Scots Crown Office prosecution of journalist Andy Coulson moved for third time, four week trial expected to cost more than £2m over perjury allegations in Sheridan case

Coulson trial date moved for third time. THE TRIAL of Andy Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World, for alleged perjury is due to start this Friday 15 May 2015 after being moved several times.

The trial - HMA v Andrew Coulson – is the only case resulting from a multi million pound Scottish Police operation condemned “Operation Rubicon” .

The trial is expected to last up to four weeks and cost taxpayers more than two million pounds.

Coulson, who went on to become David Cameron’s director of communications after leaving the News of the World, is accused of lying on oath during the trial of Solidarity party leader and former MSP, Tommy Sheridan, for perjury in Glasgow in December 2010. Sheridan was later convicted of perjury and sentenced to three years in prison.

Mr Coulson denies all of the charges against him

Scotland's Judicial Office initially said: "The trial diet in the case of HM Advocate v Andrew Coulson, previously set for Monday 11 May 2015, has been adjourned. The case will now call at 10am on Tuesday 12 May at the High Court in Edinburgh (Lawnmarket Court 3), to deal with any outstanding procedural matters and to fix another date for the trial to proceed."

The Judicial Office then updated their statement with another change of date: "A new trial diet in the case of HM Advocate v Andrew Coulson has been fixed following a hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh. The case will call at 10am on Friday 15 May 2015 at Edinburgh High Court (Lawnmarket Court 3).”

Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World who became Downing Street director of communications after Cameron came to power in 2010, was due to face a jury during the last weeks of this year's general election campaign, however legal argument led to the case being postponed until this week, removing a potential political embarrassment for the prime minister before the polls closed.

Coulson is charged with three counts of perjury relating to testimony he gave in the 2010 trial of Scottish politician Tommy Sheridan. The former News International journalist, who was working for Downing Street at the time, was called by the defence to answer questions about his role at the now defunct News of the World and his knowledge of the illegal interception of voicemails carried out by the newspaper's staff while he was editor. Sheridan was later convicted of perjury and sentenced to three years in prison and Coulson resigned from the government a month later.

In the wake of the 2011 phone-hacking scandal, Strathclyde Police launched "Operation Rubicon" to investigate allegations of misconduct at Sheridan's trial. As a result, in 2012 seven Scottish police officers detained the former editor at his home in Dulwich, South London at 6.30am and drove him to Glasgow. Shortly afterwards he was arrested and charged.

Also facing legal action are the paper's former Scottish editor Bob Bird and  senior reporter Douglas Wight. However Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland of the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has not announced any decision on whether prosecutors will proceed in the remaining two cases.

A similar operation run in England & Wales by the Crown Prosecution Service called "Operation Elveden", costing the public over £20 million has all but collapsed.

Nine out of the remaining twelve prosecutions against journalists – which included Andy Coulson - have been dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the entire operation branded an expensive taxpayer funded political witch hunt against the media.

Four more reporters were cleared at the Old Bailey of bribing public officials, taking the total number found not guilty by a jury to 14

An urgent review of the £20 million investigation was ordered last month, after the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction of former News of the World reporter Lucy Panton, who was the first reporter to be found guilty.

Ex Strathclyde Detective Chief John Mitchell appointed as Director of Investigations for Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland

A retired Strathclyde Police Officer, John Mitchell has been appointed as the first Director of Investigations working for Professor John McNeill, the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland (PCCS).

A former Detective Chief Superintendent and Head of CID at Strathclyde Police, Mr Mitchell retired in July and was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2012.

The appointment of the Director of Investigations is the most senior appointment made by the Commissioner this year as he prepares to take on an expanded remit and greater powers from 1 April 2013, when the PCCS becomes the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC).

John Mitchell said: “I am delighted and honoured to have been asked to take up the role of Director of Investigations by the Commissioner. My priority will be to ensure that the investigations team is resourced, trained and ready to carry out effective investigations from April next year.”

Speaking about the appointment Professor McNeill said: “The creation of PIRC represents an important step forward in how we hold the police to account in Scotland. I am delighted to have secured such a well-respected and experienced individual as John for this important role and look forward to welcoming him formally to the organisation on November. I have asked him to join the Scottish Government-led project to establish the PIRC and I am confident that, with the support of all parties, we will be fully prepared for our statutory duties by April 2013.”

The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 will, from April 1 2013, extend the remit of the PCCS from its current complaint review function to include independent investigations into the most serious incidents involving the police.

The types of investigations Mr Mitchell will lead include fatal road collisions involving police vehicles, deaths in custody, discharge of firearms by police officers, as well as investigations into criminal allegations against members of the police service. These investigations may be carried out under the direction of Crown, at the request of the Scottish Police Authority or the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland and, can also be instigated by the Commissioner himself, where there is a clear public interest.

Currently, these incidents are investigated by another police force in Scotland at the request of the Chief Constable or at the direction of Crown. However, from April the advent of a single Police Service of Scotland means that this option would not provide the assurance required by the public that there was effective oversight of the police in Scotland.

One of the first tasks facing the Director of Investigations will be to advise the Commissioner on the structure and recruitment strategy for the investigative arm of the PIRC. It is anticipated that he will lead a team of up to 22 investigators with a mix of skills and experience drawn from a range of backgrounds.

The PIRC will provide independent oversight of the second largest police service in the UK, behind the Metropolitan Police in London.

From April 1 2013 PIRC will investigate :

1.       allegations of a criminal nature (as directed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)

2.       death in police custody (under direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)

3.       death following police contact

4.       police use of firearms and other weapons as specified in regulations (referral by Chief Constable to PIRC)

5.       serious injury in police custody or following police contact (referral by Chief Constable to PIRC)

6.       complaints made against senior officers (at the request of the Scottish Police Authority)

7.       relevant police matters where the Commissioner considers it would be in the public interest to do so.

Public urged to report suspicious activity at Olympics say Anti-Terrorist Police, any Hoax Callers will face jail says Lord Advocate

Olympic Heavy Breathers face 3 months in Barlinnie – Lord Advocate. HOAX CALLERS attempting to disrupt Olympic events will be dealt with toughly by Scotland’s Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) claims Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland today who says anyone making hoax calls could face up to three months in jail. Meanwhile, the public have also been asked to report any suspicious activity or packages to Police, and as one officer commented, suspicious activity also includes any Council or Crown Office staff loitering or observed taking bungs from their criminal contacts (We recommend you take a picture first & send it in to us – Ed)

HOAX CALLERS DISRUPTING OLYMPIC EVENTS IN SCOTLAND COULD FACE IMPRISONMENT SAYS LORD ADVOCATE

Hoax callers who try to disrupt Olympic Games events in Scotland will risk imprisonment the Lord Advocate has warned today.

