The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Lord Advocate backs M9 death crash investigation
Probe: Support for fatal accident inquiry into police response
Scotland’s outgoing Lord Advocate has said it is “inconceivable” a fatal accident inquiry will not be heard into the M9 double death crash.
Lamara Bell, 25, and John Yuill, 28, lay in their car by the side of the motorway for three days after it went off the road, despite a member of the public calling Police Scotland’s non-emergency number to report the damaged vehicle.
In a letter to Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, Frank Mulholland QC said he fully expected an inquiry to take place once a report is submitted to the Crown Office following the completions of a Police Investigations and Review Commissioner probe.
He wrote: “It is open to Crown Counsel to instruct fatal accident inquiries or criminal proceedings where appropriate. As with any sudden death case the evidence in this case will be analysed carefully and all options will be considered.
“I should add that notwithstanding a decision on criminal proceedings I find it inconceivable that a fatal accident inquiry will not be held given the public concern over this tragedy.”
Sir Stephen House, the former Chief Constable of Police Scotland, blamed an officer, backfilling in a control room to cover staff shortages, writing details of the initial call on a so-called scribble pad for the communication breakdown.
The Courier uncovered official guidance given to untrained staff helping in the control room, which told them to log incidents using a pen and paper.
Senior Police Scotland officers admitted at a high-level meeting more than six weeks before the tragedy that the performance of control rooms was “in a critical condition”.
Frontline staff also told the force’s watchdog the delayed response was “not an isolated incident”.
Lamara’s dad, Andrew Bell, backed the Lord Advocate’s position.
He said: “Whoever takes over from him must see this through. Knowing the truth will come out makes our search for answers worthwhile. We hope that it will bring us closure.”
Mr Rennie added: “The Lord Advocate is absolutely right to say that there has been huge public concern over this tragedy and it is vital that the families of John Yuill and Lamara Bell get the answers they need.
“An FAI would ensure the facts of how this tragic incident unfolded are fully understood, and set out clearly the urgent steps we need to take to support police control room staff so this never happens again.”