The mother of murdered teenager Paige Doherty has demanded child killers receive a minimum sentence of 35 years as she prepares for the anniversary of her daughter's death. 

Pamela Munro spoke out against the decision to reduce the sentence of killer John Leathem by four years.

She made her comments on The Kaye Adams Programme on BBC Scotland. 

Paige Doherty's killer John Leathem was jailed for 27 years for the teenager's murder during which he inflicted more than 146 injuries on the schoolgirl after she stopped to buy a morning roll from his shop. 

Last week appeal court judge Lord Tunrbull agreed to reduce his sentence by four years before he would be eligble for parole. 

During his defence, Leathem compared his sentence to that of killer Alexander Pacteau, who murdered student nurse Karen Buckley in Glasgow and attempted to dissolve her body. 

Speaking on BBC Scotland she said: "I'd like to see the sentencing for child killers and extreme killers be considered a higher catagory, so if they get a life tariff that would be set at a minimum of 35 years before parole."

Pamela plans to launch a bid to grant victims and victims' families to an appeal process too, whereby they would appeal a sentence.

"We’ve been a patient family, we put our faith into the justice system and we thank them for everything they have done. But when it came up to this appeal I couldn’t be patient anymore."

"I think a family should have the right to appeal a case and put it forward."

"If I had an appeals process for Paige, I would be able to justify my reasoning [for opposing a reduction to his sentence]."

"I’ve spoken to our local MSP, and I’ve had a lot of public response on social media from members of the public offering their services and support."

"If my MSP thinks making representations to Parliament is the way forward then that’s what we will do."

"Killers within this category shouldn't have access to luxuries either.

"The luxuries such as tvs in their cells, state of the art gym equipment, free education. So many people would love to go to university and get a degree but they can't. Killers shouldn't be able to."

Speaking ahead of the anniversary of her daughter's death, Pamela said she wants a private remembrance, excluding a media circus.

She said: "I’m dreading the weekend of her anniversary. The 19th is when she went missing but the Saturday is the one that hurts the most. I think we will relive it all. My little boy is upset and emotional about it."

"Our family will be around us on the day of her anniversary. I want to have a private remembrance for her with just family on her anniversary."

"I don’t need the whole world to see me upset, I think the whole world knows I’m upset."

"She was my best friend, we did everything together."