Executive Committee Biographies

Executive Committee Members of the SJA 2008/9

Ian Smyth (NS)

David Grainger (NS)

Brian Ritchie (NS)

Brian Ritchie is from the Sheriffdom of North Strathclyde sitting in Renfrewshire District Court since 1985 on the Single Bench. He is a Fellow of The Association of International Accountants and is Company Secretary of a firm of Chartered Surveyors, and Accountant and General Manager of an associated property management partnership. He has been associated with a number of organisations, including President of the Paisley Chamber of Commerce, President of the Property Managers Association Scotland Ltd, and a past Governor of the Paisley College of Technology. A Member of The Institute of Advanced Motorists, he and his wife enjoy combining touring with golf in Europe.

Allan Clasper (GH&I)

Allan is from the Sheriffdom of Grampian Highland and Islands. He has lives in Thurso for 50 years and was principal teacher of chemistry there for 30 years before taking early retirement. He has been a court sitting Justice for over 25 years and Chairman of the Caithness J.P. committee and the Highland J.P. committee.

He has a wide variety of interests and among other things, works as an auxiliary in the Scrabster Search and Rescue Coastguard Team.

Rodger Neilson (GH&I)

Rodger is from the Sheriffdom of Grampian Highlands Islands sitting in Peterhead court since 1986. A Fifer, he graduated B.Sc. in Pure Mathematics then B.D at Edinburgh University. Resided for the last 34 years near Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire. He was installed as an Honorary Sheriff in 1997. He has considerable involvement in the local justices committees and also with the DCA, two years as Chairman. Recreations are hill-walking (completed Scotland's munros in 2003), birdwatching, gardening and
golfing.

Susan Kirkwood (GH&I)

Susan is from the Sheriffdom of Grampian Highlands and Islands and has presided on the bench since April 1995. She has now "clocked up" over 5000 cases in the busy Aberdeen court.

Susan works part time and is also heavily involved in both a social firm and a traditional culture charity. She knows that working with a variety of people in different situations keeps her in touch with the range of views of and approaches to life.

Johan Findlay (SSD&G)

Johan, the best grandma in "Hightae",is from the Sheriffdom of South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway and involved in the DCA, she was chair of the Communications Committee and editor of the newsletter.

A member of the Parole Board of Scotland for 6 years, author of the book "All Manner of People", the history of the Justice of the Peace in Scotland and has completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Criminal Justice.

Malcolm Macaskill (SSD&G)

Malcolm represents the Sheriffdom of South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway. He is the Chairman of the Sheriffdom Training Committee and a member of the Justice of the Peace Advisory Committee. Sitting regularly in Hamilton and Rutherglen Courts and occasionally in East Kilbride and Lanark.
Malcolm lives in Cambuslang and runs various businesses ranging from Food Manufacturing to Consultancy. He has a son and a daughter both in their late teens. In his spare time he enjoys travelling, motorcycling, watching football and reading.

Graham Coe (L&B)

Graham is from the Sheriffdom of Lothian and the Borders and sits in Haddington court. He was Chairman of East Lothian Justices since 1999; Chairman of the DCA Training Committee 2002-2007, and presently Chairman of the SJA Justices Developement Committee and Lothian & Borders Sheriffdom Training & Appraisal Committee.
A career in secondary education, from English teacher to Depute Head, prepared him well for service on the bench. He enjoyed working with young people beyond the classroom and in the Scout Association for many years. Now, in retirement, his main interests are grandchildren, walking, railways and France, and court duties, of course.

Philip Murray (L&B)

Philip is from the Sheriffdom of Lothian and Borders, sitting in Jedburgh district court for almost twenty years. For the last fifteen years he has served on the Valuation Appeals Panel for Scottish Borders Council. He is first of all a full time farmer at Hawick in the Scottish Borders and is married with three grown up children. He has been Chairman of the Roxburgh Commission Area since 2000 and Chairman of Scottish Borders Justices Committee since 2005. He is immediate past Vice Chairman and acting Chairman of the District Courts Association.

Irene Kitson (L&B)

Irene lives in Edinburgh and is a Justice within Lothian and Borders Sheriffdom. She was appointed a Justice in 1991.  She previously lectured in Management and Labour Studies, and became full time Official for Teachers Union and Councillor in City of Edinburgh.  She was Chair of Justices Committee in Edinburgh and is now a member of JTAC.  She is currently a consultant in Employment and Human Resource Management, Member of Employment Tribunal, Member Parole Board Scotland and Non Executive Director Lothian Buses.  She is pleased to be involved at such an interesting time of change for Summary Justice.

Robin White (TC&F)

Robin has been a JP for the Dundee Commission area for 20 years and is a law lecturer at Dundee University Law School, where he has taught for over 30 years. He is co-author of "The Scottish Legal System" (4th ed 2007), which he likes to think is the standard text on the subject, and has taught and written articles for legal journals on a variety of subjects, latterly concentrating on aspects of criminal justice.

Andrew Webster (TC&F)

Andrew is from the Sheriffdom of Tayside Central and Fife sitting in the courts of Forfar, Brechin and Arbroath since 1988 which sits as a single bench. He was Chair of the Angus Justices Committee in 2004, and was a member of the DCA. Training Committee. Andrew is a retired Planning Officer and when not attending to Justice duties, indulges his four young grandchildren, tends a large garden, plays with a group of traditional musicians and pursues his interest in railways, not necessarily in that order! Andrew was a member of the first SJA Executive and is pleased to have been re-elected.

Andrew Leven (G&S)

Andrew is from the Sheriffdom of Glasgow and Strathkelvin, where he is a member of the JPAC and sits in the court in Glasgow. He took early retirement from Glasgow Housing Association in March 2007 where he was involved in the delivery and development of sheltered and very sheltered housing. In his previous employment with Glasgow City Council he was actively involved in the housing aspects of community care with particular reference to the delivery of services with, and for, disabled people an interest which he has kept following retirement. His main hobbies are cooking and an "anorak" following of American Football having been a passionate fan of the New England Patriots for some ten years.

Susan Brown (G&S)

Susan is from the Sheriffdom of Glasgow and Strathkevin. She has been a magistrate within Glasgow since 1993. She is now retired after spending her working life pursuing a career in housing. Since she retired in 2006 her involvement with homeless charities has claimed much of her time. She also is a member of the Private Rented Housing Panel. With these involvements and her family she is a busy person.