Neil Gray: “Violence against women is abhorrent, and we are working closely with partners, including Police Scotland, to tackle it.”

I understand why local communities and elected members want reassurance that lessons will be learned and, where necessary, that further action will be taken.

However, we must also have capacity there in the prison system to ensure that we are still capable of incarcerating those who pose the most significant risk to society.

I won’t apologise for the fact that average sentences have increased. I think that is right that we have sentences matching the seriousness of criminality that we have faced.

But I don’t underestimate the challenge here in doing so.