THE mum of a murdered schoolboy has told of the “chilling” moment she first saw the face of her son’s killer — 20 years on.
Margaret Ann-Cummings’ son Mark, eight, was killed and dumped down a rubbish chute in Glasgow in June 2004 by paedophile Stuart Leggate.
He refused to look her in the eye during his trial — but she was there as he failed in his bid to get parole.
The mum was joined by sons David, 31, and Ian 30, to watch evil Leggate’s bid to be freed from prison.
The lads were at school when their sibling was murdered in Royston, Glasgow, and were too young to be in court when the beast was sentenced.
But after 20 years they finally set eyes on the 49-year-old during his failed parole hearing late last year.
Margaret-Ann, 49, said: “We were told he was turning up. It was trying to prepare yourself and trying to prepare my boys for it as well.
“This is the first time they’ve been in any sort of situation like this.
“I had flashbacks. I had to stay strong.”
The mum then laid eyes on Leggate’s face for the first time as she had only previously seen the back of his head in court.
Leggate, who we pictured overweight and bearded, this time appeared clean shaven.
Margaret-Ann said: “I’ve only seen pictures in the paper — I’ve not had the chance to look him in the eye.
“It is frightening to think that after all these years, not hearing his voice, not seeing his face, the first time I’ve had to do it was at the hearing.
“When I was staring at his face, I was trying to see the resemblance.
“He’s lost a bit of weight, he’s got a bald head.
“He resembled - but kind of didn’t - resemble the person.
“That’s the first time I remember seeing him at all.”
Margaret-Ann, who had to sign a non-disclosure agreement barring her from discussing case details, said she feels like she has been gagged by Parole Board bosses.
The NDA bars her from revealing any information disclosed at the hearing — and she feels confused as to whether she can even discuss the outcome.
Parole chiefs do not publicly reveal when they rule not to set a prisoner free.
And Margaret-Ann said: “I’ve got to be careful. I can’t even talk to friends or anything to say what’s happening.
“I feel as if they’ve taken my voice away. Surely I should be able to open up and let people know my feelings?
“I’ve been silenced.”
Leggate sexually assaulted then strangled Mark in a tower block before disposing of his body in a bin bag.
He then drove to cliffs near Berwick-on-Tweed, Northumberland, to ditch trousers he’d used to choke the youngster.
Five years earlier the fiend had been released from a four-year sentence for assaulting boys aged three to ten.
He was jailed for a minimum of 20 years in October 2004, making him eligible to apply for parole last year.
The Parole Board for Scotland said it does not comment on individual cases.
It added: “Registered victims who observe parole hearings are required to sign a confidentiality agreement.
"It refers only to information discussed at the hearing. The board will communicate the outcome to the victim.”
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