New Moray plan to make offenders replace gravestones

OFFENDERS will be expected to repair and replace damaged and vandalised gravestones as part of a new Moray Council initiative to encourage criminals to contribute back to society.

The local authority’s criminal justice team is being trained this week to use specialised equipment that is able to reinstate fallen gravestones.

They will then pass their newfound knowledge onto those who are handed community payback orders by the courts.

Two of the council’s criminal justice team, Tish Richford and Mike McRitchie, have visited a similar project in Edinburgh which has been commended by Scottish justice minister Kenny McAskill.

Reinstating fallen and vandalised headstones in Moray burial grounds is normally the responsibility of lair holders or their relatives.

For more on this story, see this Friday's 'Northern Scot'