Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has stated he will not alter his lifestyle or adopt a low profile when William Burns, the career criminal convicted of throwing acid in his face, is released from prison on Wednesday.
Burns, 65, is set to be freed after serving a 10-year sentence for the 2015 doorstep attack. The assault occurred while Burns was disguised as a postman and involved throwing sulphuric acid at Mr. Findlay, who was then a crime reporter. Mr. Findlay managed to overpower his attacker after being knocked to the ground.
At the time of the attack, Burns was on an early release from a 15-year sentence for shooting a woman during a post office robbery in 2001. Findlay was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2021 and later received an Osman warning from Police Scotland in 2024, indicating a potential threat to his life from a known criminal associate of Burns.
Findlay confirmed that he had been informed by the Scottish Prison Service that Burns' sentence had concluded, meaning he is eligible for release. "He's been released automatically because - very unusually - he’s done the entirety of his turn," Findlay told The Mail. "That’s presumably because the parole board were never satisfied they could release him safely. But now we’re at the end of the road. He’s a dangerous, dangerous man."
Findlay emphasized his commitment to public life, stating, "You can’t live your life in hiding. When I embarked on a job in politics, I knew that I would be more visible than I had ever been. But that’s just part of the job."
He added, "I’ll continue to be vigilant. I won’t do anything reckless. One can only hope that these people, these cretins, don’t seek to do anything." Findlay drew parallels to other politicians facing threats, noting, "We’ve seen MPs murdered in England, and we’ve seen all sorts of hostility and abuse directed towards politicians across the United Kingdom."
Findlay expressed that while he will take sensible precautions for his safety and trusts the police to monitor potential risks, he is critical of aspects of the justice system. He stated that the police investigation into his attack did not extend to identifying those who ordered or financed the assault. He also voiced grievances regarding the prosecution process, describing it as characterized by secrecy and prioritizing criminals' interests over victims'.
Findlay also called for greater transparency in how prison sentences are served, particularly concerning parole decisions. He argued that the public should have a clear understanding of the actual time served for a sentence, criticizing what he perceives as a perversion of the sentencing regime in Scotland by the SNP, where the time served often differs significantly from the judge's original sentence.
Additionally, Findlay urged for renewed investigations into four unsolved murders from the 1990s, which he believes may have connections to Burns and an associate. He expressed hope that Police Scotland, known for its success in cold case convictions, would pursue these cases to provide justice for the victims' families.
Burns will be subject to five years of supervision upon his release, though the Scottish Prison Service declined to specify his release location. Findlay first disclosed Burns' impending release on X, sharing a mugshot of the attacker and detailing the threat assessment he received two years prior, which originated from an associate of Burns involved in a major Scottish drug gang.