Justice Secretary linked to Lord Advocate's lawyers after Police arrest journalist over reporting of Aberdeen Paedophile gang claims

Journalist & Broadcaster Robert Green was arrested by Grampian Police on Friday. SCOTLAND’s CROWN OFFICE are said to be heavily involved in the arrest in Aberdeen on Friday of the well known England based journalist & broadcaster Robert Green, who travelled to the Grampian area late Thursday to attend a public protest against the lack of action by Scotland’s law enforcement agencies to prosecute identified individuals in an Aberdeen based paedophile gang, names which include key members of Scotland’s legal establishment and even a local Sheriff, who stand accused of serial abuse of disabled victims, including downs syndrome girl, Hollie Greig.

Grampian Police arrested journalist on ‘breach of the peace’. Grampian Police apparently swooped on Mr Green before he was even able to attend Friday’s planned protest, taking him into custody earlier in the morning on a charge of breach of the peace, which Mr Green had been detained on, until his appearance tomorrow (Monday) at Aberdeen Sheriff court, where ironically, Mr Green will be taken before a colleague of a Sheriff who was identified by one of the abuse victims as being an alleged member of the paedophile gang at the centre of the case, who are accused of abusing disabled victims & also passing vulnerable children around their ranks.

Lord Advocate & Crown Office censored online legal publication “The Firm” from reporting on abuse case. Scottish Law Reporter have covered the story of Hollie Greig on previous occasions, HERE, secondly, revealing Scots Law magazine “The Firm” were censored by the Crown Office HERE, thirdly, revealing that a private law firm had been tasked by the Lord Advocate to threaten & censor media investigations of the case HERE and most recently, where the Crown Office announced they would not prosecute the case, HERE

Senior Levy McRae partner Peter Watson acted against media outlets for the Lord Advocate. The case alarmed Crown Office officials and even the Lord Advocate of Scotland so much, a heavyweight law firm based in Glasgow, Messrs Levy McRae were brought in to threaten any media outlet who dare report on the allegations or identify anyone named by the victim and her mother, or involved the Grampian Police investigation. Mr Green recently alleged the investigation carried out by Grampian was very far from incomplete, apparently having omitted to interview many or all of the chief suspects, and victims.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill linked to Lord Advocate’s choice of lawyers. Amazingly, it can now be revealed the Scottish Government’s current Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill has long standing ties to Levy McRae, the same law firm used by the Lord Advocate to threaten media publication of the Hollie Greig case. Mr MacAskill is now known to have served his apprenticeship at Levy McRae and also worked at the firm for a considerable time during his years as a solicitor.

Levy McRae sent out legal threats to websites, newspapers, & online forums. Mr MacAskill could not be contacted for any comment on developments in the case, and officials said he would not answer any questions over his previous involvement with Levy McRae. However, several MSPs alerted to the fact the Lord Advocate has used the same firm which once employed the Justice Secretary himself, have now vowed to investigate the goings on in the Hollie Greig case. An aide to an MSP today said there may well be a problem for the Justice Secretary since the Lord Advocate has used his old law firm, throwing up the question of conflict of interest and whether the intervention against the media by Levy McRae “may have implied Scottish Government support for the law firm’s work on behalf of the Lord Advocate.”

Holly Greig with her mother Anne – forced to flee to England after abuse. Since the journalist’s arrest by Grampian Police on Friday, reports of Mr Green, and his work investigating the allegations into the Aberdeen based paedophile ring have spread around the internet, along with a sequence of video clips of a talk the journalist gave to audiences on his work and the allegations into the abuse which had taken place in the Aberdeen area, leaving many to question why Scotland’s Crown Office had stamped on any chance of mounting prosecutions against people well known in the area who have been identified by one of the abuse victims, Hollie Greig, who, despite no one being charged after a Police investigation into the abuse claims, received £13,500 compensation (hush money ? – Ed) from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in April of 2009.

Hollie has been described by a Grampian detective inspector who himself gave evidence, as “a truthful witness to the best of her ability and an entirely innocent victim”, and medical evidence has apparently verified that Hollie has been abused.

Grampian Police are now known to have received hundreds of calls from people all over the United Kingdom and around the world, concerned for Mr Green’s wellbeing. It has also been revealed today that Anne Greig, Hollie’s mother has not been allowed to speak to Mr Green to establish if he is ok, or has the necessary legal representation for his court appearance on Monday.

