Assurance given on independent review into Kevin McLeod case

THE independent review into the death of Kevin McLeod is to continue "despite the terrible challenges the world faces" due to coronavirus.

That was the assurance given to the McLeod family by a senior officer from Merseyside Police. It is carrying out the review into what happened to the 24-year-old whose body was found in Wick harbour 23 years ago.

Kevin died after a night out in Wick in February 1997. His family insist he was murdered because of the injuries on his body but the police say the death was an unfortunate accident.

The family have campaigned for more than two decades to find out the truth and hope this latest investigation will provide them with answers.

Allan McLeod, Kevin's uncle, wrote to Merseyside's Assistant Chief Constable (Investigations and Intelligence) Ian Critchley after discovering that Police Scotland had been accused of "a culture of secrecy, lack of transparency and obfuscation" when an investigation was being carried out by Durham Constabulary into the death of Lanarkshire woman Emma Caldwell. The issue was raised by Durham's Chief Constable Michael Barton at the Scottish Parliament in 2018.

Mr McLeod stated: "While we welcome the review being carried out by Merseyside Police, we find the comments made by Chief Constable Michael Barton to Holyrood’s justice subcommittee to be deeply disturbing. He informed MSPs that Police Scotland had prevented him from carrying out a full-scale misconduct probe, that there was a lack of openness in certain parts of the organisation and that he came up against a culture of secrecy in the force.

"We sincerely hope and trust that during your ongoing independent cold case review of Kevin’s unsolved death, which is under the control and direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), you and your investigation team will not be prevented or obstructed in any way, by either Police Scotland or the COPFS, from carrying out a full and thorough cold case review."

Mr McLeod added: "We now have to question, will Scottish cops tell English cops the truth regarding Kevin’s death? We know that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Northern Joint Police Board were aware in 2002 that police had failed to act on the procurator fiscal's instruction to investigate Kevin’s death as murder yet this was concealed from the family and nothing was done. We now hope that Merseyside will finally establish when the COPFS were made aware of this criminal negligence by police and what action, if any, has been taken."

Replying to the letter, Assistant Chief Constable Critchley said: "I wish to reassure you that my independent review continues despite the terrible challenges the world faces at this time. I can also reassure you that my review will continue to be carried out with the full support and cooperation of COPFS and as required by Police Scotland. COPFS will continue to update you as previously agreed."

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