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allan mcleod · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 157

The Digger Magazine. Thursday 11 June 2009

GLASGOW DRUG DEALER LINKED TO HARBOUR CORPSE

A Glasgow drug dealer who was jailed for two years then fled to Thailand may hold the key to a mystery death.
When Kevin Mcleod's battered body was found in Wick Harbour more than 12 years ago it is thought that the dealer was on weekend leave from Porterfield Prison in Inverness at the time.
The Scottish Government face tough questions this week from Kevin's family who have information which they believe points to the prisoner, his friend and an off-duty cop beating up the 24-year old on the night he died.
Allan Mcleod,- Kevin's uncle speaking from Alness, said he wanted confirmation of whether the 25-year old prisoner was on home leave or not. " If he was inside tell us and put us out of the nightmare we're in".
Now Caithness,Sutherland and Easter Ross MSP Jamie Stone has challenged justice secretary Kenny MacAskill to give the family an answer this week.
The Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini and Chief Constable Latimer of Northern Constabulary have refused to get involved.
Northern Constabulary are also battling through the courts to keep the names of police officers working in Wick in the months surrounding the tragedy a secret.
Chief Con Latimer was instructed by freedom of information commissioner Kevin Dunion to give out the names last year but he refused, claiming it would leave the officers open to harassment. The case is due to go to the court of session in November.
The family is thought to have the names of two police officers, one who was involved in assaulting Kevin and another who was involved in covering it up.
When Kevin's family tried to pass this information to the police in March, Northern Constabulary refused to investigate the new evidence regarding Kevin's death.
Mr Mcleod said: "We find it very disturbing that police refused to investigate fresh and significant information regarding allegations of police involvment with Kevin's death from named individuals".
He claimed police made a series of failures while investigating his nephew's death, including failing to conduct door-to-door inquiries, not cordoning off the area, failing to follow witness leads and burning Kevin's clothing before they could be analysed.
Mr Mcleod said: There were so many mistakes by the police it was unbelievable. There were too many mistakes and too many officers involved for it to just be incompetence, which makes us think it was a cover up".
A fatal accident inquiry ruled that Kevin's death February 1997 was accidential despite the patholigist saying his injuries were "consistent with a kicking received several hours prior to death".
Kevin an electrician, was engaged to Emma Sutherland and had been yo the town's Waterfront Nightclub on the night he died.

allan mcleod · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 157

Did this prisoner on home leave Murder Kevin ?

Latest Press Article -----

MSP challenges block on disclosure of prisoner's movements

Far north MSP Jamie Stone is contesting an official block on revealing whether a prisoner was on weekend leave at the time of the sudden, unexplained death of a young Wick man.
Mr Stone claims the Data Protection Act is being misused to block Kevin McLeod’s family attempts to find out how the 24-year-old met his end. They have been told the then-serving prisoner was seen in a fight with Kevin shortly before he went missing and the subsequent find of his body at the bottom of the town’s harbour in February 1997. The family also have information that the individual had travelled north from Porterfield Prison in Inverness on the weekend in question after being granted weekend leave towards the end of his sentence.The Scottish Prison Service’s refusal to disclose his whereabouts have been upheld in a freedom-of-information ruling. The stance was also reflected in a written reply Mr Stone received from Scottish Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill last month. Mr Stone yesterday vowed to challenge the veto, if necessary taking the case to the European Court of Justice and Human Rights. Mr Stone said yesterday: “I’m certainly not happy with the reply I received.“It seems to me that it would not have been difficult to answer the family’s request, even if it was to say this individual was definitely not at liberty at the time in question.“I’m mystified and irritated by the attitude which has been adopted.” Mr Stone is now calling on the Justice Minister to meet and representaives of the family. He has also met MEP and fellow Liberal Democrat George Lyon with a view to tabling a case with the ECHR.
Kevin’s parents Hugh and June McLeod and her brother Allan McLeod are certain the 24-year-old was ordered and believe the ex-prisoner was one of three men who took part in a vicious assault on him shortly before he ended up in the water.
Allan McLeod, from Alness, said yesterday: “If you're convicted of a crime which results in a prison sentence, you should lose your rights to that privacy. “If on your release, people suspect you have been involved in a crime, information about your movements should and must be revealed.” He continued: “It’s time Scotland 's judicial system and prison service opened up their secrets. “In America you can see online who is in what jail and how long they are serving. They even publish mugshots. “Here in Scotland it appears that the prisoner’s rights are more protected than the victims’ and their family’s.” Mr McLeod added: “The longer the authorities refuse to disclose this information, the more convinced we are that our suspicions are correct, in that this individual was indeed at liberty and involved with Kevin’s death.

