Yousaf Lessons to learn

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf, pictured, said: “While nothing can take away the grief of the McClelland family, the Scottish Government will continue to do all we can to support the family to ensure that wider lessons are learned and, where necessary, improvements are made.

“I met the family and advised them that the Scottish Government had accepted the recommendations, including considering making it a specific offence to remain ‘unlawfully at large’.

“This is only the start of the process, however, and as I have made clear, I expect real progress and have asked both Inspectorates to review progress in six months.”

Chief Superintendent Garry McEwan, Divisional Commander, Criminal Justice Services Division, said: “We welcome the report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland and accept their recommendations

“We also welcome the recommendations in the HMICS report, which enhance the powers afforded to officers to enable them to carry out their roles as effectively as possible in relation to this matter.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service said: “All the recommendations from the Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector Of Prisons report have been accepted by the service and all will be implemented.

“All future decisions on home detention curfew will have to be signed off by the governor from now on.”