Police ‘failed’ missing pensioner

OAP’S family welcome report’s recommendations

An investigation has found failings in how police handled the search for a missing pensioner with dementia who was later found dead.

The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner has made recommendations following the inquiry into how the case of Janet Mckay, 88, was managed. The body of Mrs Mckay was found in Clydebank in September 2015, eight days after she was seen leaving her Glasgow home.

An investigation has identified failings in how police handled the search for a missing pensioner who was later found dead.

The family of Janet Mckay, 88, have welcomed a series of recommendations made by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) after an inquiry into how the case was handled.

Police Scotland has apologised and said the findings are fully accepted.

The body of Mrs Mckay, who suffered from dementia, was discovered in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, in September 2015, eight days after she was seen leaving her home in the Knightswood area of Glasgow.

Pirc was tasked by the Crown Office with investigating how Police Scotland managed the missing person inquiry.

Its report found that while police had reacted swiftly to the report of Mrs Mckay as a missing person, there were “procedural and investigative failings” in the subsequent inquiry.

Officers did not take a statement from Mrs Mckay’s carer who would have been able to describe what she had been wearing, and they “failed to act promptly” in response to a reported sighting of her on the day she went missing.

Significant information about Mrs Mckay being seen by another witness on the day she went missing was not passed on to a relevant officer until days later, and information that she had been seen boarding a bus to Clydebank was not followed up quickly enough.

Pirc found some police supervisors had failed to check lines of inquiry had been properly completed.

The report also concluded many officers involved in the inquiry were not fully aware of guidance and standard procedures on missing persons.

In a statement, Mrs Mckay’s family said: “We are aware of the findings of the Pirc report and are pleased to note that a number of recommendations have been made.

“We hope that going forward Police Scotland will look carefully at these recommendations and that valuable lessons have been learned.”

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams said: “I apologise on behalf of Police Scotland and once again offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mrs Janet Mckay. I fully accept the findings from the review by the Pirc and Police Scotland will continue to work with them to ensure all the lessons identified are addressed.”