A Scottish MP who “wilfully ignored” Covid rules and travelled by train from London to Scotland after testing positive for the virus has been ordered to complete a 270-hour community payback order. Margaret Ferrier was told the sentence was a direct alternative to custody and that she will need to carry out the unpaid work within nine months.
Imposing the order at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull told the MP: “The public rightly expect the people elected to represent them to set an example. You wilfully ignored the rules and did not isolate. Having tested positive you wilfully disregarded guidance and travelled by train.”
He continued: “It cannot be overlooked that your behaviour took place at a time of significant restrictions and before the vaccination programme had begun.”
Ferrier, 62, had last month admitted culpably and recklessly exposing the public “to the risk of infection, illness and death” as a result of her behaviour. She had been elected as the SNP MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West in 2019, regaining the seat from Labour.
She had the party whip removed in in 2020 after the allegations against her emerged and has come under pressure to resign her seat in the House of Commons. At the time, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called on her to “do the right thing” and resign, describing Ferrier’s actions as “dangerous and indefensible”.
It comes after the MP had travelled in and around Glasgow and to London in September 2020 after taking a test for the virus. While awaiting the results, she also spoke in the Houses of Parliament and visited elsewhere in London.
A court heard she then took the train home to Glasgow after being told she had tested positive for Covid-19. During the hearing last month, the court heard that Ferrier, of Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire, did a test for Covid-19 on September 26 after showing symptoms, including a cough.
The next day she read to a congregation of about 45 people at a mass in St Mungo’s Church, Glasgow, before heading to Vic’s bar in Main Street, Prestwick, South Ayrshire. She then travelled to London by train on September 27 and spoke in the Commons later that day. A short time after, she found out she had tested positive for the virus.
The court heard Test and Protect had tried to contact her three times and left two voicemails at about 10am that day before Ferrier returned the call at about 2pm, almost four hours later. Ferrier then returned to her hotel, where she spent the night, before heading back to London Euston and taking the train home to Glasgow, knowing she had Covid-19.
Lawyer Brian McConnachie KC said Ferrier had continued as normal following her Covid test on September 26 because she was sure it would be negative, as she felt better the next day.
He told the court: “The brevity of her symptoms she had experienced led her to the situation that she was convinced that the result of her test would be negative and then, demonstrating for her a remarkable lack of thought and a remarkable lack of consideration for others, she then went about her normal business.”
He said that Ferrier wore a mask on the train to London and wore a mask and observed social distancing as situations required at the time. However, he said the MP experienced “uncontrolled panic “ when her test result came back positive while in London and returned to Glasgow as soon as possible to isolate.
He said she feels remorse for her actions. Ferrier left court without commenting.
