Latest news with #PaulLivingstone
Times
a day ago
- Times
Officer who misled murdered banker's family in line for promotion
The family of a murdered banker have told of their anger after discovering a senior police officer who was found to have misled them was being lined up for a major promotion. Relatives of Alistair Wilson, who was shot dead on his doorstep in Nairn 21 years ago by an unknown assailant, were told a suspect would be arrested on May 15 last hoped the arrest would bring a breakthrough in the long-running, unsolved case but only learnt that it had not taken place owing to a last-minute decision when they later contacted a police liaison officer. Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone denied being aware that a date had been identified for the arrest, but an investigation by Police Scotland concluded this was not truthful and he was found guilty of misconduct. Despite this, he has now been selected for a prestigious training course and is reported to be in the process of being groomed to become assistant chief constable. A source close to the Wilson family told the Daily Mail they felt they had been 'betrayed'. 'They are deeply concerned but it is more a sense of outrage,' they said. 'The police claim their relationship with the family is a priority — but this proves it obviously isn't. After years of delays and a failure to make any breakthroughs, this feels like another betrayal for them.' • Murdered banker's son 'still has nightmares' about doorstep shooting Their concerns were echoed by Douglas Ross, the former Scottish Conservative leader. 'Eyebrows will be raised at the prospect of this officer potentially getting promoted for a senior leadership role, despite his previous conduct,' the Highlands & Islands MSP said. Ross added that 'instead of being held to account, it seems like those at the top of Police Scotland want to reward him'. He claimed that the move 'only risks adding insult to injury for a family desperate for answers'. Wilson, 30, a married father of two, was killed on the evening of November 28, 2004. A man called at the family's home and spoke to his wife, Veronica, who had answered the door, and asked for her went to speak to the man and was handed a blue envelope with 'Paul' written on it. He went inside and was shot when he returned to the gun used, a Haenel Suhl pistol from the 1930s, was missed in the first police search and was recovered from a nearby drain by a council worker ten days by Northern Constabulary in 2004 and Police Scotland in 2013 failed to make any significant progress or establish a motive. A reinvestigation was ordered last September after more than 150 'concerns' were highlighted in a review of the evidence gathered in the police inquiry into the killing. Crown Office officials ordered a fresh 'cold case' inquiry, involving a new police team. Jo Farrell, the chief constable, has now given Livingstone her backing to take part in the elite 19-week course, which, if completed, would pave the way for him to significantly increase his salary to more than £150,000. The executive leaders programme, run by the College of Policing, is a course which 'offers support and learning to build your personal resilience, boost your confidence and enhance your capabilities'. A police insider said: 'It's almost guaranteed that he will become an assistant chief constable once this course is completed.' Police Scotland declined to comment on Livingstone's participation in the course. Commenting on the investigation, Chief Superintendent Suzanne Chow said: 'Our relationship with Alistair's family is a priority and we are determined to bring those involved in Alistair's murder to justice.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Now family of murdered banker lodge complaint against Chief Constable
Scotland's top police officer is the subject of a complaint by the family of murdered banker Alistair Wilson about alleged dishonesty over her handling of the case. Chief Constable Jo Farrell is accused of making a misleading public statement about the reinvestigation of the cold case killing of father-of-two Mr Wilson, who was shot dead on his doorstep in Nairn in 2004. The Mail revealed yesterday that Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone, who was found to have lied to Mr Wilson's relatives about an aspect of the probe, has been selected for a prestigious training course. Ms Farrell's support for the selection drew fury from Mr Wilson's family, who said it was a 'betrayal' after years of failure by Police Scotland to make a breakthrough in the case. A statement on behalf of the Wilson family said they were 'deeply disappointed' to learn of Mr Livingstone's selection for the College of Policing course 'through the media – not from Police Scotland, who continue to claim that their relationship with our family is a priority'. It said that it was an 'outrage' for Mr Livingstone to be 'considered for promotion, despite lying'. The statement added: 'Equally troubling is that Chief Constable Jo Farrell has backed this promotion, despite our repeated concerns about Livingstone's competence and integrity.' The family said Ms Farrell had 'ignored our requests for a meeting to resolve these matters directly, while herself being subject to a [complaint about] her own honesty'. The Mail can reveal Mr Wilson's family submitted a complaint to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) about Ms Farrell relating to her handling of the reinvestigation of Mr Wilson's murder, ordered in September last year. It is understood they claim Ms Farrell said a team was already in place and working on the inquiry when in reality the senior investigating officer was on holiday. The complaint will be assessed by the SPA to gauge whether, if proved, it would be misconduct or gross misconduct, or neither, and it could decide to pass the complaint to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner. Asked to comment on the complaint against Ms Farrell, Police Scotland said inquiries regarding chief officers should be directed to the SPA. An SPA spokesman said: 'The Authority does not comment on individual complaint and conduct matters.' Last night the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents said it was 'supportive of Paul in his continued career'.