Prosecutors across the country will take tough action against anyone caught making hoax calls. Those who make hoax calls at any time put the lives of others at risk by diverting emergency services from genuine incidents. They also waste public resources, can create fear and cause disruption. Disruption could be more acute during public events such as the forthcoming Olympic Games football matches in Glasgow.

The Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland QC said: “The tough prosecution stance is designed to act as a deterrent and contribute towards a successful Olympic Games. The eyes of the world are on Great Britain; and Scotland will be a showcase for football competitions in Glasgow. Through our action I hope the prosecution service will help to deliver a safe and enjoyable Olympic Games”.

Hoax callers could face up to three months imprisonment for fire related offences and seven years for bomb hoax offences.

Detective Chief Superintendent John Cuddihy, Head of Serious and Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism, Strathclyde Police said: “The Olympic Games is the greatest sporting spectacle on earth, however, unfortunately there is a very small number of people who will try to spoil this event for everyone by making a hoax bomb call. Let me be clear, anyone who makes a hoax call will be found and will be arrested. Taking officers away from genuine incidents and wasting their time will not be tolerated.

“However, anyone who has a genuine suspicion about a person, a package or anything else must not be dissuaded from contacting police immediately. Even if you are not sure about something you have seen or heard, let us know, let us investigate and let us keep everyone safe.”

Strathclyde Police Chief Constable ‘objects to legal aid’ of Gamekeeper suing force over drugs bust claims as judge slams credibility of cops evidence

STEPHEN HOUSE, the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police has written to the Scottish Legal Aid Board objecting to the awarding of legal aid to Gamekeeper William Stirrat (52) who has now begun legal action against the force after appeal judges quashed his conviction & sentence to six years in jail over a £500,000 ­amphetamine sulphate bust.

Judges also criticised Officers of the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency,  with Lord Emslie saying there were “serious questions arose as to the credibility” of SCDEA officers evidence, in which it appears Police log books were altered, Police officers made three different statements regarding Stirrat’s alleged involvement in drug dealing, and that evidence was deliberately withheld by Prosecutors from Stirrat’s legal representatives.

The Sunday Mail newspaper reports

Gamekeeper who taught Prince William to shoot sues police over drugs bust claims

Jul 8 2012 Exclusive by Derek Alexander, Sunday Mail

A GAMEKEEPER who taught Prince William and Prince Harry how to shoot claims he was framed by drugs detectives. William Stirrat, 52, was sentenced to six years in jail over a £500,000 ­amphetamine sulphate bust. Police alleged he ran a drugs factory from two secluded huts in woods near the Douglas and Angus Estate in Crawford, Lanarkshire, where he worked.

Now Stirrat is suing Strathclyde Police after appeal judges quashed his conviction and criticised Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency officers.

Lord Emslie’s report said “serious questions arose as to the credibility” of SDEA officers’ evidence.

Stirrat spent six months in prison before his conviction was overturned at the Court of Appeal in November 2010. His co-accused William Findlay also had his conviction quashed. Two other men, Gary McKay and George Hollow, earlier walked free on not-proven verdicts.

Now Stirrat has started legal action against the police over claims he was fitted up by two SDEA officers during the 2002 investigation. He says detective constables John West and John McClatchie gave contradictory evidence about surveillance operations.

Stirrat said yesterday: “My life has been ruined by these officers – I lost my wife, my job and my home. I loved my work and would never have done anything to put it at risk. I was never involved in drug dealing and have never been involved in any criminality.”

West made three different statements about Stirrat’s involvement in drug dealing, two of which were withheld from the gamekeeper’s defence team. It also emerged that police log books were altered.

West claimed he saw Stirrat and Findlay leave the drug huts on February 21, 2002 – but the log entry was made on March 5. McClatchie also changed evidence he gave at an earlier trial, which was deserted because of illness.

Dad-of-two Stirrat, of Logan, Ayrshire, was forced to leave his home on the estate where he took the princes grouse shooting following the drug allegations. He also claimed Strathclyde Police are refusing to return his gun licence because he is taking them to court.

Chief Constable Stephen House has written to the Scottish Legal Aid Board and objected to Stirrat being granted legal aid.

Stirrat said yesterday: “I was in a privileged position and was lucky enough to meet William and Harry four or five times. “I’ve also been in the same company as the Queen. I’d never have done anything to put my job in danger. I knew the huts were there, but they weren’t on the grounds I looked after so I had no interest in them. But because I didn’t report them to the landowner or my employers, that was considered an indication of guilt. My life has been shattered by all of this and I’ve not even had as much as an apology.”

West and McClatchie have now retired from the police.

Strathclyde Police said: “Correspondence was received from the Scottish Legal Aid Board further to an application being granted to William Stirrat in order for him to raise an action against the chief constable and two former police officers. The chief constable is entitled to object and has done so in this case.”

West refused to comment. McClatchie was unavailable for comment.

Strathclyde Police vehicle stop ‘had no legal basis’, says Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland

Strathclyde Police has been heavily criticised in a report PCCS/00044/11/SP (pdf) published by the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland for the way it handled a series of complaints from a driver pursued for seven miles along a motorway by plain clothes detectives in an unmarked police car. During the incident, which happened in January last year, the man was so frightened that he called 999 from his car, only to be told that the vehicle following him was in fact a police car. In his report, the Commissioner, Professor John McNeill, describes the way Strathclyde Police handled three out of four complaints from the man as ‘poor’.

One of the complaints centred on the decision by the officers involved to pursue his vehicle in their unmarked car. The Commissioner cited the 2009 ACPOS guidance on police vehicle pursuits, which prohibits the use of unmarked vehicles which do not have audible visual warning equipment. He went on to remind the force that under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act only uniformed officers can require a vehicle to stop. The Commissioner’s view was that it was “wholly unsatisfactory” that the force issued corrective advice to the officers involved, effectively substantiating the complaint, while failing to formally record it or issue any kind of response to the man who made the complaint.

The report, called a complaint handling review, goes on to recommend that Strathclyde Police apologises to the man on two counts; for the pursuit in an unsuitable vehicle and for having been stopped when the plain clothes officers lacked the power to do so. The Commissioner has also asked the force to respond to concerns raised by the man in his complaints about his personal safety during questioning in a vehicle on the hard shoulder.

