On the 6th of May 2022, the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner sent a written recommendation to Police Scotland that they consider whether any organisational or individual learning can be identified as a result of our complaint being upheld, and if so, this was to be communicated to us in writing and implemented within 2 months. This related to our complaint about Police Scotland providing false information to the Crown as evidence in relation to the murder of Barry, when they falsely stated they had found him injured, naked, wearing only boxer shorts. Our complaint was upheld, but the apology was insincere and lacking.

So, it’s now been 4 MONTHS and no organisational or individual learning has been identified, this suggests the revelation that officers of Police Scotland sent false information to the Crown as evidence, repeatedly over a period of 22 months during their investigation into our child’s murder, did not come as a shock to Police Scotland, is of no concern to Police Scotland and is perhaps normal …… how many times has this happened, and in what world can this be normalised? In our case, we were subjected to terrible ongoing trauma, and we have not yet seen justice for the murder or our child, but in other cases this behaviour could also lead to individuals being wrongly convicted for crimes they have not committed.

The officers of Police Scotland who provided the false information to the Crown on various dates after Barry was murdered have not been dismissed or faced any disciplinary action. At least one has been promoted to a higher rank. In their response, Police Scotland did not comment on the fact the Police Sergeant who found Barry falsely testified under oath that Barry was found naked wearing only boxer shorts……this was the same officer who was in charge when they failed to apprehend Robbie Smullen on his spree of violence before he later murdered Barry……the same officer who was in charge when they failed to manage the crime scene……the same officer who was in charge when his constable smiled for selfie photos with the killer’s friends less than an hour after our child was pronounced dead……the same officer who was in charge when Police Scotland failed to inform us that our child was rushed to hospital in a critical state……who failed to inform us when he later died……and so much more…..we can join up the dots.