[2][3] In 2014 he was the judge in the second trial in the World's End murders case in which he is famous for sentencing Angus Sinclair to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 37 years, which is to date the longest sentence ever passed by a Scottish court.
In 2019 he was the judge in the murder of Alesha MacPhail case who sentenced Aaron Campbell to life imprisonment with a minimum of 27 years.
[4] Also in 2019 he sentenced Edward Cairney and Avril Jones to life in prison with a minimum of 14 years for the Murder of Margaret Fleming.
[5] On 20 July 2021, it was announced that Lord Matthews had been appointed to the Second Division of the Inner House of the Court of Session with effect from 1 August 2021.
His interests include ancient history, golf, football, animal husbandry, astronomy and the theatre.