Kevin McLeod's family has accused Mr MacAskill of snubbing them, contrasting his stance with his willingness to go to see Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi.

Kevin's parents Hugh and June McLeod and his uncle Allan McLeod wanted to meet Mr MacAskill to try and break the impasse in their bid to establish the movements of a man they believe was involved in the 24-year-old's death.

The man, believed to live in Thailand, was a serving prisoner in February 1997 when Kevin ended up at the bottom of Wick harbour following a night out with friends.

The McLeods claim to have compelling evidence that the suspect was at the time on weekend leave from Porterfield Prison in Inverness.

They also have passed onto the Crown information about people who claim to have witnessed the prisoner and two other men fighting with Kevin.

The altercation allegedly took place at The Shore shortly before Kevin is believed to have gone into the water.

The family have been repeatedly frustrated in their efforts to establish whether the prisoner was, indeed, at liberty at the time.

The prison authorities insist they would be breaching the Data Protection Act were they to disclose the information being sought.

The stance was upheld in the response to a Freedom of Information request and Mr MacAskill has so far refused to intervene.

The invitation to meet the family was made through local MSP Jamie Stone. The McLeods are furious that they have been denied a hearing. Allan McLeod said yesterday: "We are disappointed but not surprised that the justice secretary will not meet with Mr Stone and the family to discuss Kevin's case.

"It's obvious that Mr MacAskill's allegiance is to police forces and not to Scottish families or victims who have suffered injustice."

He continued: "Mr MacAskill has never expressed any compassion with Kevin's case and has not afforded us even a two-minute meeting.

"It is therefore very frustrating when Mr MacAskill has chosen to meet the Lockerbie bomber – it appears foreigners are afforded access to our justice system while Scots are ignored."

The family believes its experience underlines the need for more openness in the Scottish prison system.

He said: "In America, you can see online who is in what jail and how long they are serving.

"They even publish mug shots. Here in Scotland it appears that the prisoner's rights are more protected than the families of their victims."

Mr McLeod said the family has recently furnished Highland area fiscal Andrew Laing with fresh information about the prisoner's alleged involvement in Kevin's death. If the family exhausts mechanisms in the Scottish judicial system without success, it intends appealing to the European Court of Justice.

Mr McLeod said: "This case has been a dog's breakfast from the outset but no matter how long it takes, and regardless of cost, we are determined to expose the truth as to the true circumstances surrounding Kevin's horrific death."

In turning down the request for a meeting, Mr MacAskill did not think it appropriate when, he said, discussions could cover "operational policing matters".

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