The video clips, well worth a look while they still exist, can be viewed on You Tube at the following link : JusticeforHollie

Aberdeen’s Press & Journal newspaper reported on Mr Green’s arrest :

‘Sex abuse’ family’s legal adviser arrested

CAMPAIGNER WAS GOING TO HAND OUT LEAFLETS
BY RYAN CRIGHTON

Published: 13/02/2010

The legal adviser to the family of a disabled woman who claims she was abused by a paedophile ring as a child was arrested yesterday as he made his way to the centre of Aberdeen to hand out leaflets.

Political hopeful Robert Green represents the mother of Hollie Greig, a 30-year-old woman with Down’s Syndrome who says she was sexually assaulted by a Scottish sheriff, who is still serving, and a senior Grampian Police officer who is now dead.

Last night, 63-year-old Mr Green was charged with breach of the peace. He is expected to appear at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Monday. It is understood he was arrested as he made his way to Union Street, where he was going to tell people about Hollie’s case and his plans to contest the Aberdeen South parliamentary seat as an independent candidate.

Mr Green, of Cheshire, had been staying at a bed and breakfast in King Street. He was expected in Union Street near the Marks and Spencer store at 10.30am but never arrived. Other “injustice” campaigners, including Aberdeen man David Emslie, formerly of Nigg Kirk Road, were waiting for Mr Green and said they were concerned for his safety when he did not appear.

Grampian Police later confirmed Mr Green was in custody. A spokesman said: “A 63-year-old man has been charged in connection with a breach of the peace. “As this case is now active, it would be inappropriate to make any other comment.” Police, with the consent of Mr Green, searched his room in King Street and are believed to have left with documents belonging to him.

Hollie claims she was abused for 14 years from the age of six and has given police the names of some of the men she says assaulted her. The 30-year-old and her mother, Anne, have been campaigning for criminal proceedings since 2000.

The abuse is alleged to have taken place in Aberdeen, and Hollie and her mother claim to have made a statement at Bucksburn police station in July that year naming those involved. The family moved to Shropshire and two Grampian Police officers travelled to Shrewsbury in September last year to re-interview Hollie at a special facility.

Last month, the Crown Office revealed there was not enough reliable evidence to proceed with the case.

A spokesman said at the time: “Historical allegations of sexual abuse made by a 30-year-old woman in Shropshire have been thoroughly investigated by police. “Crown counsel have considered all the available information and decided that there is insufficient credible, reliable and admissible evidence to justify criminal proceedings in respect of these allegations.”

Despite no charges ever being brought, Hollie received £13,500 compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in April last year. It is understood that followed evidence from a Grampian detective inspector, who described Hollie as “a truthful witness to the best of her ability and an entirely innocent victim”. Mrs Greig, 58, claims her daughter has experienced nightmares and panic attacks since she first told her about the alleged abuse.

Lord Advocate Angiolini’s 'office' in 2001 was forced to apologise over 10 year old rape victim after failures to prosecute accused within time limits

Office of Elish Angiolini as Procurator Fiscal, Aberdeen in 2001 had to apologise over trial failure. While the Hollie Greig case continues to simmer throughout the Scottish justice system with the recent arrest of well known journalist & broadcaster Robert Green after he travelled to Aberdeen to launch a protest & campaign for justice for Hollie, it transpires that dejavu may well be at play, as the Telegraph Newspaper reports from 2001 when the ‘office of’ the current Lord Advocate, then the regional Procurator Fiscal in for Grampian, Highlands & Islands Elish Angiolini, was forced to apologise over the failure of the prosecution of a man alleged to have raped a 10 year old girl.

The 10 year old girl received a letter of apology for her rape, from a Fiscal Depute, rather than the Procurator Fiscal in charge of the office. The case against the accused was dismissed by Sheriff Graeme Buchanan, reports the article in the Telegraph newspaper.

It has also emerged that similar circumstances occurred in the case of a 7 year old boy, who was also raped and again the local Procurator Fiscal’s office failed to prosecute the rapist again after the same time delays prevented the case reaching court before 110 days, according to Ms Angiolini’s instructions.

The Telegraph newspaper reports :

Procurator apologises to girl, 10 in sex case

Procurator apologises to girl, 10 in sex case

By Tara Womersley
Published: 12:00AM BST 26 May 2001

A 10-YEAR-OLD girl has received a letter of apology from the procurator fiscal’s office after the case of a man, who allegedly sexually abused her, collapsed because of the time it took to come to court.

The child, who is receiving counselling, told her parents three years ago that she had been abused by a 19-year-old male relative. But the case only reached Aberdeen Sheriff Court this month and was dismissed by Sheriff Graeme Buchanan because he felt it had not come to trial within a reasonable time.

