A violent thug who was jailed for life for brutally assaulting a woman has had the punishment part of his sentence cut by appeal judges.
Myles Simpson, 51, was handed an Order for Lifelong Restriction by judge Lord Uist at the High Court in Edinburgh in October 2014.
The brute subjected defenceless Elizabeth McMurdo to a vicious assault in Ann Street, Dundee, in March 2013.
He pushed Elizabeth onto the ground at the Lily Walker Centre and repeatedly punched her on the face. He then presented an uncapped needle at terrified Elizabeth and threatened to ram it in her eye.
Simpson – who has nine previous convictions for assault – was ordered to serve at least three years in custody before parole board chiefs could start considering whether he should be released.
He had been convicted at Dundee Sheriff Court but Sheriff Richard Davidson sent Simpson to the high court for sentencing.
The sheriff thought the assault and Simpson’s record were so serious that only a high court judge could sentence him.
But at the Court of Criminal Appeal, judge Lady Clark of Calton ruled that the three year term was excessive.
She ruled that Simpson should serve at least two years and three months before being considered for parole.
In a written judgment issued by the court, Lady Clark wrote: “The appeal is granted but only to the extent of quashing the punishment part of the order for lifelong restriction and substituting a punishment part of two years and three months.”
The ruling means that Simpson can only be released back into the community, when the parole board considers that he no longer poses a threat to the public.
They can only begin assessing the crook after he’s served two years and three months in custody.
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