Lib Dems’ anger over delays in FAIs
Families are facing “scandalous” waiting times for the conclusion of inquiries into the death of loved ones, it has been claimed.
Figures obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats after a freedom of information request indicate some relatives are having to wait up to a decade following a death for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) to be completed. The Crown Office figures show there are 127 FAIs outstanding, with an incomplete inquiry into two deaths that happened eight years ago recorded as having taken the longest amount of time, at almost 3000 days.
One FAI in 2014-15 was only finished 10 years after the death.
Scottish Lib Dem Liam McArthur said: “Families feel powerless. Waiting Now we can unmask the blackmailer who tried to force a married man to hand over cash to avoid being exposed to his wife and family. Fleming targeted his victim after hooking up with him on gay dating site Grindr and discovering he had a wife and children. The 26- year- old, from Perth, admitted trying to extort £500 at an address in the city between December 8 and 11 last year. He also admit ted acting in a manner intended to menace his victim by placing him in a state of fear or alarm or apprehension that he would be outed. Fleming created a profile on Grindr and used it during 2018. He told the man he had been having financial problems.
His victim offered money to help him out – but then Fleming discovered he had been hiding the fact he was married.
Fleming told the man – who is in his 50s and lives in central Scotland – that his secret would be revealed unless he gave him money.
Prosecutor Michael Sweeney persuaded the court to impose a ban on Fleming being publicly named over fears revealing his identity would lead to the victim being exposed.
Sheriff Michael Reekie granted the motion last month and deferred sentence up to a decade to learn the precise circumstances that surrounded a loved one’s death is scandalous.”
The Crown Office said: “We accept that a small number of investigations have taken too long to conclude and have revised the way the progress of all death investigations is monitored to ensure they are completed as efficiently as possible.” for background reports and a Restriction of Liberty Order assessment.
But the Sunday Mai l challenged the ruling and persuaded Reekie it was in the public interest to fully report Fleming’s crime.
Fiscal depute Tina Dickie said the original decision had been taken in a misguided attempt to conceal the identity of his victim.
She added: “The Crown got in touch with the reporting police officer and got him to investigate if there was any way they could be linked together.
“He said there was not as the only link between them was this Grindr app.”
Reekie agreed to remove the restriction and said it would help Grindr users to expose Fleming’s behaviour.