Professor McNeill: “I am currently undertaking an audit of all forces in Scotland to establish how effective they are at identifying and recording complaints from the public. I am happy to say that this man’s experience is not typical of what I have seen elsewhere in Scotland. Nonetheless, this case serves as a timely reminder that poor complaint handling damages public confidence in the police.”

No comment has been issued by Strathclyde Police on their website.

The other 15 complaints reports published this month by the PCCS can be downloaded from PCCS Complaints Handling Reviews

Under proposals in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill, the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland will be renamed the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner and its remit extended to include investigations into the most serious incidents and criminal offences involving the police.

Crown Office ‘BLOCKED’ Strathclyde Police demands for search warrants to investigate Glasgow Council leader Steven Purcell & City Building quango

Claims made Crown Office refused Police the power to raid Glasgow City Council buildings & ex Council leader Purcell. Credible claims backed up by leaked documents have been made to investigative journalists showing the most senior officials & prosecutors at the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) under former Lord Advocate now Dame Elish Angiolini DBE QC, (born McPhilomy) BLOCKED a series of applications for search warrants made by Strathclyde Police to raid premises connected with shamed ex Glasgow City Council boss Steven Purcell & the Council’s arms length organisation City Building, an organisation which was set up under Mr Purcell prior to his shamed exit as leader of Glasgow City Council after revelations in the media of cocaine addiction and other irregularities at the City Council which caused the former Council leader to flee the country in 2010.

A “key player” in moves at the time to investigate Steven Purcell and the many arms length organisations (ALEOs) of Glasgow City Council which faced serious allegations of corruption & political favouritism involving Scottish Labour figures has now disclosed at least FOUR applications for search warrants made by Strathclyde Police to raid private premises and even City Council buildings were REFUSED by the Crown Office under the then Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini. Dame Angiolini as she is now known, was appointed to the position of Lord Advocate in 2006 by the then First Minister, Jack McConnell, now Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale.

On top of the suspicious string of search warrant refusals, a series of written exchanges & accounts of meetings between Police & prosecutors which cannot be published for legal reasons show Police Officers growing frustration over a lack of cooperation from the Crown Office, with one officer claiming “… it appeared the Crown Office did not want the Police to investigate Mr Purcell or any kind of wrongdoing at Glasgow City Council.”

One now retired insider told an investigating journalist earlier this week : “I often wondered if the Crown Office itself had been infiltrated by organised crime to the same extent some of the organisations we were investigating at the time appeared to be”.

Further, more serious allegations have also been made against some of Glasgow’s ‘long time’ party political figures, where it is alleged several councillors & members of one particular political party (guess which one ? – Ed) have “financial & social links to organised crime families” which have been well known to Police for years, yet all attempts by Strathclyde Police to pursue these allegations have allegedly failed due to what one insider referred to as “political based interference from the Crown Office”.

The unnamed “key player” has also disclosed a series of what can only be described as “threatening letters” sent from an UNNAMED Glasgow based private law firm which has also been linked back to its representing of senior figures at the Crown Office and in Scotland’s judiciary. It has been alleged the contents of the letters and notes of telephone conversations which are now known to journalists, formed part of a plan to thwart any substantive investigation into Mr Purcell and Glasgow City Council.

Concern was expressed in some of the meetings that it appeared the law firm involved “.. had been well briefed from the inside on the ongoing Police investigations of Purcell & City Building to the point the lawyer appeared to know every move Strathclyde Police officers made on the case.” Commenting on the changing patterns of suspects who appeared to “be aware of“ the Police investigation, one insider alleged “the inside knowledge some appeared to have of the investigation was probably used to warn suspects they were under observation.”

It is now of course widely known, the same law firm, LEVY MCRAE, who represented the shamed Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell, ALSO represented the then serving Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini in connection with allegations made in the Hollie Greig abuse case, which recently saw Robert Green, the Greig family’s legal adviser & campaigner jailed for ONE YEAR after he was arrested in February 2010 for handing out leaflets calling for an inquiry into allegations of abuse against downs syndrome victim Hollie Greig.

No explanations have ever been offered as to why Scotland's top law officer used the same law firm who attempted to block media coverage of the Purcell Cocaine scandal and who operate for clients based in the notorious offshore tax haven of the Cayman Islands.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill worked at, has ties to same law firm used by then Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini in interdict case. As details of the Hollie Greig case began to be reported in the wider press, it emerged the Scottish Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill has personal links to LEVY MCRAE, the law firm employed by the then Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini in legal action over the abuse case allegations. Mr MacAskill has made no comment on the fact he served his apprenticeship at Levy McRae and also worked at the firm for a considerable time during his years as a solicitor before he entered politics. The revelations of MacAskill’s links to Levy McRae, the same law firm who represented Steven Purcell, were reported by Scottish Law Reporter at the time, HERE

Former Lord Advocate now Dame Elish Angiolini employed Cayman Islands hopping lawyers from Glasgow. Previously reported, the then Lord Advocate, now Dame Elish Angiolini had employed private law firm Levy McRae to serve interdicts on Mr Green in connection with his campaign to ‘out’ alleged abusers of downs syndrome victim Hollie Greig. Glasgow law firm Levy McRae who later represented shamed former Glasgow City Council Boss & Cocaine addict Steven Purcell, proceeded to threaten several media outlets & journalists over their reporting of the case, covered by Scottish Law Reporter HERE & HERE. The Purcell scandal caused some newspapers to ‘evaluate’ their relationship with Levy McRae, details of which were featured in a report here : HERE

Scottish Law Reporter recently published an investigation into the knighthood of Angiolini, apparently recommended by the Scottish Government. Dame Elish Angiolini was also appointed Ministerial complaints adviser to Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond. More recently, Dame Elish Angiolini was also appointed to the post of Principal of St Hugh’s College, Oxford.

Wednesday 14 December 2011 : The day Scotland’s Government gives Police powers to ‘even-up’ Sectarian Crime Statistics by arresting more Catholics

What the Crown Office wants, the Crown Office gets : A chance to arrest more Catholics to even up crime stats. The Scottish Government have earlier this morning issued a Press Release in clear confidence the SNP majority will wave through the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill which aims to deal with Scotland’s secret sectarian menace by allowing Scottish Police Forces to arrest & prosecute more Roman Catholics to even up the sectarian statistics after an earlier set of figures revealed most sectarian crimes in Scotland targeted Catholics. The historical data on sectarian crimes in Scotland which would have revealed even more shocking figures of religious hate crimes against Roman Catholics & other religious minorities was so shocking, political orders were issued to the Crown Office to destroy it before the substance of the figures could be debated by academics & politicians who called for its release.