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Fury over police 'betrayal' of shot banker's family as senior officer who misled them is in line for promotion
The family of murdered banker Alistair Wilson voiced their 'outrage' last night after it emerged a senior officer who misled them is in line for a major promotion. Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone, who was found guilty of misconduct, has been selected for a prestigious training course – and is being groomed to fill a vacant slot as Assistant Chief Constable. His selection was delayed after the row over the Wilson case but Chief Constable Jo Farrell has now given Mr Livingstone her backing to take part in the elite course – leading the victim's family to claim they have been 'betrayed'. Detectives investigating the 20-year-old unsolved murder of Mr Wilson, who was shot dead on his doorstep in Nairn, had been set to arrest a potential suspect, which it was hoped could lead to a breakthrough. The arrest, planned for May 15, 2023, was halted at the last moment, with Mr Wilson's family only finding out after they contacted a liaison officer for an update. Mr Livingstone then denied being aware that a date had been identified for the arrest, prompting an official complaint from the family – which was later upheld – that he had misled them. Last night a source close to the family said: 'They are deeply concerned but it is more a sense of outrage. The police claim their relationship with the family is a priority – but this proves it obviously isn't. 'After years of delays and a failure to make any breakthroughs, this feels like another betrayal for them' Scottish Tory Highlands and Islands MSP Douglas Ross said: 'Eyebrows will be raised at the prospect of this officer potentially getting promoted for a senior leadership role, despite his previous conduct.' Mr Ross said that 'instead of being held to account, it seems like those at the top of Police Scotland want to reward him', and the move 'only risks adding insult to injury for a family desperate for answers'. Police Scotland's Professional Standards Department assessed Mr Livingstone's actions as 'misconduct'. Ms Farrell approved Mr Livingstone being put forward for the executive leaders programme, run by the College of Policing – a 19-week course which 'offers support and learning to build your personal resilience, boost your confidence and enhance your capabilities through three comprehensive modules'. A source told the Mail: 'The force executive knew this would be controversial so it was held back. 'But there is a feeling that he is a good cop and this incident doesn't tell the whole story about how hard-working he is.' They added: 'It's almost guaranteed that he will become an Assistant Chief Constable once this course is completed.' The salary for an Assistant Chief Constable is £151,816, while the highest salary for Mr Livingstone's current rank is £111,568. Mr Livingstone could have faced dismissal if his actions had been found to be gross misconduct but it is not known what, if any, sanctions he has faced over the lesser breach of misconduct. In September last year, it emerged a complete reinvestigation of Mr Wilson's murder had been ordered after more than 150 'concerns' were highlighted in a review of the evidence gathered in the police inquiry. With the 20th anniversary of Mr Wilson's death approaching last year, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain issued a statement on September 16, 2024, announcing that a 'cold-case' investigation would take place. This, in turn, led to a statement from Mr Wilson's family in which they stated they had 'no confidence' in the police. They also hit out after Ms Farrell refused to meet them to discuss the case. Father-of-two Mr Wilson, 30, was shot dead on his doorstep in the Moray coast town of Nairn, on the evening of November 28, 2004, in a crime which shocked Scotland. A man called at the family's home and spoke to Mr Wilson's wife Veronica, who had answered the door. The man asked for her husband and when Mr Wilson went to speak to the man he was handed a blue envelope with 'Paul' written on it. Mr Wilson went inside briefly, then returned to the door, where he was shot. The gun used, a Haenel Suhl pistol from the 1930s, was missed in the initial police search and was recovered from a nearby drain by a council worker ten days later. Initial investigations, first by Northern Constabulary in 2004, then by Police Scotland in 2013, failed to make any significant progress or establish a motive, and no breakthrough has been forthcoming. A spokesman for Police Scotland declined to comment on Mr Livingstone's participation in the leadership course. Commenting on the investigation, Chief Superintendent Suzanne Chow said: 'Our relationship with Alistair's family is a priority and we are determined to bring those involved in Alistair's murder to justice.'
