Independence called into question
independent, otheotherwise they would already have contacted the university.
“Aside from his despicable behaviour, what hhas always worried staff about theth O’Gorman affair has been what ththe University of Strathclyde managmanagement knew about hisoffendinhisoffending and if they covered it up.up
“We hhoped the inquiinquiry would get to thet bottom of that. But t here a re cconcerns it won’ t be interested i n doi n g that if the people involved are too close to Strathclyde management.”
Peter Watson, 64, who has also been a part-time sheriff, has run PBW Law since 2014.
Watson’s online biography cites work he has previously done with the University of Strathclyde on “crisis management issues.”
He has represented a number of high-profile clients, including those affected in the Dunblane shooting and Lockerbie disaster.
In 2015, he was suspended from his role as a part-time sheriff by Scotland’s then most senior judge, Lord Gill, after he was linked to Heather Capital, a firm at the centre of a controversia l liquidation. He resigned as a sheriff last year. In September, O’Gorman, 46, avoided jail despite being found guilty of sexually assaulting students. He was ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid community work.
Matt Crilly, president of the Strathclyde Students Union, said: “We expect this inquiry to be independent and robust.”
A University of Strathclyde spokesman said: “The QC- led inquiry is entirely independent of the University of Strathclyde and is being led by Craig Sandison, QC. Mr Sandison is in charge of the investigation and PBW Law are acting on his instruction.”
A spokesman for Peter Watson declined to comment.