Police check phone of boy, 16, messaged by shamed minister
Deputy Scottish Political Editor POLICE are examining the phone of the 16-year-old schoolboy who was bombarded with messages from Derek Mackay.
The youngster has now been interviewed twice about the scandal after attending a police station in Glasgow on Monday.
SNP activist Shaun Cameron has also spoken to officers in Edinburgh after claiming that he had received unwanted messages from the former finance secretary – including demands for ‘naughty pics’.
Last night, Police Scotland said it had ‘no update’ on the investigation – but appeared to be stepping up the probe into the SNP politician.
Mr Mackay resigned hours before he was due to deliver the Budget last
Thursday, after it emerged that he had been contacting the boy online.
He sent the teenager 270 messages on social media over six months. As well as telling the boy he was ‘cute’, Mr Mackay asked him to meet up and attend a parliamentary reception – even offering to pay for his travel.
He resigned as finance secretary and was suspended from the SNP.
But the scandal has sparked demands for Mr Mackay to also stand down as an MSP, which would spark a by-election in his Renfrewshire North and West constituency.
Yesterday, the Scottish Sun reported that the boy had spoken to police for a second time, spending around two hours with officers.
Speaking to the newspaper about Mr Mackay, the teenager said: ‘He should seek help.
‘I know he has done some stupid things and I know it’s wrong but he probably needs a bit of help to deal with it.’
The politician has also been accused of sending 25-year-old Mr Cameron messages over a number of years.
The SNP activist went to St Leonards police station in Edinburgh on Monday after revealing details of messages from the disgraced politician.
Mr Cameron said he had been pestered with messages from Mr Mackay for years after being approached by him in 2016 at an SNP fundraiser. Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of an ‘astonishing’ lack of transparency after government officials admitted there was no written record of Mr Mackay’s resignation.
The Scottish Government confirmed that no formal resignation letter had been sent to the First Minister.
It is understood Mr Mackay ‘resigned verbally’ to Miss Sturgeon, and this was accepted immediately. According to a government source, there is ‘no requirement’ for a Cabinet secretary to resign by letter.
Mr Mackay is in line for a £12,000 pay off after quitting.
A spokesman for the First Minister said: ‘The Scottish Government acted swiftly, decisively and entirely appropriately when the details of this issue came to light.
‘Derek Mackay is no longer a minister, and this resignation took effect immediately on it being offered.’
‘He’s done some stupid things’