Judge to head inquiry into murder of Emma Caldwell
Scottish high court judge Lord Scott has been appointed to lead the the public inquiry into the murder of Emma Caldwell. Iain Packer was convicted last year of killing the 27-year-old sex worker in woods in South Lanarkshire - 19 years after he was first identified as a suspect.The Scottish government ordered a judge-led public inquiry into the original police investigation into Emma's death in May 2005. Lord Scott was a prominent human rights lawyer before he became a judge in 2022.
In February last year Packer was convicted of offences against a total of 22 women, including 11 rapes.He was first interviewed by detectives a month after Emma's body was found. However, 19 years passed before Packer faced justice, and he sexually assaulted multiple women in the intervening years.Former detectives involved in the inquiry told BBC Scotland News that senior officers told them not to pursue Packer as a suspect, and to instead focus on building a case against four Turkish men.
The family of Ms Caldwell previously called for a judge from outside Scotland to chair the public inquiry, in order to make a truly independent assessment of what went wrong.Justice secretary Angela Constance said the inquiry would "provide answers to the victims and survivors involved and ensure that lessons are learned for the future". She added: "The other victims, as well as Emma's mother Margaret and the rest of the family, deserve nothing less after the unbearable loss, pain and grief they have suffered."Lord Scott has a strong track record on human rights and I am pleased that someone of his experience, expertise and legal standing will lead this inquiry. "Importantly, Emma's family support his appointment."
Lord Scott chaired the Scottish Human Rights Centre from 1997 to 2005 and has previously led a number of reviews of policing powers.He said: "I am aware of the significant public interest in this inquiry and the importance it holds for Emma Caldwell's family. "I will discharge my duties as chair independently, thoroughly and to the best of my ability."
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