Police ‘cover-up’ in Rangers case

THE police ‘manipulated’ the legal system in a ‘desperate quest’ to build a doomed case against a business expert who was trying to save Rangers, a court has heard.

Advocate Andrew Smith, QC, said officers led by Detective Chief Inspector Jim Robertson acted unlawfully in pursuing his 57-yearold client David Grier.

The senior officer led a probe into allegations that Mr Grier broke the law during the sale of Rangers in 2012. But Mr Grier was later cleared of wrongdoing.

Yesterday, Mr Smith told judge Lord Bannatyne at the Court of Session that detectives ‘engaged in a cover-up’ during the probe.

He said Mr Robertson and his colleagues failed to follow correct legal procedures and failed to disclose important evidence which showed his client was innocent.

Mr Smith spoke of an email which he called the ‘Don’t tell David’ communication. He said the email showed his client had not been part of any criminal conspiracy but that officers failed to follow their legal responsibilities and disclose it to prosecutors.

The Crown would have then shown it to defence solicitors.

Mr Smith said Mr Grier could have fallen victim to a miscarriage of justice.

The advocate said: ‘The senior investigating officer was out of his depth and was engaged in a desperate quest to pursue evidence that simply wasn’t there. It was an abuse of state power.’

Mr Grier, of London, is suing the police for £2million.

He claims that detectives disregarded legal procedures when he was arrested in 2014.

Police Scotland deny any wrongdoing. The hearing continues.