Michael Stewart Rae Bruce, Lord Marnoch, PC (born 26 July 1938) is a retired Scottish lawyer and judge. He was a Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland from 1990 to 2005.[1]
Lord Marnoch | |
|---|---|
| Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland | |
| In office 1990–2005 | |
| Preceded by | Lord Brand |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Stewart Rae Bruce |
Biography edit
The son of an Aberdeen solicitor, Bruce was educated at Loretto School and the University of Aberdeen.[1][2] He qualified as a lawyer in 1963 and was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1975.[3] He was an advocate depute from 1983 to 1986.
Bruce was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice in 1990, succeeding Lord Brand.[1][2] He was sworn of the Privy Council in 2001. He retired from judicial service in 2005.[4]
In 2000, he sentenced murderer Pamela Gourlay to a minimum of 14 years' imprisonment; the sentence was overturned on appeal the following year by judges who ruled that Lord Marnoch had "overreacted".[5][6]
In 2004, a Scottish legal magazine ranked Lord Marnoch "bottom in a league table of judges", based on a poll of members of the Faculty of Advocates. Lord Marnoch complained to the Press Complaints Commission, which took no further action after the magazine published a clarification that the table was based on 20 responses.[7]
References edit
- ^ a b c "Lord Marnoch installed". The Herald. 6 January 1990.
- ^ a b "A new judge in the line". Daily Record. 6 January 1990. p. 14.
- ^ "No. 19706". The Edinburgh Gazette. 22 July 1975. p. 995.
- ^ "Lord Marnoch retires". The Journal Online. 18 March 2005. Archived from the original on 29 August 2008.
- ^ "National Roundup". The Guardian. 10 March 2000.
- ^ "Mother 'disgusted' by appeal ruling". BBC News. 19 October 2001.
- ^ Fixter, Alison (10 February 2005). "Vindicated: PCC backs The Firm over complaint by Scottish judge". Press Gazette.