Now Matheson faces a showdown over police cover-up row
A ROW over allegations that Police Scotland top brass tried to suppress claims of serious corruption threatened to engulf Justice Secretary Michael Matheson last night.
The bombshell disclosures focus on the first chief constable of the troubled force, Sir Stephen House, who is now an assistant commissioner with the Metropolitan Police.
He commissioned a report in 2014 – one year after the single national force began – following concerns that bad practice and unlawful behaviour at some of the nowdisbanded territorial forces had continued under the new unified service.
But a BBC Scotland investigation, which was screened last night, contained claims that earlier drafts of that confidential report show that the chief constable’s office wanted negative comments deleted.
It also wished for tenses to be changed – to suggest problems had been fixed – and the abolition of a section where frontline officers described working in a culture of fear.
Last night Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said he had lodged an urgent question at Holyrood demanding to know what knowledge the Scottish Government had of the original and final drafts of this report.
Mr Kerr said: ‘The allegations in this investigation are extremely serious and shocking.
‘If true, this is evidence that the chief constable of Police Scotland intentionally misled the Scottish Government and the general public about working practices at Police Scotland.
‘The allegations would suggest that some Scottish police officers have, at the very least, been conducting themselves in a highly questionable manner.
‘Most worryingly, this report suggests that some Scottish police officers have been playing fast and loose with their own procedures.’
The documentary claimed early drafts of Sir Stephen’s report detailed officers conducting unauthorised surveillance, threatening and intimidating witnesses, unlawfully detaining suspects, colluding while compiling statements and failing to reveal evidence. It alleged these things were removed from the final version.
The BBC investigation said more than 300 officers were questioned for the report, Police Scotland Quality Assurance Review, with many criticising performance targets and the leadership in early drafts. Police Scotland insisted that ‘significant changes’ have been implemented in the ensuing four years and that Iain Livingstone, the interim chief constable, has ‘already acknowledged that in the early days of Police Scotland process was put ahead of people’.
Moi Ali, who resigned from the Scottish Police Authority board last year in a row over transparency at the watchdog, told the BBC programme: ‘I am shocked that the chief constable’s office should see fit to try to pretty much obliterate any kind of criticism whatsoever, because if this is what the report found, then this is what it found, and this is what should have been published.’
Scottish Labour justice spokesman Daniel Johnson said: ‘These are very significant allegations that need to be taken seriously and addressed urgently.
‘The level of dysfunction in Police Scotland under Stephen House is well known, but allegations that rank and file officers had their concerns eradicated from reports to protect the top brass raise fundamental questions of integrity.
‘Officers and the public need urgent and transparent reassurance about how this was allowed to happen – and who knew what and when.
‘It is therefore essential Justice Secretary Michael Matheson give a statement to parliament on these reports as soon as possible.’
Sir Stephen has declined to comment on the report.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The Scottish Police Authority are seeking assurances from Police Scotland that matters raised were dealt with at the time. Clearly, any specific allegations of misconduct should be dealt with by the appropriate authorities.’
‘Obliterate any kind of criticism’