Lothian and Borders police have confirmed that they are considering whether to proceed to bring charges against Crown Agent Norman [McFadyen], more than a week after receiving information from MSP Christine Grahame in respect of his handling of the Lockerbie investigation.
[McFadyen] is presently on leave and cannot be contacted.
Lothian and Borders police said they were considering the content of Ms Grahame's letter, and would not rule out bringing charges against [McFadyen]. A police press officer said that they could not give any indication as to what will happen in the future.
The contents of Ms Grahame's letter are not known. However on 17 July the Crown Office took the unprecedented step of issuing a statement in defence of Mr [McFadyen], saying he was "a man of the utmost integrity who is held in the highest regard by the Law Officers.”
The Crown statement added that Ms Grahame's letter contained “defamatory and entirely unfounded allegations of the most serious kind,” although to date The Firm understands that no action for defamation is proceeding.
[The above is the text of a news item posted yesterday on the website of the Scottish lawyers' magazine The Firm.
For an update from the magazine's website, click here.]
Can the Lothian and Borders Police bring charges against Mr McFadyn? Isn't the Crown Office the prosecuting authority?
ReplyDeleteL & B Police could bring charges against Mr McFadyen (though I would be amazed if they do). But it would be for the local procurator fiscal to decide whether a prosecution should be brought on those charges and s/he would certainly consult his/her superiors in the Crown Office.
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