allan mcleod · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 157

PRIVATE EYE MAGAZINE. - KEVINS CASE

SCOTTISH PRISON SERVICE - QUAY QUESTIONS

For your interest. - The above article can be seen on page 28 in the most recent issue of Private Eye magazine (7 -20 August ). I will try and find a link to this article.

allan mcleod · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 157

It cannot be forgotten that the polce totally contradicted the patholigists findings that Kevin's injuries was cosistent with a "Kicking" received several hours prior to death. Police concluded within '24 Hours' into a murder inquiry that, Kevin was walking home 'at speed' tripped and fell onto a 35" ornamental street bollard. Kicking - Street Bollard !!
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PRIVATE EYE MAGAZINE - 7 August 2009

SCOTTISH PRISON SERVICE - QUAY QUESTIONS

The family of a young man whose body was pulled from Wick Harbour in February 1997 is still trying to find out if a man who was dismissed as a suspect in the murder inquiry because he was in jail was, in fact, on weekend release at the time.
Kevin Mcleod was 24 when he died after a night out, in what his family believes was a violent murder. At the time, the Northern Constabulary's investigation concluded that the young electrician had tripped and fallen on to one of the bollards on the quayside, receiving severe internal injuries, before tumbling into the water. A fatal accident inquiry recorded an open verdict on Kevin's death. Some time later the family received information that a man had been seen having an altercation with Kevin earlier in the evening. Police promised to investigate but a detective told the Mcleods that the man in question had a solid alibi - he was a serving prisoner in Porterfield Prison when Kevin died. However, the family was then tipped-off that the man had been out of prison that weekend on temporary release.
Kevin's uncle, Allan Mcleod, has been trying to get an answer out of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) ever since, but it has refused to clear up the question of whether the prisoner was on weekend release or not. At first it simply denied even having the information, but in 2007 the Scottish information commissioner found that the SPS did hold "some relevant information"- but it couldn't be disclosed under freedom of information because of data protection laws as it was "sensitive personal data". This claim was inconsistent, to say the least, as the SPS had already given Mr Mcleod the prisoner's final release date - data that was surely equally personal.
MSP Jamie Stone recently placed a written question challenging the refusal, but Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill has flatly refused to answer. Stone said he was "mystified and irritated by the attidude" of the SPS and he plans to challenge the freedom of information ruling in the European court of justice and human rights if necessary.
Meanwhile the prisoner in question has been released and, the family understands, has left the country and emigrated to Thailand. That is no reason to stop pursuing the truth, they say. Allan Mcleod says the case has "been a dog's breakfast" since the beginning. The Northern Constabulary's deputy chief constable Keith Cullen escaped a disciplinary hearing over the handling of the case in 2003, retiring days before it was due to take place.
Then a report by the police complaints commissioner for Scotland condemned the handling of the family's complaints and in 2007 the family finally received an apology from the board of the Northern Constabulary. But what the family really wants is answers.

allan mcleod · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 157

Latest Press Article

FAMILY'S FURY OVER MACASKILL ' SNUB '

Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill has knocked back a request to meet with the family of a Far North man whose death over 12 years ago remains shrouded in mystery.
Kevin Mcleod's family has accused Mr MacAskill of snubbing them, contrasting his stance with his willingness to go to see Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi.
Kevin's parents Hugh and June Mcleod and his uncle Allan Mcleod wanted to meet Mr MacAskill to try and break the impasse in their bid to establish the movements of a man they believe was involved in the 24 year old's death. The man believed to live in Thailand, was a serving prisoner in February 1997 when Kevin ended up at the bottom of Wick harbour following a night out with friends. The Mcleods claim to have compelling evidence that the suspect was at the time on weekend leave from Porterfield Prison in Inverness.They also have passed onto the Crown information about people who claim to have witnessed the prisoner and two other men fighting with Kevin.
The altercation allegedly took place at The Shore shortly before Kevin is believed to have gone into the water. The Family have been repeatedly frustrated in their efforts to establish whether the prisoner was, indeed. at liberty at the time.The prison authorities insist they would be breaching the Data Protection Act were they to disclose the information being sought.The stance was upheld in the response to Freedom of Information request and Mr MacAskill has so far refused to intervene. The invitation to meet the family was made through local MSP Jamie Stone. The Mcleod's are furious that they have been denied a hearing. Allan Mcleod said yesterday,"We are disappointed but not surprised that the jusice secretary will not meet with Mr Stone and the family to discuss Kevin's case."Its obvious that Mr MacAskill's allegiance is to police forces and not to Scottish families or victims who have suffered injustice". He continued,"Mr MacAskill has never expressed any compassion with Kevin's case and has not afforded us even a two-minute meeting.
"It is therefore very frustrating when Mr MacAskill has chosen to meet the Lockerbie bomber - it appears foreigners are afforded access to our justice system while Scots are ignored". The family believes its experience underlines the need for more openness in the Scotish prison system. He said "In America, you can see online who is in what jail and how long they are serving. They even publish mug shots. Here in Scotland it appears that the prisoner's rights are more protected than the families and their victims".
Mr Mcleod sai the family has recently furnished Highland area fiscal Andrew Laing with fresh information about the prisoner's alleged involvment in Kevin's death. If the family exhausts mechanisms in the Scottish judicial system without success, it intends appealing to the European Court of Justice. Mr Mcleod said,"This case has been a dog's breakfast from the outset but no matter how long it takes, and regardless of cost, we are determined to expose the truth as to the true circumstances surrounding Kevin's horrific death". In turning down the request for a meeting, Mr MacAskill did not think it appropriate when. he said, discussions could cover "operational policing matters".

allan mcleod · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 157

http://www.inverness-courier.co.u...ill_showing_us_no_compassion.html

Believe me, You just could'nt make up what has gone on within Kevin's case.

Not forgetting that the patholigist informed the PF on Monday 10 February 1997 that Kevins massive internal injuries (her words) was "consistent with a Kicking recevied several hours prior to entering the water". Within 24 hours into a flawed murder inquiry, police concluded, "that Kevin was walking home at speed, tripped and fell on to a 35" ornamental street bollard then later fell in to the harbour". - Incredible, ridiculous but sadly laughable. The sheriff at the FAI in 1998 concluded an "Open verdict".

We Kevin's family and many others in the town of Wick now know that this serving prisoner was granted weekend home release and involved with Kevins death along with an off duty cop.
Note - this prisoner shortly after his final release in February 1997 emigrated to Thailand, we suspect he was advised to do so).

The Police, Prison and local Fiscal's Service are all aware of this, and thats why bent cops failed to conduct a proper murder investigation, and, at the first available opportunity destroyed all the evidence, and thats why all the authorities have collouded and covered every possible angle to prevent this prisoner's details from being disclosed. If, or should I say (when) it is eventually disclosed, they all know it will then expose the Corruption, Conspiracy, Collousion, and Cover-up that has exsisted within this case from the very outset, and that many senior officers and officials heads will undoubtedly roll. Even recently, after providing police with significant information obtained by our solicitor from named individuals alledging polce involvment with Kevin's death, police refused to investigate this crucial information, instead, they referred it to the Area PF as complaints (yes complaints) "made by the family" (not named individuals) of which the Area PF agreed.(yes agreed) However, they did investigate the annoymous information (yes annoymous) - Incredible !! - This is what we are up against folks.
- Corruption at its highest level. - Oh, and MacAskill is in on the cover-up as well.

However, these twisted, bent, corrupt cops and other officials involved in this case, can be well assured that the fight for truth and justice continues. - SHAME ON THEM ALL

Scots Against Injustice · Joined: 22 Jun 2009 Posts: 41

Post Removed.

allan mcleod · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 157

If it is good enough for one then it is good enough for the other.

http://www.johnogroat-journal.co....s__hotline_breaking_the_law_.html

scotkaz · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 526

Well done allan for getting your letter in the paper.

I am wondering how easy it really will be for parents to get this information over the phone??

Surely also there is a risk of vigilantes etc?

allan mcleod · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 157

This prisoner issue is of great public interest but moreso in the interests of justice. Therefore, why wont the authorities disclose this information ? I think we on this forum and the general public all know the reason why. - Instead, they are all hiding behind the Data Protection Act - No doubt "when it suits". Shame on each and every one of them who are protecting the truth from being exposed and defeating the ends of justice.

Latest press article - PLEA TO PRISONS BOSS OVER DEATH

http://www.johnogroat-journal.co....a_to_prisons_boss_over_death.html