Revealed: Violent criminal history of Emma suspect
A suspect linked to the Emma Caldwell murder investigation has a criminal history of attacking women.
Iain Packer’s record of violence against women was revealed in court after he was convicted of throttling his former partner.
Prosecutors revealed Packer, 47, had been convicted of three domestic assaults in the past 12 years.
On Tuesday, Packer admitted grabbing his ex by the throat and restricting her breathing in a hearing at Airdrie Sheriff Court.
Emma Caldwell, 27, was murdered 15 years ago. On the 10th anniversary of her death, it was revealed that Packer, who denies killing Emma, had been questioned six times over her death.
He finally took detectives to the remote woods where her body had been found but was never interviewed again.
Then Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland ordered police to reopen the inquiry and it remains ongoing.
Prosecutor Brent Bissop told the court: “All three of the previous offences were domestic incidents. The first in 2007 involved the same partner as in these current offences. The ones in 2008 involved a different partner and the third ones in 2011 involved another partner.”
His lawyer Dale Hughes told the court he would reserve comment until sentencing later this month.
Packer was also alleged to have assaulted his ex at a house in Airdrie in May 2018. It was claimed he punched her on the face.
He also denied communicating indecently with her by sending her obscene communications.
The Crown accepted not guilty pleas to these offences. Packer was released on bail.