Sectarianism is the unmentionable problem of Scotland which First Minister Alex Salmond’s SNP Government are afraid of accurately documenting due to their own assessment that revealing the sheer scale of Scotland’s sectarian problem may skew the predominantly Catholic European Union’s view of an independent Scotland asking for EU membership. There is also now no doubt Sectarianism in Scotland has grown because successive Scottish administrations from ALL political parties have systematically failed to deal with sectarianism due to its appearance and possibly participation in by all levels of Scottish society including members of law enforcement & the justice system.

While some many welcome today’s attempt to tackle the problems, many observers feel the issue of tackling sectarianism via the new bill has become one of pure spin rather than tackling actual crime & sectarian sentiment which appears to run rife in Scotland. The passage of the bill has seen the First Minister and the SNP Government genuflecting before Strathclyde Police & Scotland’s Crown Office & Procurators Fiscal Service (COPFS) to give dream powers which criminalise everything short of standing in silence watching a football match.

The Scottish Government’s Press Release, issued prior to the debate & vote in the Scottish Parliament.

Offensive behaviour at football

Scotland must have the courage of its convictions and give the police and prosecutors the additional tools they have asked for to extract 'poisonous songs of hatred' from Scottish football and threats of harm being posted on the internet, Roseanna Cunningham said today.

The Minister for Community Safety was speaking as the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill reaches its final stage in Parliament this week.

The Minister reiterated that the vast majority of football fans at all clubs have nothing to fear from the new laws but said that the 'bigoted minority' who continue to sing offensive sectarian hatred in the name of football and who cause the public disorder which follows it should not be allowed to 'shame Scotland any longer'.

Ms Cunningham said that the experts are firmly behind the Bill and it was now time for 'common sense to prevail'. She said: "Sectarianism shouldn't be part of a modern Scotland and we need to do everything we can to eradicate it once and for all. To put it quite simply, it will not be tolerated. We must remember why we are acting. Songs are being sung at football matches in Scotland which have nothing to do with football and everything to do with hatred, violence and bigotry. Bombs have been sent through the post to individuals because of their links to particular football clubs, and death threats against a football manager posted on the internet. The offensive chanting of a minority of fans has already led to UEFA taking action against two Scottish clubs and the actions of these fans has brought shame on Scotland.

"The police and the Lord Advocate, the most senior law officer in Scotland, have asked for better tools to do their difficult job. The issues we seek to address did not just emerge in the last football season. The status quo which allows poisonous songs of hatred to be sung at Scottish football matches or threats of serious harm to be posted on the internet has gone unchallenged for too long and cannot be allowed to continue. It is time to extract the poisonous hatred from Scottish football. Banter and passionate support for football teams, even passionate opposition to other football teams, is the lifeblood of football - sectarianism and other expressions of hate are not. The experts remain firmly behind this Bill and Scotland must now show the courage of its convictions and take the action needed. Common sense must now prevail. The well-behaved fans of all clubs, who are the vast majority, have nothing to fear from a Bill which will make Scottish football and society better. This comes down to a choice. You can either do nothing and allow the status quo which allows the mindless bigot to thrive or we can take the strong action needed now and send out a message that this behaviour is not going to be tolerated any longer."

Supportive comment for the Scottish Government's proposals:

Assistant Chief Constable Campbell Corrigan, Strathclyde Police: "My view on this is quite clear. I support this legislation because it seeks to deal with a problem that we know that we have. We do have people behaving inappropriately in and around football matches and we do still hear songs being sung that have nothing to do with football and everything to do with hatred, religion and terrorism." (6 October 2011)

Lord Advocate (letter to Justice Committee, 1 November): "I fully endorse the introduction of specific offences relating to offensive behaviour at football matches and threatening communications. The offences will provide an invaluable tool for the police and prosecutors to target and tackle the unacceptable behaviour that has been associated with football." (1 November 2011)

Henry McLeish: "I applaud the legislation because this is besmirching Scotland's reputation. There is no doubt in my mind there are excesses in Scottish Football, a darker side we must get rid of. I make no apologies about that. We have to be tough. If we want this kind of warmer, friendlier game we need to tackle these excesses. And in that that case Alex Salmond is right, this is an embarrassment to Scotland" (8 December 2011)

Ian Galloway, Convener, Church and Society Council, Church of Scotland: "The Bill has been amended and improved; we have been able to engage with it, as have a range of other organisations. The consideration and debate about the issues related to the Bill have been important I think in moving Scotland forward." (December 2011)

Bishop Philip Tartaglia, Catholic Church: "I share the concerns of the Scottish Government that sectarianism should be eradicated from Scottish society. Fears that the wide remit of the 'Offensive Behaviour Bill' might impinge on the freedom to hold and express otherwise inoffensive views appear to have been recognised and are being addressed." (7 October 2011)

Stewart Regan, Chief Executive, SFA: "The Scottish FA welcomes the new Bill as tangible evidence of the success of the Joint Action Group. In particular, we are pleased to see that it covers sectarian and other forms of unacceptable chanting and threatening behaviour." (17 June 2011)

Scottish Premier League: "It is clear that offensive and threatening behaviour has no place in Scottish football and the SPL will continue to work with all members of the Joint Action Group to address this issue. On the day the fixtures for the new Clydesdale Bank Premier League season are announced, we would hope that Scottish football is in the headlines for the right reasons this season." (17 June 2011)

Pat Nevin, football commentator: "I'm personally delighted that the Parliament are going down this direction: it's been a long time overdue for me and the problem has been in Scotland, particularly the West of Scotland for a number of years". (17 June 2011)

Les Gray, Chairman of Scottish Police Federation: "Now, if somebody's going to tell me that the current situation is working fine then these people are living in cloud cuckoo land because it's not working fine."(12 December 2011).

Paul McBride QC: "I think this is the most important legislation to be passed in Scotland in the past 30 years, because it deals with a problem we absolutely have to solve". (18 June 2011)

Craig Brown, Manger of Aberdeen FC and Former Scotland Boss: "I don't think there is anyone who could dispute the benefit of this. This is something that has to be commended." (18 June 2011).