In a letter to the girl, Sandra McRobert, principal procurator fiscal depute for Aberdeen, wrote: “Everyone knew that you would tell the court what happened to you if you had to, but I also know from mum that you were very scared of having to come to court. “

She said: “You have been very brave over all this and I am very sorry that because grown-ups made mistakes, you are angry because you feel (the accused) has not been punished by the courts.”

The girl’s family are calling for an inquiry by the Lord Advocate and investigating whether they can bring a private prosecution against the alleged attacker. George Mathers, their solicitor, said: “I believe the person accused had admitted his guilt to officers. It is a very simple and straightforward case, which should have been given priority.”

The girl’s father said: “My daughter feels guilt and thinks no one believes her. How do you tell a 10-year-old the system has let her down? The last three years have been traumatising for us all. My daughter’s personality was completely changed after the event, but her outgoing and playful nature has helped her to cope.”

This week it also emerged that a case of a seven-year-old boy who was allegedly raped had collapsed because of delays in bringing it to court in Aberdeen. Elish Angiolini, regional procurator fiscal for Grampian, Highlands and Islands, said that she had instructed Grampian police to treat all child witness cases as custody cases, which have to be processed within 110 days.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon writes letter for serial benefits cheat in £80K fraud case, asks for alternative sentence to jail

Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote letter for fraudster. NICOLA STURGEON, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister, and Health Secretary has been revealed to have written a letter in support of a serial benefits fraudster who defrauded £80,000 from the Department of Work and Pensions. In an appalling move, Ms Sturgeon asked Glasgow Sheriff Court to consider an alternative to a custodial sentence, for 60 year old Abdul Rauf, who has a criminal record for a previous offence involving fraud which it is claimed Ms Sturgeon already knew of before writing the letter now at the centre of calls for Ms Sturgeon's resignation.

Alex Salmond supported Ms Sturgeon asking the court to change its sentence. Political opponents are calling on Ms Sturgeon to resign, despite having gained initial support from First Minister Alex Salmond (must be ok to support benefits cheats, not abuse victims – Ed) however legal insiders say the terms used by Ms Sturgeon in her letter amount to political interference with the judiciary, and must be fully investigated. A spokesman for the SNP backed up Mr Salmond’s claims that Ms Sturgeon was fulfilling her obligations to constutients by representing Mr Rauf, even though not one politician at the Scottish Parliament would say they would write the same letter Ms Sturgeon wrote for Mr Rauf.

Nicola Sturgeon: Letter in support of fraudster

ABDUL RAUF.

I refer to my above named constituent and the case brought against him for benefit fraud.

I have been aware of Mr Rauf's case since July 2008 when he sought assistance from me after a search warrant was executed at his home by the Department of Work and Pensions and officers from Strathclyde Police.

It was clear at that time that he recognised the serious nature of the matter he was facing and that it would be necessary to pay back the money he had obtained unlawfully.

For a number of years Mr Rauf has suffered from poor health, mainly associated with his heart. He has a family including young children aged under 10 and he is heavily involved in his community.

All of these aspects of his life have been significantly impacted upon by the mistakes he has made.

Mr Rauf has accepted his wrong doing and has experienced the consequences of it through the effect on his health, the distress caused to his family and the impact on his standing in his community.

He has advised me that he has already paid £27,000 of the outstanding balance owed to the Department of Work and Pensions and has said since he first sought my advice that he will sell his property in Edinburgh to settle the remaining balance.

He and his wife are anxious that a custodial sentence may be imposed by the court and of the effect this will have on Mr Rauf's health and the impact on family life.

I would appeal to the court to take the points raised here into account and consider alternatives to a custodial sentence.

SIGNED NICOLA STURGEON.

“consider alternatives to a custodial sentence.” … (interference in the court process, we certainly think so – Ed)

The Herald reports :

Sturgeon in storm over support for fraudster

By Brian Currie

Published on 11 Feb 2010

Nicola Sturgeon was last night facing demands for her resignation after it was revealed she gave a character reference to a convicted fraudster.

The Deputy First Minister wrote a letter of support for father-of-five Abdul Rauf after he defrauded £80,000 from the Department for Work and Pensions.

The letter was produced at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday and handed to Sheriff Alan MacKenzie by defence advocate Donald Findlay, QC.

He said it was the first time in his career he had handed over a letter from someone of such importance.

Rauf, 59, who was jailed for four years for fraud in 1996, was due to be sentenced for his latest crime after admitting defrauding the DWP between 2001 and 2006.

Ms Sturgeon, who admitted she knew of Mr Rauf’s previous conviction, said she had written the letter to the court because, as his MSP, she was “duty-bound” to make reasonable representations on behalf of constituents.

A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said she had “represented her constituent entirely properly and appropriately”.

