Home   News   Article

Cassette problems delay police report into Wick death


By Gordon Calder

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

A POLICE report into the death of a Caithness man over two decades ago has been delayed - partly due to difficulties in acquiring a cassette player.

The unusual twist came about after Merseyside Police completed their investigation into the death of Kevin Mcleod whose body was found in Wick harbour in February, 1997. His family claim the 24-year-old was murdered because of the injuries on his body but the police say his death was a tragic accident.

After years of campaigning by Kevin's parents, June and Hugh Mcleod and his uncle, Allan Mcleod, Merseyside Police were asked to carry out an independent review of the case. Their report was due to submitted for consideration by the Crown in early February but the family has been informed it has now been delayed.

In a letter from a Crown agent, the family was told the investigation has been completed but it was pointed out that some transcripts from the 1998 Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into Kevin 's death have still to be completed.

"Some original transcripts have been recovered from old case files but the remainder of witnesses' evidence remains untranscribed due to a combination of competing work pressures and the ongoing restrictions due to the pandemic."

But the letter adds: "The FAI was recorded on tape cassette, not digitally so there requires to be access to the tapes and the machinery required to play them. We are seeking to expedite this process and will update you as soon as possible on progress with that." The report will then be handed over to the Crown.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Allan Mcleod, said: "With today's technology, it's difficult to comprehend that this further delay is apparently due to a setback by the authorities to obtain a cassette player to listen to witnesses evidence given during the FAI.

"This issue, we believe, should have been addressed prior to Merseyside beginning their inquiry, not at the end after particular professional and civilian witnesses had already been interviewed."

He added: "The FAI itself raised more questions than answers and we continue to question, why the fiscal’s instruction to police to investigate Kevin’s death as a murder, and the failure to act on this instruction, was not presented as evidence to the sheriff. We firmly believe, that if this crucial and key evidence had been revealed at the time and not hidden from the sheriff, we doubt very much that we would be still searching for answers 24 years later."

Mr Mcleod described the initial investigation into Kevin's death as "botched" and claimed the then Northern Constabulary did not look for any evidence of criminality despite the fiscal's instruction. He also pointed out that Kevin's clothing was destroyed and not forensically examined. The police treated his death as accidental.

"What requires to happen now is for the Crown Office and Police Scotland to take responsibility, own up with frankness over what happened, and address why those in authority failed to correct this gross dereliction of duty and why all the authorities involved, collectively concealed this serious failure from the family for two decades.

"Kevin was aged 24 when he died. Ironically, 24 years on, we are still fighting to get to the truth regarding the circumstances surrounding his horrific death. It’s very difficult to be patient given the years of pain and suffering that the family have endured but we hope and pray that matters are finally coming to a head".


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More