All allegations of sexual abuse should be thoroughly investigated by police and prosecutors irrespective of the cost.
However, there are not many cases, even of the most serious in nature, which will be assigned up to 14 officers for almost two years at a cost of more than £800,000.
In the course of its investigation into Alex Salmond, Police Scotland took 386 statements and the former first minister was cleared of all 14 charges.
He had already won his judicial review against the Scottish Government at a further cost of more than £600,000 to the public purse.
If the total bill for this colossal mess ever emerges it will run into many millions.
Something has gone badly wrong and rather than be open and transparent, ministers and senior civil servant have avoided taking responsibility at all costs.
The Alex Salmond fiasco has cost taxpayers a lot of money.
The question is whether it is now going to cost Nicola Sturgeon at the polls in May.
Mucky heroes
The Scottish Environment protection Agency has teamed up with Scottish Water to wade through our sewage for traces of Covid-19.
By testing what comes out of toilets scientists hope to be able to quickly identify outbreaks in specific areas and crack down on the virus.
Samples from every health board area will be brought to a lab in Lanarkshire for analysis as part of the scheme.
it’s a dirty job but if it can save lives then thank goodness someone wants to do it.
Still one of us
Martin Compston started his career playing an adolescent lured into a life of crime in Ken Loach’s gritty Sweet Sixteen.
He had no acting experience and critics questioned whether he would be versatile enough to survive in other roles.
The 36-year-old has proved anyone who ever doubted his ability wrong starring as DC Steve Arnott in the smash-hit TV show Line of Duty.
He has gone from criminal to crime-fighter seamlessly – but reveals today that he still doesn’t have time for “bull****” acting luvvies at glitzy premieres.