However, Labour leader Iain Gray said she had made “an appalling error of judgment”.

Last week Ms Sturgeon and First Minister Alex Salmond were caught up in a row over claims of “cash for access” when it emerged lunch dates with the pair at the Scottish Parliament were auctioned to raise money for the SNP.

Mr Gray said: “If the facts of the case are as they appear and Nicola Sturgeon made such an appalling error of judgment she must resign.

“Last week she was selling access to raise funds for the SNP. Now she is prepared to give a character reference for a convicted fraudster.”

Bill Aitken, the Conservative justice spokesman, said her letter was “ill-considered”.

“It is extraordinary to describe a second conviction for fraud as a mistake. Either Ms Sturgeon didn’t care about his previous fraud conviction or she didn’t check. Either would be unbelievable and a grave lapse of judgment.”

LibDem spokesman Mike Rumbles said: “It beggars belief that the Deputy First Minister could think it appropriate to write in support of a convicted fraudster who is now facing another conviction.”

He said Mr Salmond should explain his deputy’s actions at First Minister’s Questions today and that Ms Sturgeon should “clear the air” by making a statement to parliament.

Prosecutor Adele MacDonald told the court that Rauf, who has a £400,000 house in Maxwell Park, Glasgow, applied for income support in October 2001. She said: “He completed paperwork declaring that he owned his property at Springkell Avenue and that he had £67 in savings in a bank account.”

It was subsequently discovered that he also owned a £200,000 property in Newington, Edinburgh, and was receiving £650 a month rent while claiming benefits over a five-year period.

Sheriff MacKenzie told Rauf that a jail sentence was “at the forefront” of his mind.

The earlier conviction for Mr Rauf, a former sub-postmaster, was for stealing £58,624 in pension and benefit payments by forging signatures on almost 800 DSS payment orders and keeping the cash for himself.

In her letter Ms Sturgeon says Mr Rauf suffers poor health, has young children and urges the court to “consider alternatives to a custodial sentence”.

Ms Sturgeon yesterday defended her involvement in the case. She said she was “not aware” of having met Mr Rauf socially and an SNP spokesperson said he was not a donor to the party and not a member of it.

Saying she was “duty-bound” to make reasonable representations on behalf of constituent, Ms Sturgeon added: “That’s what I did but ultimately the decision is for the court to take.”

“I don’t condone the behaviour of anyone who breaks the law,” she added.

Lunch-gate bites First Minister Alex Salmond as Holyrood's Standards Commissioner investigates cash for access video scandal

First Lunch with First Minister Alex Salmond for £9K. Scotland’s First Lunch Minister Alex Salmond is reported to be under investigation by the Scottish Parliament’s Standards Commissioner (lol – Ed) over allegations of cash for access to Scottish Ministers, including himself, after videos emerged of a lunch auction the SNP held to raise party funds in Central Glasgow.

Since the story broke, Mr Salmond has announced he has cancelled the lunches at issue, which saw people pay up to £9,000 (lol, may as well burn it – Ed) to have lunch with the First Lunch Minister Mr Salmond. Among those paying up to ‘nosh with Eck’, were noted Human Rights lawyer Ameer Anwar & Councillor Stuart Pratt.

The Scottish National Party have since released details of further fundraising events to be held at the parliament, which include three lunches at Holyrood sold for £1,500 and a tour of the parliament by Nicola Sturgeon that fetched £260.

First Lunch – The Movie, starring Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.

BBC News reports :

Alex Salmond cancels auctioned lunches

Scotland's first minister has cancelled four Holyrood lunch appointments which had been sold at auction to raise funds for the SNP. It emerged last week that Alex Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had each sold lunch dates at a party event in Glasgow. The SNP has now said Mr Salmond also auctioned a further three lunches.

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray accused Mr Salmond of "systematic abuse" of his position. They have both insisted no parliamentary rules were broken.

The Scottish Parliament is expected to issue new guidelines over the practice in the coming weeks.

Last Thursday, the parliament stated that the restaurant at Holyrood must not be used for "any other purpose" than parliamentary duties.

Mr Salmond has written to Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson regarding the issue.

In his letter, he said: "I am cancelling all lunches in parliament as a result of party activity as we await the Corporate Body providing new advice. I have identified four such lunches, and Nicola Sturgeon has identified one lunch and a tour - since none of them have taken place, there is therefore no difficulty in the Corporate Body considering the issue as a matter of principle. Nor indeed have any of the donations been given."

But Mr Salmond wrote that he was "extremely concerned that as things stand it would be unwise to proceed with charity lunches or indeed a range of other lunch uses of the restaurant which might potentially fall foul of the parliament statement released last Thursday."

