NOW POLICE BLUNDER OVER MISSING OAP
Force failed to act on sighting report for FIVE days
POLICE Scotland is embroiled in a new scandal after officers failed to investigate a sighting of a missing OAP who was found dead five days later. A member of the public told police they had seen 88- year- old Janet McKay – but the tip- off was not passed on to detectives.
Five days later, the same sighting was phoned in to a police call centre. This was passed on to the appropriate officers – and Mrs McKay’s body was found yesterday morning.
The catastrophic failure comes only weeks after a police call centre blunder left a woman dying in a car beside her dead partner after they crashed on a busy motorway.
Mrs McKay was last seen on Wednesday, September 16, by neighbours in the Knightswood area of Glasgow.
The frantic family of the OAP, who suffered from dementia, made a desperate appeal as police mounted a missing person operation.
Yesterday, however, Mrs McKay’s body was
found in the Clydebank area, Dunbartonshire, around 14 miles from her home.
Last night, Police Scotland issued a statement admitting the blunder – and referred itself to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC), the independent police watchdog.
Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent Andy Bates said: ‘This morning, officers discovered the body of a woman in the Clydebank area. Formal identification has yet to take place but we believe it to be Janet McKay who was reported missing last week. Janet’s family has been informed.
‘Since she was reported missing last Wednesday, an extensive investigation and search has been conducted throughout the local area. On Friday evening as part of our inquiries, a member of the public provided us with information of a possible sighting of the missing person. This information was not passed to the call handling centres nor was it passed to the inquiry team.
‘On Tuesday, further information about this potential sighting was received through the call handling centre, who immediately passed it to the inquiry team. Following further extensive inquiry, a body was discovered. I would like to apologise to the family for any distress caused at this difficult time. This incident has now been referred by
‘Clearly, an inquiry needs to take place’
Police Scotland and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to the PIRC.’
In July, young mother Lamara Bell and her boyfriend John Yuill crashed on the M9 and their car left the road. Despite a 999 call by a witness, police failed to react. When officers finally arrived three days later, they found the couple still inside the vehicle.
Mr Yuill, 28, was dead, while Miss Bell, still alive, was taken to hospital. The 25-year-old died the following day.
Last night, lawyer Aamer Anwar, who is representing Miss Bell’s son Kieran, described the latest blunder as ‘shocking’.
He said: ‘It is a disgrace. Clearly an inquiry needs to take place, but first and foremost the family will be devastated. The Scottish Government needs to get a grip. We have already had a chief constable step down, the system is in a fundamental meltdown.’
A Crown Office spokesman said: ‘ The Crown Office is aware of the circumstances relating to the death of Janet McKay and in particular an issue relating to the search for her. On this basis the Lord Advocate has referred the matter to the PIRC for investigation under statutory powers.
‘A post-mortem investigation will be held early next week.’
A spokesman for the PIRC said: ‘The Commissioner is conducting an investigation i nto the initial response f rom Police Scotland to the missing person investigation for Janet McKay and the circumstances leading up to her death.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Janet McKay’s death is a tragedy for her family and friends. It would not be appropriate to comment on the details of the case while this [the PIRC probe] is ongoing.’