A family fighting for justice for a man they believe was murdered 22 years ago have hit out at a police watchdog’s dismissal of complaints against a former chief constable.
Two days ago, the uncle of Kevin McLeod revealed the family’s anger at Sir Stephen House, Police Scotland’s first chief constable, for backtracking after describing the death as a “murder”.
Kevin’s body was found in a harbour but despite evidence of potential foul play, police did not launch a murder inquiry – even after being ordered to do so by prosecutors.
Yesterday, Kevin’s family criticised House’s successor, Phil Gormley, who they believe failed to address a key part of their complaint.
And they are angry that both the Police Independent Review Commissioner (PIRC) and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) have not sanctioned him.
Kevin’s uncle, Allan Mcleod, said last night: “We now have two former chief constables of Police Scotland with apparently amnesia when it comes to this case.”
Since 2017, the family have been trying to establish why an order by the procurator fiscal in Caithness to the then Northern Constabulary, telling them to investigate Kevin’s death as a possible murder, was not followed.
They learned of the fact 20 years after Kevin, 24, was found dead in .
The SPA’s initial handling of the complaint was initially deemed by the PIRC to have been inadequate, so it was asked to make a further response.
In it, the SPA says Gormley, now HM Inspector of Constabulary in England and Wales, had no recollection of one of his senior officers bringing him the family’s request for information on the failure to act.
The SPA said it does not uphold the family’s complaint because the service provided by the former chief did not “fall below the standard a reasonable person could expect”.
Allan said yesterday the SPA’s findings were “a joke but not a funny one”.
A spokesperson for the PIRC’s Review Team said: “(The) recommendation (to make a further response) has now
been implemented.