Justice Committee - September 13

SFA: "We have found the joint action group process to be helpful in examining the governance structure of football in the context in which we are meeting. We all want to improve matters and to see a redefining of the acceptable parameters of behaviour within stadia and Scottish football. We are here to give full support to the bill."

Chief Superintendent David O'Connor (Association of Scottish Police Superintendents): "The legislation could be applied to football or beyond football. We have to deal with a variety of legislation - the whole legislative framework must be taken into consideration. However, we are looking for something that will help us and that will be another string to the bow in dealing with the challenges of football."

Written Submissions to Justice Committee by August 26

Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland Football Sub Group: "ACPOS Football Sub Group fully support the introduction of legislation which is specifically enacted with the intention of tackling offensive behaviour at football. There is clearly a variety of statutory legislation already in existence which can be utilised, however this does not always fit with the variety of different incidents now witnessed throughout the football environment."

Equality and Human Rights Commission Scotland: "We welcome the Scottish Government's commitment to challenging sectarianism in Scotland."

Equality Network: "We welcome the policy intention of the Scottish Government to address the problem of the expression and stirring up of sectarian and other hatred, in relation to football, and to address incitement to violence and hatred through online and other communication".

Detail on Bill:

The Bill provides for two new offences: Offensive Behaviour related to football and Threatening Communications.

OFFENCE A - "OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR"

Intended to deal with sectarian and other offensive chanting and threatening behaviour likely to cause public disorder. The offence covers behaviour likely to lead to public disorder:

Expressing or inciting religious, racial or other forms of hatred. Threatening behaviour or behaviour which would be Offensive to any reasonable person. Covers behaviour at and on the way to or from a "regulated football match", which includes league, European and international matches. Definition based on football banning orders (FBO) legislation, which means there is the potential for an FBO to be imposed in every case. Also covers anywhere a match is being broadcast in a public place, and travel to and from such places. Covers a wide range of behaviours with appropriate relevant penalties ranging from fixed penalty notices (£40) and Community Payback Orders to a maximum of 5 years in prison and an unlimited fine.

OFFENCE B - "THREATENING COMMUNICATIONS"

Intended to deal with threats of serious harm and threats which incite religious hatred.
The offence covers:

Threats of serious harm intended to cause fear and alarm, or reckless as to whether they do. This includes implied threats (e.g. the posting of bullets or images depicting serious harm). Threats intended to incite religious hatred. It is a defence that the behaviour was in the situation "reasonable". This is intended to exclude artistic performance etc. Maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and an unlimited fine.

The offence will NOT:

Stop peaceful preaching or proselytising. Restrict freedom of speech including the right to criticise or comment on religion or non-religious beliefs, even in harsh terms. Criminalise jokes and satire about religion or non-religious belief.

Scottish Hackergate : Crown Office confirms Strathclyde Police in ‘narrow focus’ Sheridan trial inquiry, telephone hacking & Police corruption probe

THE CROWN OFFICE have confirmed Strathclyde Police are to investigate claims of telephone hacking & breaches of data protection in Scotland, albeit in a ‘narrow focussed’ inquiry relating to the News of the World hacking scandal (I wouldn’t advise anyone to expect too much of this one – Ed)

Strathclyde Police are also to investigate any allegations or instances of Police corruption although as records of investigation into Police corruption go, none have been all that successful in Scotland.

One of our reporters, apparently familiar with many examples where Police officers in Scotland had inappropriate contact with outside interests where money changed hands for information, posed the following question in the office this morning.

Our reporter discussed the merits of the inquiry and asked : Would this include instances where for example, a Detective Sergeant from an unnamed Scottish Police Force hacked information on his Detective Chief Inspector who was having an affair with a married burglary victim and went on to sell the information to a tabloid newspaper, generating headlines which disgraced his senior officer who was then forced to retire ? … (Jings ! and I thought the subject under investigation was Police selling information to the media ! – Ed)

A Press Release issued by the Crown Office states :

Investigation into alleged telephone hacking in Scotland 

From: Crown Office

INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED TELEPHONE HACKING IN SCOTLAND

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service have today confirmed that a Strathclyde Police investigation into claims of phone hacking and breaches of data protection in Scotland has commenced.

The Crown had previously asked Strathclyde Police to make a preliminary assessment of the available information and the evidence given by certain witnesses in the trial of Tommy Sheridan following allegations made against the News of the World newspaper.

The preliminary assessment has concluded. Strathclyde Police have now reviewed the available information and following liaison with the Area Procurator Fiscal at Glasgow the Crown has instructed an investigation should commence.

The investigation will be progressed expeditiously and in close liaison with the Area Procurator Fiscal and Crown Counsel. Significant resources will be deployed though these will vary with the needs of the investigation.

The investigation will cover the following:

1. Allegations that witnesses gave perjured evidence in the trial of Tommy Sheridan.

2. Allegations that, in respect of persons resident in Scotland, there are breaches of data protection legislation or other offences in relation to unlawful access to personal data.

3. Alleged offences determined from material held by the Metropolitan Police in respect of 'phone hacking' (Contraventions of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000) and breaches of data protection legislation in Scotland.

4. Alleged instances of police corruption linked to items 2 and 3 above, in respect of the unlawful provision of information or other personal data to journalists or persons acting on their behalf.

Having investigated these matters Strathclyde Police will report to the Area Procurator Fiscal at Glasgow and Crown Counsel.

Law & Order : Police claim ‘evidence sharing’ will force officers off patrols & frontline duties

New legislation which allows defence lawyers to see more evidence in criminal cases will, Police claim, lead to officers being taken off patrol duties to deal with evidence sharing with defence solicitors.

The Scotsman reports :

This red tape will force us to take officers off streets, say police chiefs

Published Date: 02 June 2009
By Michael Howie

NEW laws forcing police to share more evidence with defence lawyers would lead to a "significant" cut in the numbers of front-line officers, a chief constable has warned.

Stephen House, of Strathclyde Police, is cautioning MSPs against approving SNP plans for strict rules over which material gained during crime investigations is passed to defence lawyers, saying similar moves in England and Wales had created a bureaucratic "monster".

Scotland's top serious crime-fighting operation, the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA), says it would have to dedicate 15 officers to administrative tasks if the move went ahead – effectively costing it £1 million a year.

The Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill, which is going through the Scottish Parliament, proposes to create a statutory system for the disclosure of evidence to defence lawyers ahead of trials in all "solemn", or more serious, cases.

