Police probe into death of our son was a total cover-up
‘We have been denied justice’
THE parents of a man whose body was found in a harbour 20 years ago have accused the police and the Crown Office of being involved in a massive ‘cover-up’.
June and Hugh McLeod’s son Kevin was recovered from Wick Harbour, Caithness, on February 9, 1997, after a night out to celebrate his forthcoming wedding.
He had suffered massive internal injuries including a damaged liver and pancreas, a ruptured spleen and three torn arteries.
The police theory was that the 24-year-old electrician had hit a bollard on the harbour wall before falling into the water. His parents insist he was murdered.
Yesterday, the couple criticised the Scottish justice system and claimed they had been let down by the ‘people who should have been helping’ them.
In an open letter to the Lord Advocate and Police Scotland’s Chief Constable Phil Gormley, they claim: ‘For many years our family were persecuted, lied to, fobbed off, patronised and dismissed as persistent, unacceptable complainers by the very people who should have been helping us. The police and the Crown.
‘The result? A family have been denied justice. The disgusting treatment we have endured at the hands of the authorities since Kevin’s horrific death has been disgraceful, deplorable and unacceptable.’
The letter continues: ‘We believe that to provide the Scottish public with some trust, faith and respect in the justice system that both your organisations thoroughly investigate this gross miscarriage of justice, whereas the circumstances surrounding Kevin’s death will go down as one of the biggest cover-ups and most shameful episodes in the history of Scottish policing and justice.’
The criticism comes two weeks after police ruled out a new inquiry into their son’s death.
In January, Mrs McLeod confronted Mr Gormley on a radio phone-in show to demand justice for her son.
He told her he would be ‘quite happy’ to examine the circumstances of her son’s death and later wrote to the McLeods to say he had ‘personally requested Police Scotland gives consideration to all known information’.
But earlier this month the couple were told a reassessment had concluded their son’s death had ‘no evidence of criminality’ and remained unexplained.
The McLeods believe a police officer was involved in their son’s death and claim this is the reason the authorities have not opened a fresh probe.
In 1998, a Fatal Accident Inquiry recorded an open verdict. Almost ten years later, a damning report by the Police Complaints Commissioner said Northern Constabulary had behaved with ‘institutional arrogance’ in handling complaints from the McLeods.
Last night, Police Scotland and the Crown said if new evidence came to light, it would be considered.
Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Blair said: ‘I can confirm we have received correspondence from relatives of Kevin McLeod following recent contact from the family.
‘We have carried out an extensive assessment of all known information following contact from the family and no evidence of criminality has been found. As such, we will not be carrying out a reinvestigation of the case.
‘However, should new information come to light, it will be fully considered.’
A Crown Office spokesman said: ‘The circumstances of the death of Kevin McLeod were investigated by the procurator fiscal and, following a report to the Crown Office, a Fatal Accident Inquiry was held.
‘The sheriff issued his determination on December 3, 1998.
‘Should any new evidence be brought to the attention of the procurator fiscal, this will be fully considered and the appropriate action taken.’