Russell Findlay, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, has spoken out after learning that the gangland criminal who attacked him with acid is due to be released from prison. Findlay, a former investigative journalist before entering politics, was targeted in an attack linked to his reporting on organised crime, and the case has renewed attention on the risks faced by journalists who expose criminal networks. He has said that despite the prospect of his attacker's release, he refuses to live in fear.

Details of the original attack, the attacker's sentence and the exact release date were not fully specified in the available material. Findlay has used his public platform as Scottish Tory leader to address the situation directly, framing his response as one of defiance rather than fear, and highlighting the personal toll of his earlier career investigating organised crime in Scotland.