The prosecution will have a duty to review all information that may be relevant to a case, whether for or against the accused. That duty will effectively be passed to the police.

It follows a review of the system by Lord Coulsfield, who wrote in his report that police said should "err on the side of recording doubtful material rather than discarding it".

Mr House said: "I'm more than worried about what the provisions in the bill will mean in terms of resources. I worked in the English and Welsh system for 27 years and disclosure was a massive, massive drain on police resources when it commenced. It was a monster."

He said every officer would have to be given training on the new disclosure system, which he claimed would create a huge amount of administrative work for almost every criminal investigation.

Mr House said the proposals were trying to put "too much" into the law, and that there should be more flexibility in terms of deciding what information gained in crime investigations needed to be flagged up.

If the change went ahead, police officers would have to be pulled off every investigation simply to make sure the disclosure rules were complied with, he said.

He added that the current system contained "an element of trust on all sides" about what evidence was potentially significant and therefore should be made available to the defence.

"More and more police officers will have to sit down and work what all the materials are, how you should schedule them, which papers I send to the procurator-fiscal. It will all go into far more detail than the current system," Mr House warned.

Gordon Meldrum, head of the SCDEA, said 15 of his officers would have to be put on to full-time administrative duties. "I believe we would need that number of people because of the scale of our inquiries," he said.

To highlight the scale of the challenge, he said a current inquiry involved some 200,000 documents, adding: "We would have to schedule every single one of these documents."

The SNP has pledged to recruit an extra 1,000 police, and ministers will be anxious to avoid policies that offset this recruitment drive by adding red tape.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "There will be changes in the way people work but the bill provisions seek to clarify the law and broadly enact what is already happening at common law."

Law & Order : £1m cost to taxpayer of suspended Police Officers

Reports by the Sunday Herald newspaper reveal that £1million of taxpayers money is being spent on keeping Police officers suspended for various reasons, including criminal charges.

Additionally, reports in the newspaper reveal that two Police officers have been on suspension for four years !

The Sunday Herald reports :

Police under fire as two suspended officers spend four years on full pay

New figures reveal £1m cost to taxpayer in wages for disciplined officers
By Paul Hutcheon, Investigations Editor

SCOTLAND'S POLICE forces are under pressure to reform their disciplinary systems after it emerged that two officers have been suspended on full pay for nearly four years each. Thirty-two officers across Scotland are currently suspended, at a cost to the taxpayer of around £1 million pounds.

They face allegations relating to drug offences, excessive force and "corrupt practices". The figures were handed to the Sunday Herald following a freedom of information (FOI) request to the country's eight police forces.

Each force was asked for the number of suspended officers, the total wage bill racked up during their disciplinary investigation, how long each officer had been off work and the offences they were accused of.

Six officers are currently suspended on full pay in the Grampian force. Four have been off for less than a year. However, another officer has been suspended for two-and-a-half years, while a colleague has been suspended for nearly four years. The total wage bill, according to the organisation, is at least £282,926.

Eleven officers in Strathclyde Police, Scotland's largest force, are suspended on full pay. Four have been away from the front line for less than a year, six for over one year, while an unnamed officer has been off for three years and nine months. Neither Grampian nor Strathclyde would confirm why their officers had been suspended.

In the Lothian and Borders force six officers are currently suspended - the longest being for 15 months. All six are suspected of committing criminal acts, four of whom have been reported to the procurator-fiscal. The wage bill for the six during the disciplinary procedure comes to £165,906.

In Tayside, two officers are suspended on full pay following allegations of drug offences, a breach of data protection and alleged corrupt practices. The force declined to put a figure on the wage bill on the grounds it was "personal data".

Fife Constabulary, however, said that the total cost to the taxpayer of suspending three of its officers was £120,188.95. The force confirmed that each of the three was facing "criminal and or misconduct investigations".

A senior police source, while defending an officer's right to receive full pay while on suspension, said it was "ridiculous" for a case to drag on for four years.

Tory MSP Bill Aitken said: "It is clearly in the best interests of both the individual officers and the taxpayer that these matters are disposed of as quickly as possible. Where the allegations do not concern alleged criminality, these suspensions should be dealt with in days, rather than weeks."

Raymond Pratt, the deputy general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said: "Whether an officer is suspended is a matter purely for the deputy chief constable. We believe it should be used in only the most serious cases and for the shortest possible period of time. We cannot comment on particular cases but we are concerned about the adverse effects of lengthy periods of suspension on officers and their families."

Superintendent Iain McGrory, the head of professional standards at Grampian Police, said: "In line with employment law, we cannot comment on individual cases, especially so when criminal proceedings are still active.

"But the decision to suspend a member of the force is given very careful consideration and clearly it is not in anyone's interest for that suspension to last any longer than necessary."

Chief Superintendent John Pollock, at Strathclyde Police, said: "The force is fully committed to ensuring a proper balance between the need to protect the public, protecting individual officers and to provide value for money and sustain confidence in policing.

"Having reviewed our approach to suspension, we have reduced the number of officers currently suspended."

Scottish Government backs spying, infiltration of protest groups according to Justice Secretary

Well there’s one thing no one can accuse the SNP of being, and that's ‘not lacking behind Westminster in the surveillance stakes’, as Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill today confirmed during Holyrood question time in a question from Green MSP Patrick Harvie, that the SNP Scottish Government supports the use of Police forces to infiltrate protest & campaign groups by whatever means necessary.

Hot on the heals of Patrick Harvie’s questions, came the Conservative’s Justice Spokesman, Bill Aitken MSP, who seemed to go all Douglas Haggarty supportive on Kenny MacAskill, in an attempt to take the sting out of Patrick Harvie’s line.

Aitlen indulged in copious amounts of praise for Mr MacAskill’s support of Strathclyde Police’s attempted bribing of members of “Plane Stupid” .. while we note revelations emerge that many campaign & protest groups appear now to be infiltrated in similar ways .. (Phew, what a joke .. the Tories could do with a new Justice Spokesman in Scotland ! – Ed)

(Of course, spying is the right thing for the SNP to do on political opponents & journalists, right ? errm ? anyone ? – Ed again)

Watch the video here :

Kenny MacAskill receives some much needed ‘kissy kissy’ from Tory Bill Aitken on ‘lets bug, spy on political opponents & campaign groups’ policy

Surveillance Society : UK Police infiltrated protest groups to spy on activists, destaibilise campaigns

In what is not a particularly great surprise to many, it has been revealed that Police forces across the UK, including Scotland, have infiltrated protest groups to gather intelligence on members and their aims.

