The family of a banker who was shot on his doorstep say they are still being “kept in the dark” by Police Scotland as they criticised their treatment by the force.
Relatives of Alistair Wilson described Police Scotland’s chief constable Jo Farrell as “callous” saying it was “insulting” she told the media that she did not have immediate plans to meet with them.
The 30-year-old father of two was shot in Nairn in the Highlands in November 2004 and his killer has never been found.
Last week Scotland’s top law officer Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC announced she has ordered a complete reinvestigation of the case.
On Monday the chief constable said Police Scotland is “absolutely committed to trying to solve and get justice for the family of Alistair Wilson” and the force say the family have been kept updated on the investigation.
She told journalists on Monday she did not have “immediate plans” to meet with the Wilson family and when pressed on whether she would meet with them if they asked, said it is important for the new senior investigating officer (SIO) and family liaison officers to build a relationship.
The family also claim they have not been kept up to date about the appointment of the new investigating team.
Mr Wilson’s oldest son, Andrew Wilson, who was four-years-old when his father was murdered, said: “It remains a mystery to us, and we question why our family is still being kept in the dark while Jo Farrell is basking in the media spotlight as she talks of building bridges and providing confidence to our family.”
The chief constable said on Monday that a new senior investigating officer has been appointed.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “The Chief Constable was referencing the Strategic Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Superintendent Suzanne Chow, who was in contact with the family last week via family liaison officers.
“A Senior Investigating Officer has also been appointed and the wider team, which will take forward the reinvestigation, is being identified.
“The family have been kept updated on this work.”
The family said they were disappointed to hear that the chief constable has no plans to meet with them.
In a statement, first reported in the Press and Journal newspaper on Thursday, they said: “It was insulting for Jo Farrell to tell the media – not us – that she hasn’t “got any plans” to meet us.
“Learning of this impersonal response from her through media reports was a devastating blow dealt by a callous police chief.”
Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross raised the case at First Minister’s Questions at the Scottish Parliament and said the chief constable’s response to the Lord Advocate’s decision “falls below any standards we should expect”.
Mr Wilson was shot at about 7pm on Sunday November 28 after a man called at the family’s home on Crescent Road, Nairn, spoke to his wife, Veronica, who had answered the door, and asked for her husband by name.
The 30-year-old went downstairs to speak to the man and was handed a blue envelope with the word “Paul” on it.
He went inside briefly and then returned to the door for a second time where he was shot and died later that evening in hospital.
The gun, a Haenel Suhl pocket pistol from the 1930s, was recovered from a drain near his home 10 days after his murder.
His family said that the news there is to be a complete reinvestigation of the case was a “huge disappointment” as they fear there will not be continuity from the previous investigation team who have built up knowledge about the case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 515 of March 4 2022 and Operation Sorn or e-mail SCDHOLMESAberdeen@scotland.pnn.police.uk.
