Emma Caldwell’s mother to meet FM
The mother of murdered Emma Caldwell will meet First Minister Humza Yousaf today and will attend further meetings with the chief constable of Police Scotland and the Lord Advocate to discuss the need for a public inquiry into the investigation of her killing.
Margaret Caldwell, her family and their lawyer, Aamer Anwar, will meet Mr Yousaf at Bute House this afternoon.
They will then meet chief con stable Jo Farrell, of Police Scotland, tomorrow afternoon and on Thursday morning, they will meet Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain.
Mrs Caldwell has called for a criminal investigation into the handling of the case after it took almost 19 years to bring her daughter’s killer to justice.
Last Wednesday, Iain Packer was jailed for life with a recommendation that he serve at least 36 years after being found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow of murdering 27-year-old Emma in 2005 and of multiple offences involving other women.
However, mrs caldwell said an inquiry could take many years to set up and is also calling for a criminal investigation led by an outside police force and steered by independent prosecutors to scrutinise the conduct of authorities,the sunday post newspaper reported.
Mrs Caldwell told the newspaper: “The only thing the Crown Office should have been announcing after the trial was an immediate and independent criminal investigation.
“It is not just my family that needs reassurance about our justice system. everyone in scotland needs that reassurance.”
Packer was also convicted of 11 rapes and 21 further charges including sexual assaults and abduction, involving multiple women, over 26 years.
The crown office said that followinga full independent investigation, Crown Counsel concluded that there was“insufficient evidence of criminality on the part of any police officer involved in the investigation of Emma Caldwell’s murder”.
However, the Crown reserved the right to proceed in the future should further evidence become available, as in all cases.
First Minister Humza Yousaf has said a public inquiry into the investigation of pack er is“not off the table”. Mrs Caldwell welcomed the possibility of a public inquiry but said there can be no more delay.
She told the new spa per:“iw as 57 when Emma died and I’m 78 now. How long must I wait to be told exactly who failed Emma and why?”
Police Scotland has apologised to the family of Miss Caldwell and Packer’s other victims, admitting they were “let down” by policing.
Miss Caldwell was reported missing by her family in April 2005 and her body was found the following month in Limefield Woods, near Roberton, South Lanarkshire.
In 2015, a Sunday Mail newspaperstory branded pack er“the forgotten suspect” and Police Scotland launched a re-investigation of the case that year following instruction from the Lord Advocate.
Mrs Caldwell said that her husband Willie died of cancer and “with a broken heart” in 2011 before seeing justice for his daughter.
It is not just my family that needs reassurance about our justice system Margaret Caldwell