Public in need of protection

Moira Ramage, a former District Procurator Fiscal for 20 years and Parole Board for Scotland member, has called for a public inquiry.

She said: “Michael Matheson said he wanted answers as to why James Wright had been given home detention and why the police did not arrest him until he had murdered Craig McClelland.

“But both the Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary reports specifically excluded considering this issue.

“A public inquiry is essential to give a clear understanding of events.

“In a wider public protection sense, there are breathtaking failures in how the home fetention curfew (HDC) system is operating.”

Moira, a Labour Party candidate who has advised the McClelland family on an independent basis, added: “James Wright was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment after being convicted on indictment for carrying an offensive weapon.

“I would be amazed if he wasn’t a high-risk prisoner and prison service guidance states only low-risk prisoners be considered for HDC.

“After Wright destroyed his tag, police operating procedures state a high-risk prisoner must be found in 14 days.

“Wright was not found until Craig had been murdered over five months later. From the information available, police gave little priority to arresting Wright.

“If questions go unanswered, the public are not being protected.”