"Clearly, this would be undesirable. My next charity lunch is as a result of the Northsound 'Cash for Kids' auction, on Thursday 25 February," he said.

"Many other members will be in a similar position, and what I propose is that the Corporate Body, at its meeting on Wednesday, consider issuing interim advice that charity lunches can continue until such time as the whole matter can be fully discussed and comprehensive new advice issued to members."

'Systematic abuse'

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said: "Rather than draw a line under the issue of 'cash for access' it would appear now the first minister and his deputy Nicola Sturgeon were systematically selling access for private meetings in order to raise party funds. Now we know this was not a one-off occasion. Alex Salmond has to answer for this rather than trying to cloud the issue. This is not about charity lunches in the parliament but extremely serious allegations over the systematic abuse of the first minister's office."

Bill Johnston, a member of the Labour Party from Edinburgh, has reported Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon to the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.

The SNP said Amin Hussein paid £9,000 for a lunch with Mr Salmond during a Glasgow Central SNP event last week.

Human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar paid £1,000 for a lunch with the first minister at the Glasgow Central SNP candidate adoption meeting last year. Mr Anwar, who said he was not a member of any political party but backed Osama Saeed, the SNP candidate in Glasgow Central, accused some Labour politicians of "staggering hypocrisy" over the issue. He said: "I haven't actually made my donation yet, but am very happy to do so - and I'm not really bothered about having a lunch anyway."

A lunch was also won by Mr Salmond's constituency agent, Councillor Stuart Pratt, at the candidate adoption meeting in Inverurie last December, for £400. A prize of lunch with Mr Salmond was raffled for £100 by Young Scots for Independence at the SNP's annual conference last year.

Meanwhile, Khalid Javid paid £2,000 for lunch with Ms Sturgeon, also at the Glasgow Central event. Mr Javid had previously bid £260 last year for a tour of the parliament.

The SNP said none of these events had taken place, and none of the donations had been received.

Special Ops & Surveillance training revealed by Law Society twit

Law Society of Scotland twit reveals special black ops. SPECIAL OPS, SURVEILLANCE, INVESTIGATION & PROTECTION are hardly the kind of activities one normally associates with the Law Society of Scotland, especially the part about ‘investigation’ (haha – Ed) but apparently this is exactly what is going on over at the Law Society of Scotland’s HQ at Drumsheugh Gardens these days, according to one of its own directors writing on an internet message website.

Law Society Director Neil Stevenson’s twitter page. In a message on the popular micro blogging website, Twitter, Neil Stevenson, the Law Society of Scotland’s ‘Head of Diversity’ wrote in a ‘twit’ (a short message) : "Working with www.idinquiries.com on special ops, surveillance, investigation and protection – the increasingly hard face of corporate IP 3:45 AM Jan 24th from web”. The firm, id enquiries, identifies its services to the legal profession as follows : “Conventional Inquiries, observations or surveillance which are used to secure statements or acquire evidence, Computer Forensic Services, Asset Tracing and Protection Services, also offering a Special Operations Department which devises bespoke responses when conventional investigations are inappropriate. The department creates a unique strategy to deliver results using a variety of techniques which can include physical or technical surveillance and undercover placement”

IDServices website also state : “We undertake a large amount of surveillance work for the insurance industry, as well as public sector and corporate HR departments. All public sector surveillance is required to comply with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) or the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act (RIP(S)A). ID can also assist public departments not familiar with (RIPA) or (RIP(S)A) procedure to develop compliant strategies.”

Law Society been using RIP(S)A lately ? - now would that be against clients, or solicitors ?

Also we couldn’t help noticing a slight sour grapes in Mr Stevenson’s growl at the Scotsman newspaper for failing to obey orders wishes and publish the Law Society’s comments on this week’s SLCC complaints levy freeze, which appeared here : Budget proposals see freezing of compulsory solicitors' levy to fund complaint commission

Mr Stevenson’s outburst against the Scotsman read : “Frustrated the Scotsman has publish SLCC budget press release, & not our response! Makes it easy ride for them as solicitors & clients pay 12:18 AM Jan 25th from web”

Oh dear, poor Scotsman …and exactly who pays for sloppy work which leads to complaints, Mr Stevenson ? …

Crown Office refuse to release Grampian Police paedophile investigation papers amid claims media were misled over Hollie Greig case

Abuse allegations made by Hollie Greig were subject of misleading public statements by Crown Office. SCOTLAND’S CROWN OFFICE is facing claims it issued deliberately misleading statements over a decision by Stephen McGowan, the Aberdeen Procurator Fiscal not to prosecute a group of identified individuals including a serving Sheriff and Police Officers after Grampian Police investigated allegations of rape & abuse by Hollie Greig, a down’s syndrome woman who was forced to flee with her mother to England after the horrific events which took place in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini used Glasgow law firm Levy McRae to silence media publication of allegations of involvement. The allegations, relating to abuse carried out by an Aberdeen based ‘paedophile gang’, made as far back as 2000 have recently seen a number of successful attempts by private law firms such as Levy MCrae solicitors of Glasgow, acting on behalf of Elish Angiolini, the Lord Advocate, to censor website content and reporting of certain parts of Ms Greig’s allegations of abuse.

