “pivotal role” in the death, which justified “manipulative and devious” Glass’s sentence.
The rejection of Glass’s bid for freedom came on the day Dickie was found dead in his prison cell.
A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service said: “We can’t comment on individual cases.”
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