Emma Caldwell’s family is meeting with John Swinney to discuss concerns over the inquiry into her murder investigation
Margaret Caldwell, Jim Coyle, and Stewart McGrory will sit down with the First Minister at Bute House in Edinburgh. They’re pushing for a non-Scottish judge to oversee the inquiry. The family believes the police made serious mistakes. They feel only an independent judge from outside Scotland can handle this properly.
Last year, the Scottish Government said they’d consider a judge from outside Scotland. But Emma’s family feels they’ve received no real assurance. They think there’s a plan to appoint a Scottish judge instead.
A statement from Emma’s family, shared by their lawyer Aamer Anwar, says they’ve campaigned hard for an independent inquiry. They want a judge who isn’t part of the Scottish system. Unfortunately, there’s been no progress on this front.
The family feels let down and believes the police can’t be trusted to investigate themselves. They plan to raise these concerns with Swinney and Justice Secretary Angela Constance. Emma was murdered in 2005 by serial rapist Iain Packer.
Emma’s body was found in Limefield Woods, near Roberton, South Lanarkshire, over a month after she went missing. Police interviewed Packer but didn’t convict him until nearly two decades later.
Four Turkish men were wrongly charged in 2007, but the case against them was dropped. It wasn’t until 2015 that detectives were told to look into Emma’s murder again. Packer was finally convicted in 2022, facing multiple charges, including Emma’s murder.
Police Scotland has since apologized for their handling of the original inquiry. A spokesperson from the Scottish Government expressed their condolences to Emma’s family, confirming that an independent inquiry will take place. They appreciate the chance to meet with the family to discuss their concerns further.
