The lawyer of Bailey Gwynne’s killer claimed in court yesterday that the youth was facing a “limited future”.
Ian Duguid told Lady Stacey that the teenager could struggle to get a job after his release from detention and said the entire case had “tragedy written all over it”.
Mr Duguid said social workers who interviewed his client had concluded he was “immature and naive”.
He also said the boy regretted attacking Bailey and that he accepted a custodial sentence was inevitable.
He added: “This word ‘tragedy’ is written all over this case.
“He is immature and naive. He is 16 years old and he can recognise that he has ended somebody’s life.
“He feels profoundly sorry for his actions. He recognises that there is nothing that he can do to reverse the events of that day.
“It has profoundly affected him. He is constantly monitored by psychiatric services.
“He is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and he is receiving medication for nightmares and depression.
“It is obvious that he will continue to be monitored within the prison environment.
“Going forward, there’s a very limited future for him.
“Following his release from prison, he will return to the area where this crime was committed as his family and support network are there.
“He himself recognises that there won’t be too many employers who would be willing to give somebody who has taken a person’s life a job.”
An independent, multi-agency review into the circumstances surrounding Bailey’s death will be launched next month.
It will be headed by Andrew Lowe, who has been involved with high-profile investigations across the UK, including the Hillsborough disaster.
The review was commissioned by members of the Aberdeen city chief officers group comprising Angela Scott, chief executive of Aberdeen City Council, Malcolm Wright, chief executive of NHS Grampian, and Campbell Thomson, Police Scotland’s North East divisional commander.
The review is expected to be completed in September.
Neither the city council nor the police wanted to comment on yesterday’s sentencing.