Aberdeen Procurator Fiscal’s letter to victim’s mother explaining lack of prosecution. In a letter from Aberdeen’s Procurator Fiscal, Stephen McGowan to Anne Greig, Hollie’s mother, Mr McGowan stated : “In September of this year, your daughter Hollie was interviewed by officers of Grampian Police in Shropshire and provided a statement in which she alleged that she had been sexually abused. Prior to September, other allegations had been made both by Hollie and by you on her behalf. Having reviewed all of the circumstances of Hollie's case, including Hollie's statements and all other available evidence, a report was prepared for the consideration of Crown Counsel. The conclusion is that there is insufficient evidence to allow criminal proceedings to be taken against any person in respect of these allegations.”

Allegations against Lord Advocate which Scots Law publication “The Firm” printed, then were forced to apologise over, were also mentioned. Curiously, Mr McGowan went on in his letter to detail allegations “made by others” of alleged involvement by the current Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini, in the case, claiming decisions taken in Hollie’s case were taken before or after Ms Angiolini’s time as Regional Procurator Fiscal in Grampian. Mr McGowan continued : “During the course of this investigation, it has been alleged by others that the Lord Advocate, Elish Angiolini QC, had in some way covered up Hollie's allegations. These allegations are unfounded and this has been supported by a careful scrutiny of the case. All key decisions in relation to prosecution in Hollie's case in 2000 and 2001 were taken before or after the Lord Advocate's time as Regional Procurator Fiscal in Grampian and were taken by other senior prosecutors, not the Lord Advocate. In addition, the Lord Advocate has not had any involvement in the recent decision by Crown Counsel that there should be no criminal proceedings.”

A legal insider said he found the references to the Lord Advocate in such a letter explaining a lack of prosecution in an abuse case, to be “unusual”, and questioned why it was included when “others” had made the allegations in the first place.

Crown Office issued ‘alternative version’ to newspapers over reasons why no prosecution took place. To cloud matters even more, it has now been revealed by several journalists the Crown Office issued statements to the press which appeared to contradict the terms of Mr McGowan’s letter to the family over why no prosecutions took place. Where Mr McGowan simply claimed there was “insufficient evidence to allow criminal proceedings to be taken”, the Crown Office’s media unit issued a statement which many claim appears to be an attempt to undermine the events documented in the victim’s allegations, stating : "Historical allegations of sexual abuse made by a 30 year old woman in Shropshire have been thoroughly investigated by Grampian Police. Crown Counsel have considered all the available information and decided that there is insufficient credible, reliable and admissible evidence to justify criminal proceedings in respect of these allegations."

A spokesman for the family issued a statement contending “there had not been a thorough investigation carried out by Grampian Police” and went onto state several key individuals had apparently not been interviewed by the Police during their ‘investigation’ of Ms Greig’s allegations.

A legal insider said he was concerned the questionable differences between what the Procurator Fiscal had told the family in terms of why there had been no prosecution, compared with what the Crown Office were saying publicly on the case, amounted to an attempt to mislead the victim, the media and the public.

Crown Office refused FOI request for investigation documents. In an attempt to verify the content of the Grampian Police investigation, reporters, and the victim’s family had made Freedom of Information requests to the Aberdeen Procurator Fiscal’s office for copies of documents gathered during the Police investigation, only to be told by the Procurator Fiscal he had decided to use a public interest exemption, thus refusing to release any documentation under FOI legislation. Mr McGowan said : “I have concluded that to disclose the information which you have requested would jeopardise the freedom and candour with which the police communicate with the Procurator Fiscal and the consideration of that information by police and prosecutors. I have therefore decided that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. On that basis I am refusing to release the information you have requested.”

The Crown Office have so far refused to make any further comment on the case, however a spokesman for the family has said there could be legal action over recent statements issued by the Crown which are being seen as an attempt to undermine Ms Greig’s traumatic experiences and the expectation that allegations of criminal acts reported to the Police should be dealt with according to law.

