Prosecutors SACK Police Scotland from investigation
Did senior police officers cover up the vile crimes of this rapist sergeant?
POLICE Scotland has been removed from a major investigation into alleged corruption within the force amid claims it was ‘dragging its heels’.
The national force was ordered to investigate claims that retired officers had orchestrated a coverup to protect a sergeant who raped and assaulted several women.
Months later, however, prosecutors have now taken the unprecedented step of pulling Police Scotland off the case.
In a fresh humiliation for the force, police from elsewhere in the UK are being brought in to carry out the investigation.
It is understood that prosecutors are frustrated at the delays and lack of progress.
Claims of a cover-up were made by a female former officer who said she blew the whistle about serious criminal behaviour by police sergeant Kevin Storey.
The former constable, who had been in a relationship with Storey and was one of his victims, claims she complained about him to bosses but was bullied out of her job, and her complaints were ignored.
When she reported him for drinkdriving, she claims, his colleagues failed to stop and breathalyse him and instead wrongfully charged her with wasting police time.
Storey, 51, who denied his crimes, was found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh in December 2014 of rape, attempted rape and horrific assaults on three women. He is serving a nine-year prison term. Following his convictions, the female officer formally complained, and the Crown Office ordered an investigation.
Watchdog body the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) was asked to investigate the actions of the officers still serving within Police Scotland, while the force itself was asked to look into the actions of retired officers. The Scottish Mail on Sunday revealed in February that several high-ranking officers were being investigated over the alleged cover-up involving Storey.
While the PIRC probe is continuing, it can now be revealed that Police Scotland has now been dropped from the inquiry.
In a letter issued last week and seen by this newspaper, Les Brown, the Crown Office’s head of criminal allegations against police, writes: ‘The Crown have instructed that the investigation into all allegations of criminality as they relate to the actions of retired officers should be transferred to a force outwith the Police Service of Scotland.’
The alleged cover-up for Storey, who was a Right Worshipful Master in his local masonic lodge, took place between 2011 and 2014 and involved senior officers in Hawickbased G Division of Lothian and Borders Constabulary, which later became part of Police Scotland.
Last night the female officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, welcomed the Crown Office move, adding: ‘I’m not sure if anyone can imagine what it’s like to be a victim of domestic violence and you can’t even call the police because the perpetrator is the police.’
Chief Superintendent Mark Hargreaves, Police Scotland’s head of professional standards, said it was ‘inappropriate to comment further’. The Crown Office said it could not comment on live investigations.
PIRC said: ‘This is a complex inquiry with many facets to be investigated.’