Disgraced Walker loses his appeal against domestic abuse conviction
SHAMED former politician Bill Walker lost his domestic abuse appeal yesterday and has given up trying to clear his name – but only because he has run out of money.
Walker, who was elected the Nationalist MSP for Dunfermline in 2011, had been found guilty of 23 charges of assault and a breach of the peace and sentenced to a year in prison – but served only half.
He terrorised three former wives – Maureen Traquair, Anne Gruber and Diane Walker – and Mrs Gruber’s teenage daughter, Anne Louise Paterson, over three decades.
Yesterday, three judges at the Court of Appeal found no reason to overturn the verdict of Sheriff Kathrine Mackie at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last year.
Walker, who has never apologised for his crimes, remained arrogant and unrepentant to the last.
The 72-year- old had challenged the use of the Moorov doctrine, whereby a witness to one offence is used to corroborate a different crime when the accused is facing a series of similar charges.
But the Appeal Court judges rejected a submission from Walker’s lawyers, which argued that the offences were not sufficient in terms of ‘ time, character and circumstance’ in order for mutual corroboration to be applied.
Lady Dorian said: ‘The only issue which arises i n this appeal is whether there were sufficient circumstances of similarity between evidence in charges one and two for the doctrine of mutual corroboration to be applied.
‘Leave to appeal on other charges was refused at the first sift.’
She said that the judges had taken the view that it was ‘entirely artificial to seek to compartmentalise evidence’ in relation to the two earliest offences and the later ones.
Walker, who was not in court yesterday, said: ‘I am very disappointed that their lordships have not overturned these two convictions, for which I have now served a prison sentence.
‘I am also disappointed, however, that they were not able to re-examine the validity of the remaining convictions, which were also made under the Moorov doctrine.
‘Unfortunately, I simply cannot afford to pursue these further through other legal channels.
‘My wife and I are now very much looking forward to getting on with the rest of our lives with our family and friends.’
Mrs Gruber, 71, said: ‘I’m obviously very pleased. I could not believe he was appealing. I don’t know what his idea was, but I’ve long since stopped trying to work him out.
‘It was just completely unthinkable that he could overthrow his conviction, so I’m delighted. It’s the only comfort I can take.
‘For me, it was finished many years ago, but it was all dug up again and it was not very pleasant being cross-examined in court.
‘The whole thing was very upsetting and I’m still recovering, but this is the best news. I feel quite vindicated. It’s peace and closure for me and my family.’
Scottish Women’s Aid welcomed the court’s backing for the Moorov doctrine and said it hoped that the verdict would give other victims of domestic violence the confidence to speak out.