Crown Office forces second apology over Aberdeen abuse claims as Lord Advocate's lawyers Levy & McRae threaten Scots media with defamation

Second apology from “The Firm” after legal threats. New developments in a widely reported abuse case where downs syndrome victim, Hollie Greig and her mother Anne have made consistent claims of abuse at the hands of an alleged paedophile ring in the Aberdeen area, initially reported to Grampian Police over ten years ago, have resulted in Scots legal publication “The Firm” being forced into a second apology clarification to the Lord Advocate over their report of 17 November 2009, which related to the identification of key legal figures connected with the claims made by Ms Greig, and a ‘timeline regarding a decision not to prosecute in the abuse case’, the details of which cannot be reported due to legal threats from the Crown Office itself.

The Firm said : “An article of 17 November reported that Anne Greig, mother of Hollie Greig – reportedly abused by an alleged paedophile ring said to include a serving Sheriff and a now deceased police officer – had called for an investigation into the role played by Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini, then a Regional Procurator Fiscal, in the decision not to prosecute.”

“We have been asked by the Lord Advocate to make clear the following: there was no allegation of a paedophile ring contained in the police report to the Procurator Fiscal at that time; that there was no allegation about a Sheriff or a policeman in the report; that the decision not to prosecute was made before the Lord Advocate took up post as Regional Procurator Fiscal and on the basis that there was insufficient evidence in law; and that she was unaware of the claim at the time and has never had any involvement in the case. We are happy to make the position clear and did not intend to suggest that she had acted in any way improperly.”

“At the time of publication, the specific details regarding the timeline of the decision not to prosecute, although requested, were not provided by the Crown Office. This information was supplied after publication. Having been furnished with the relevant information, we would like to apologise to the Lord Advocate for any distress that may have been caused.”

In breaking news on the story today, legal insiders have now confirmed that private law firms, among them Levy & McRae solicitors, acting on behalf of Elish Angiolini, the Lord Advocate have contacted bloggers and journalists, threatening legal action for defamation if information originally reported by “The Firm” on 17 November 2009, and reprinted around the web on various blogs and internet publications, was not removed immediately.

Scots Law online magazine “The Firm” censored abuse case report resulted in more legal threats to media. A legal insider speaking on the Hollie Greig case, who Levy & Mcrae allege had committed defamation by referring to the original article which “The Firm” published & later retracted over legal threats, said : “I received a very stern E-mail from Levy & McRae Solicitors and Notaries Public threatening legal action against me and the hosts of my blog unless I removed the content in question forthwith. At no time in my post did I suggest that the [censored] had been involved in the decision. I was relying on the information reported in The Firm (which has a relatively good reputation as far as I am aware).”

Another individual who claimed he had also received such a letter said he could not even discuss it as he had been officially gagged over the whole affair.

The Crown Office have so far refused to give any media statement, or even confirm that Levy & McRae were acting for the Lord Advocate, and Grampian Police have refused to reply to media enquiries on the case. Today however, it has been revealed by Aberdeen’s Press & Journal newspaper there is to be no prosecution over the abuse allegations by the local Procurator Fiscal.

While the decision not to prosecute will not surprise many, when it comes to claims involving members of Scotland's legal establishment, a less than clear picture is emerging of how the decision not to prosecute has been arrived at, with claims that key documents including initial reports made to Grampian Police in 2000 have now ‘vanished’ along with letters to & from local MSP Brian Adams to certain legal figures and even medical reports, now apparently missing despite Grampian Police’s recent re-investigation of the case.

Robert Green, the legal representative of the Greig family today said the Grampian Police investigation had been "far from thorough" and the campaign for a prosecution of identified individuals would go on.

It is widely believed there is much more to come on this case, noting while media outlets have been threatened with legal action, the victims have not. You can read our earlier reports on the case, HERE and HERE

The Press & Journal report :

Woman loses campaign to have abusers prosecuted

Crown office says there is not enough evidence to bring criminal proceedings

By Ryan Crighton

Published: 07/01/2010

A disabled woman who claims she was abused as a young child by an Aberdeen paedophile ring has been told there is not enough “credible” evidence to bring criminal proceedings against the people she accused.

Hollie Greig, who has Down’s Syndrome, claims she was abused for 14 years from the age of six, and has given police the names of some of the men she says assaulted her, including a senior police officer and a sheriff.

The 30-year-old and her mother, Anne, have been campaigning since 2000 – when police were first informed of the alleged abuse – for criminal proceedings to be taken against those she claims were involved.

The abuse is alleged to have taken place in Aberdeen, and Hollie and her mother claim to have made a statement at Bucksburn police station in July 2000 naming a senior police officer, who has since died, and a sheriff, who is still serving.

