Kevin's family to have second meeting with Merseyside officers
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THE family of Kevin McLeod, whose body was found in Wick harbour 22 years ago, are to have a second meeting with officers from Merseyside Police who are carrying out an independent review of the case.
The meeting is to take place in January when a senior representative of the Crown Office will also be present.
Kevin's parents, June and Hugh McLeod, and his uncle and aunt, Allan and Yvonne McLeod, met with Merseyside Police last month and said it had been "worthwhile and positive".
Allan McLeod confirmed that another meeting is to take place. "The family is to meet again with Merseyside officers and the Deputy Crown Agent in January for an update on progress made," he said.
Kevin's body was found in the harbour on February 9, 1997, after a night out. The family are convinced the 24-year-old electrician was murdered because of the injuries found on his body but the police have insisted his death was the result of a tragic accident.
The McLeods have been campaigning for over two decades to find out what happened to Kevin on that night.
"It is not only retired or serving police officers that we believe must be held to account in this scandalous state of affairs but also public officials who were involved and who we suspect were all complicit from the very outset in an attempt to hoodwink the family and conceal the truth surrounding the circumstances of Kevin’s unsolved death from being exposed."
The family welcomed the involvement of Merseyside Police and after the initial meeting Allan McLeod said: "We were informed that six retired detectives were already reviewing the case. These experienced detectives had made significant progress to date, and more detectives would be drafted in as the review progresses.
"They also informed us that their review will investigate the roles of police officers and Crown officials who were connected in any way to the case. They estimated that the review would possibly take up to nine months or longer, and that they hoped to meet again early next year... to provide the family with an update on progress."
Police Scotland has admitted the former Northern Constabulary failed to act on a instruction from the then Wick procurator fiscal to treat Kevin's death as a potential murder case. An apology has been issued to the family.