However rumours are now circulating those same Police forces may have used their insiders to destabilise protests, campaign groups, and discredit organisations in the media …

The Sunday Herald reports :

Revealed: a web of police bids to infiltrate protest groups

Anti-nuclear and other groups back up Plane Stupid claims
By Rob Edwards, Environment Editor

A LONG-RUNNING and intricate web of covert police attempts to spy on peaceful activists and infiltrate legitimate protest movements in Scotland has been uncovered by the Sunday Herald.

Citizens protesting against nuclear bases on the Clyde have been offered cash for intelligence by Ministry of Defence (MoD) police, it has been claimed, while environmental activists report similar offers from Strathclyde Police.

They all back up the revelation made yesterday that Strathclyde Police offered to pay Tilly Gifford, an anti-airport protester with Plane Stupid, to inform on the movement. She recorded two police officers making the proposals.

The veteran anti-nuclear activist, Jane Tallents, from Helensburgh, told last night how she and five others arrested for blockading the Coulport nuclear arms depot on Loch Long were offered money by officers. They were all invited one by one for "cosy chats" with two female MoD police officers, she said.

They were taken from their police cells on September 7, 2005, she said, and asked if they would like to help by supplying information.

"They wanted to know who we were working with and asked if we could come to an arrangement," Tallents said. "It was pretty clear they were offering to give us money. I remember coming out and shouting to a friend that they were offering to pay us. We laughed about it."

Tallents said police spies were an occupational hazard for the anti-nuclear movement, and told how a woman later unmasked as an MoD policewoman had visited the Faslane peace camp. She said police spies used to be easy to spot by their shiny shoes, but even if they looked the part "they are still easy to spot because they can't talk from the heart".

Tallents' account of being offered money in 2005 was supported by another of those arrested at the time, Angie Zelter from north Norfolk.

A spokesman for the MoD police said last night: "We can neither confirm nor deny the specifics of the allegations, but the MoD police have a responsibility for the protection of MoD assets from terrorism and unlawful interference.

"This is a responsibility it takes very seriously and it uses all available legal powers to carry out these duties."

Other activists from Plane Stupid also spoke yesterday of being approached by Strathclyde Police. One, who declined to be named, said he met police officers at a garden centre in January, where he was asked about the group's activities and at the end of the conversation was given £20. "Then they asked me to sign a receipt using a false name," he said.

Another Plane Stupid protester, Kate Mackay, a 20-year-old student at Glasgow School of Art, said she had been left a hand-written letter on Strathclyde Police headed paper asking for a meeting. But when she tried to follow it up she couldn't trace the officer named.

Last night Strathclyde Police Assistant Chief Constable, George Hamilton, defended the police action, saying: "Officers of Strathclyde Police will, from time to time, engage with members of the public and protest groups to gather intelligence which will enable them to discharge that duty effectively.

"This responsibility is discharged in a manner which safeguards the identities of individuals who are prepared to provide such intelligence and is audited and monitored in accordance with the relevant legislation," he added.

"Officers from Strathclyde Police have been in contact with a number of protesters involved with the Plane Stupid protests, including Aberdeen Airport. The purpose of this has been to ensure any future protest activity is carried out within the law."

Opposition politicians called for a full explanation from the justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill. "What action will ministers take to prevent this kind of outrage in the future?" asked Green MSP Patrick Harvie.

A Scottish government spokesman said: "The justice secretary has discussed the matter with Strathclyde Police's assistant chief constable and is satisfied the force has acted proportionately and legitimately."

Law & Order : Police demand drug dealers be banned from pubs

Members of the Scottish Police Federation have backed a motion calling for pub landlords to ban drug dealers from their establishments. (and rightly so – Ed)

The Scotsman reports :

Police call for drug dealers to be banned from their local pubs

Published Date: 23 April 2009
By Michael Howie
Home affairs correspondent

DRUG-dealers should be banned from pubs to alienate them from their local communities, Scotland's rank-and-file police officers demanded yesterday.

Scottish Police Federation members backed a motion to deprive criminals of their "gang hut premises" and force licence holders to exclude them.

Officers voted in favour of new legislation that would make it an offence for proprietors to allow convicted drug dealers in their pubs.

Sergeant Colin Johnston of Strathclyde Police told the annual conference in Peebles it was time to create new Asbo-style banning orders for people convicted of supplying drugs.

He pointed out that Section 80 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 had created the offence for licence holders to allow persons of bad character to frequent licensed premises.

But the legislation was under-used in police operations and was eventually repealed and not replaced.

However, Sergeant Johnston believes convicted drug dealers should be alienated in their communities and an amendment should be made to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to make licensees more accountable on who they serve.

He said: "These are licensed premises; it is not a free-for-all, so the licensees are responsible.

"It is time to regain control of our pubs and totally exclude those who have been convicted of drug-dealing.

"We should deprive criminals of their gang hut premises.

"It would take away their standing in society by removing them from pubs."

He was backed by Sergeant Frank Carroll of Strathclyde Police who said: "It is time for licensees to take full responsibility for their premises and exclude these people.

"What is the point in removing them from houses if they can still go about freely in licensed premises?

"They should be excluded from all aspects of public life."

Members representing Scotland's 16,000 police officers voted 73.74 per cent in favour of the motion.

It called for the federation to take up the matter with justice secretary Kenny McAskill to secure an amendment to the current legislation "seeking to exclude from licensed premises persons of bad character, namely those convicted of offences concerning the supply of convicted drugs".

A Scottish Government spokeswoman last night said new legislation in September will allow for a review of a premises licence on the grounds that not enough is being done to prevent crime and disorder.

"We are confident that the powers available to the police in the Act, combined with the new powers we are introducing in the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill, will give the police and licensing boards the right tools to tackle crime and disorder in respect of licensed premises and shut premises."

Meanwhile, police also backed a motion calling for officers to be routinely equipped with Tasers when confronting criminals in possession of knives and other weapons.

Law & Order : Strathclyde Police turn to jedi in effort to feel the force

Too much movie watching and not enough paperwork may have made some in the Scottish Police service feel the need for a new religion .. and that ‘new religion’ comes direct from the Star Wars films straight to the home of legendary tv detective ‘Taggart’ – Strathclyde Police. (Light sabres at the readyyyyyy, and no bending over ! – Ed)

Arrested you are, say Jedi officers

Published Date: 17 April 2009
By Louise Hosie

A POLICE force appears to have some Star Wars fans in its midst, after eight of its officers recorded their religion as "Jedi", it was revealed yesterday.