Hollie was re-interviewed by police last year, raising Mrs Greig’s hopes that charges would be brought against her daughter’s alleged attackers.

The Crown Office revealed last night that there was not enough reliable evidence to proceed with the case, however.

A spokesman said: “Historical allegations of sexual abuse made by a 30-year-old woman in Shropshire have been thoroughly investigated by Grampian Police.

“Crown Counsel have considered all the available information and decided that there is insufficient credible, reliable and admissible evidence to justify criminal proceedings in respect of these allegations.”

Despite no charges ever being brought, Hollie received £13,500 compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in April last year.

It is understood that followed evidence from a Grampian detective inspector, who described Hollie as “a truthful witness to the best of her ability and an entirely innocent victim”.

Mrs Greig, 58, said her daughter has experienced nightmares and panic attacks since she first told her mother about the alleged abuse.

Last night, her legal adviser, Robert Green, said Mrs Greig was “devastated” to hear no charges were being brought, but said her campaign for justice would continue.

Two officers from Grampian Police visited Hollie in September and spent three-and-a-half hours re-interviewing her at a special facility at Shrewsbury.

Hollie and her mother moved to Shropshire to escape the alleged abuse.

Mrs Greig claims two of the alleged abusers moved to Portugal a number of years ago and she went to her local police station at Shrewsbury to pass on that information when news broke of the kidnapping of Madeleine McCann.

Madeleine, who was three at the time, was kidnapped from her family’s holiday apartment at Praia da Luz in the Algarve in 2006. Police believe she was taken by a paedophile.

Lord Advocate Angiolini made complaint to Press Complaints Commission over abuse claims report by Scots law title “The Firm”

Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini filed complaint with PCC over abuse claims publicity. ELISH ANGIOLINI, Scotland’s Lord Advocate is reported to have made a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission over Scots legal publication “The Firm” who recently reported on the case of Hollie Greig, a downs syndrome girl who filed reports with Grampian Police over claims she, together with other victims, was abused by an Aberdeen based paedophile gang which the media have reported contains a serving Sheriff and other key figures in Scotland’s legal establishment, including Police officers.

Scots legal publication “The Firm” were censored by legal threats from Lord Advocate. The complaint to the Press Complaints Commission is being widely seen as a tactical move on the part of the Lord Advocate, to warn other media outlets & newspapers from re-printing the allegations made by Hollie & her mother, Anne. However, while the PCC complaint deals with allegations printed by “The Firm”, it gives no answers to medical evidence now disclosed confirming Ms Greig was abused, and neither does it account for a substantial payout to Hollie from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, despite there being no charges to-date against anyone identified as being part of the paedophile gang.

A source at the Press Complaints Commission said they could not release any documentation regarding the complaint, and confirmed the PCC was exempt from Freedom of Information legislation, making it difficult to establish exactly why the Lord Advocate felt it necessary to file a complaint with the PCC through her private lawyers, identified as Glasgow law firm Levy McRae rather than make the complaint in a personal capacity.

It transpired the complaint made by Ms Angiolini through her lawyers was settled in a matter of hours after “The Firm” printed a retraction & apology, which we covered HERE

Press Complaints Commission : Ms Elish Angiolini (Complainant) v The Firm (Publication)

Complainant Name: Ms Elish Angiolini

Clauses Noted: 1

Publication: The Firm

Complaint:

Ms Elish Angiolini, the Lord Advocate of Scotland, complained through Levy & McRae Solicitors of Glasgow that an online article relating to comments made by the mother of Hollie Greig was inaccurate and misleading.

Resolution:

The complaint was resolved when the magazine published the following text online:

An article of 17 November reported that Anne Greig, mother of Hollie Greig - reportedly abused by an alleged paedophile ring said to include a serving Sheriff and a now deceased police officer - had called for an investigation into the role played by Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini, then a Regional Procurator Fiscal, in the decision not to prosecute.

We have been asked by the Lord Advocate to make clear the following: there was no allegation of a paedophile ring contained in the police report to the Procurator Fiscal at that time; that there was no allegation about a Sheriff or a policeman in the report; that the decision not to prosecute was made before the Lord Advocate took up post as Regional Procurator Fiscal and on the basis that there was insufficient evidence in law; and that she was unaware of the claim at the time and has never had any involvement in the case. We are happy to make the position clear and did not intend to suggest that she had acted in any way improperly.

At the time of publication, the specific details regarding the timeline of the decision not to prosecute, although requested, were not provided by the Crown Office. This information was supplied after publication. Having been furnished with the relevant information, we would like to apologise to the Lord Advocate for any distress that may have been caused.