SEARCHING FOR JUSTICE
As the father of slain Hamilton teenager prepares to meet police following the death of Francis Auld, he admits he is still...
Murder victim Amanda Duffy’s dad Joe is still looking for answers despite Francis Auld’s death. Auld died of pancreatic cancer at the weekend. He was cleared in 1992 of murdering 19-year-old drama student Amanda following a not-proven verdict. Amanda’s parents Joe and Kate had been hopeful that a bid to prosecute him under double jeopardy laws would succeed. However, it failed last year. Speaking to the Advertiser this week, Mr Duffy said he is to meet with Police Scotland following Auld’s death to discuss the issue. He said: “We feel the person responsible was never brought to trial. “We are in an unusual situation. “There might be nothing we can do, but we need to know what options are open to us now. “I don’t know how much further we can take it. I have various meetings tomorrow (Thursday) and I hope to be able to comment after they have taken place.”
Murder victim Amanda Duffy’s dad Joe is still looking for answers despite Francis Auld’s death.
Auld – who died of pancreatic cancer at the weekend aged 45 – was controversially cleared in 1992 of murdering 19-year-old drama student Amanda following a not proven verdict.
He was later found to have been responsible for her death under civil proceedings raised by parents Joe and Kate, who were hopeful that a bid to prosecute him in a criminal court under double jeopardy laws would succeed. However it foundered last year.
Speaking to the Advertiser this week, Mr Duffy(right) said he expected to meet with Police Scotland today (Thursday) to discuss the issue following Auld’s death. He said: “I don’t know how much further we can take it. I have various meetings tomorrow and I hope to be able to comment after they have taken place.
“We feel the person responsible was never brought to trial. We are in an unusual situation. There might be nothing we can do but we need to know what options are open to us now.”
Last February Joe and Kate vowed to keep fighting for justice when the bid to retry Auld for murder failed.
The Double Jeopardy (Scotland) Act 2011 states an accused can only be retried for a crime if High Court judges give permission. Judges had rejected the double jeopardy bid as admissions by Auld did not constitute grounds for a new trial. They ruled that the alleged admission of guilt was not made in accordance with laws regarding confessions. A Police Scotland spokeswoman said yesterday there were plans to meet Mr Duffy in the coming days as a courtesy. Amanda’s body was found on waste ground in Hamilton’s Miller Street in May 1992. She had been beaten and strangled. Auld admitted to police that a bite mark on her breast came from him but said it had been a love bite.
We need to know what options are open to us now