Strathclyde Police said the officers and two civilian staff had listed themselves as "Jedi" in voluntary diversity forms.

The details were obtained from the force in a Freedom of Information request.

Jane's Police Review asked 55 forces across the UK how many employees had officially declared their religion as Jedi.

It said Strathclyde Police was the only force to confirm that some of its staff had entered "Jedi".

Jedi Knights such as Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda are fictional characters in the Star Wars movies.

Said to live "in a galaxy far, far away", they use "the Force" to battle arch-enemy Darth Vadar and try to help characters who have strayed to the "dark side".

Jane's Police Review editor Chris Herbert, who requested the information, said: "The Force appears to be strong in Strathclyde Police with their Jedi police officers and staff.

"Far from living a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, some members of the noble Jedi order have now chosen Glasgow and its surrounding streets as their home."

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said: "At the time of the request, ten had recorded their religion as Jedi."

In the 2001 Census for Scotland around 14,000 people stated their religion as "Jedi".

Law & Order : Strathclyde Police gun seizures drop 60% on Chief Constable's annual targets

Strathclyde Police have apparently missed their targets on seizing guns & ammunition, which were some 60% below the numbers set by the Chief Constable, Steven House.

The Scotsman reports :

Gun seizures fall short of target

Published Date: 08 April 2009
By michael howie

SEIZURES of firearms by Scotland's biggest police force are running well below targets set by its chief constable, a new report reveals.

Steven House, head of Strathclyde Police, last year set a target to increase seizures of firearms and ammunition by more than a third – in response to a growing problem with gun crime connected to organised criminal gangs in the west of Scotland.

But a report to be discussed by the Strathclyde Joint Police Board tomorrow reveals that, between April and December, only 42 seizures were made – 60 per cent below the target of 106 for the whole year.

The police and the board have for the first time agreed to use a "traffic light" system to assess the force's performance against a range of targets.

The report gives the force a "green light" on the number of people caught carrying knives – 2,526 last year, 8.6 per cent above the target.

The force also hit its targets cutting robberies and solving more serious assaults.

But a "red light" is shown on catching people with other offensive weapons – which was 21.7 per cent below the target – and cutting domestic abuse attacks involving repeat offenders.

Councillor Paul Rooney, the board's convener, said: "Police authorities have a duty to monitor how well their force is achieving against the targets."

The report comes as Labour politicians call for a national knife amnesty to tackle the country's blades culture.

The party's justice spokesman, Richard Baker, called on Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to back an amnesty after a similar scheme ordered by Grampian Police netted more than 1,000 knives and other weapons.

A Scottish Government spokesman said it would support any measure that cuts knife crime.

Further calls for debate on single Scottish Police force

The recession might end up forcing Scotland to accept a single Police Force, as Chief Constables ponder their future in the small regional forces (savings on the top brass’ pensions if it comes ? – Ed)

The Herald reports :

Police chiefs urge debate on case for single force in Scotland

Exclusive by LUCY ADAMS, Chief Reporter March 30 2009

Leading chief constables have made unprecedented calls for an immediate debate on whether Scotland should move towards a single national police force.

Stephen House, chief constable of Strathclyde, believes the economic situation and growing challenges from serious and organised crime make it vital to have the discussion about whether Scotland should be policed by eight, three or one force.

His calls to address national threats and review the current position are backed by Kevin Mathieson, chief constable of Tayside, and Allan Burnett, assistant chief constable of Fife.

Their comments, after years of opposition to the idea by the majority of chief constables, come just a week after Paddy Tomkins, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, called for Scotland's eight forces to be amalgamated into one to remove duplication and save money.

"There is a line of thinking in policing which says if you have strong community policing it doesn't matter what the structures are above that, because the public relate to local cops," said Mr House. "Do they really relate to their chief constable? Politicians might but the public don't.

"How many police forces there are in Scotland isn't something they're particularly worried about. We are all spending public money and ought to be doing that as efficiently as possible. Whether that is through amalgamation or closer working together, that is what I think should be debated."

Earlier this month, The Herald also revealed that Brian Sweeney, chief officer of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, wants to see a massive restructuring of public sector services and believes reducing the brigades from eight to one would save millions of pounds.

With increasing pressure to make savings, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is now discussing the thorny issue. Kevin Mathieson, chief constable of Tayside, told The Herald that he is not "wedded" to the current structures and that the debate should focus on improving Scotland's national response to policing.

Police Officers who 'shamed their force' in bid to frame student show rising tide of 'evidence fabricated' cases

As two Policemen were told by a Sheriff they had shamed their force over fabricating breach of the peace allegations against a law student & friend, calls were being made for the Crown Office to disclose statistics on the rising tide of similar cases involving all of Scotland's Police forces ..

The Daily Record reports :

Lying police officers face sack over bid to frame student

May 8 2008 By Joanne Curran

TWO policemen who lied to fit up a law student and his friend were told yesterday they had shamed their force.

Community officers Neil Jones, 35, and Andrew MacRobert, 28, were fined £2000 and £1250 respectively when they appeared for sentence yesterday.

They had been found guilty of fabricating breach of the peace allegations against law student William Reid and his friend Callum McCaig at an earlier hearing.

Hamilton Sheriff Court was told both would almost certainly be fired after an internal hearing later this month.

Both have been suspended on full pay since May 2007.

Sheriff Ray Small told the constables: "I have heard you were both promising young officers and your conduct until now was exemplary.

"It is particularly unfortunate you are two officers whose careers will now likely come to an end.

"The harm your conduct has done to the good name of the Strathclyde Police force is immeasurable."

The sheriff told Jones: "You were the more experienced officer.

"I have no doubt you were the main mover in this incident and it was all your idea. That is why I am fining you the larger sum of £2000."

Frances McMenamin QC, for Jones, said he had been considered "such a good role model" he was regularly asked to tutor young constables.

Ian Duguid QC, for MacRobert, said his client, a graduate who is from a family of professionals, still denied the allegations against him.

The constables had claimed the two men, both 22, had been shouting and swearing in the street after a night out and charged them with breach of the peace.

A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: "A report will be submitted to the deputy chief constable in due course for his consideration."