Former SNP council leader, 28, appears in court accused of 15 sex offences
- Jordan Linden was leader of North Lanarkshire Council from May to July 2022
A former SNP council leader has appeared in court charged with 15 alleged sexual offences.
Jordan Linden was the leader of North Lanarkshire Council from May 2022 until July 2022 when he stepped down after a police investigation was launched when allegations against him started to surface.
Liden, 28, originally continued serving as a councillor but quit both the council and the SNP last year.
Linden, of Bellshill, Lanarkshire, has now appeared in private at Dundee Sheriff Court.
He faces claims of 15 alleged sexual offences which include six charges of sexual assault and eight of indecent communication.
North Lanarkshire Council's Headquarters in Motherwell. Jordan Linden, the former leader of North Lanarkshire Council from May 2022 until July 2022, has appeared in court charged with 15 alleged sexual offences (Google street view)
Dundee Sheriff Court where Linden appeared in court. He made no plea and was released on bail. No date has been set for a future court appearance (stock image)
Prosecutors also allege two further charges of stalking and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Linden made no plea and was released on bail.
No date has been set for a future court appearance.
The SNP previously said they could not comment on live criminal proceedings but would offer support to any party members if they were involved.
Linden was originally elected to North Lanarkshire Council, a council area in Scotland just outside Glasgow, in 2017.
In an email stepping down in May 2022 he said: 'I want to make colleagues aware that I am resigning from my position as leader of North Lanarkshire Council today.
Mr Linden told colleagues it was 'the privilege of my life' to briefly serve as leader for the council during its first ever time under SNP control and said it was 'vital that there is no distraction' from the work of the local authority.
He added: 'The press coverage of this has placed an immense strain on me personally.'
His resignation led to the collapse of the minority SNP administration with the Scottish Labour Party taking control.
