FM ‘effectively sacked’ Chief Constable House despite public support

Nicola Sturgeon effectively sacked Scotland’s first chief constable, Sir Stephen House, despite publicly backing him after the force failed to respond to a fatal crash for three days, one of the first minister’s former top aides has claimed.

In the new book, Break-Up: How Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon Went to War, Noel Dolan says Sir Stephen was summoned to Holyrood and “effectively dismissed” – despite the employment of police staff not being within the gift of politicians.

Mr Dolan, who was the first minister’s closest adviser for 12 years, reported that the meeting took place in the wake of the deaths of two people by the side of the M9 near Stirling in July 2015.

John Yuill, 28, and Lamara Bell, 25, were returning from a camping trip when their car left the motorway and crashed down an embankment, leaving them trapped for three days – despite a call for help being made to Police Scotland.

Mr Yuill died at the scene of the crash and although Ms Bell was transferred to hospital she did not survive.

Sergeant Brian Henry, 58, who took the emergency call at Police Scotland’s Bilston Glen call centre, retired in 2018 with a Crown Office investigation into the tragedy still to be concluded.

Legal action is currently being considered against Police Scotland over the case.

The new book, by Courier editor David Clegg and Times journalist Kieran Andrews, reveals how despite Sir Stephen apologising for the deaths and being publicly backed by the first minister, in private he was held responsible for the failings.

The authors, first quoted in the Times, write: “At a meeting in the first minister’s office at Holyrood in August 2015, House was effectively dismissed despite the employment of police officers, even those at the top of the force, not being a matter for politicians as part of efforts to maintain operational independence.”

John Yuill and Lamara Bell’s car left the motorway.

Scotland’s first chief constable, Sir Stephen House.