Caithness.org News Bulletins -  October 2002

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Commenting on the death of Kevin McLeod in February 1997, Northern  Constabulary's Chief Constable Ian Latimer says, "This was a tragic death and a sad loss for the McLeod family. Both I and my officers have always endeavoured to be sensitive and sympathetic to the concerns of the family. Prior to my arrival, there had been two major investigations carried out by the Force and supervised by the Procurator Fiscal additionally there had also been a Fatal Accident Inquiry. On my arrival, the family brought forward what they stated, was new evidence."

Following this and in liaison with the Procurator Fiscal, it was decided to conduct another investigation.
Continuing Mr Latimer emphasises "This was not a re-investigation of the death but an investigation of the new allegations that had been brought forward."  An additional element of this enquiry was that the Force sought specialist advice through the National Crime Faculty and a review of all the forensic pathology data was carried out by Dr Nathaniel Cary an eminent Forensic Pathologist.  Dr Cary provides expert opinion in cases referred from all over the United Kingdom and was recently involved in the Solham case in Cambridgeshire.

Mr Latimer says " Dr Cary, within his detailed report, which is supported by a number of other eminent pathologists, believes that the serious abdominal injuries sustained were as a result of an accidental fall on to a ship in the harbour and there is no evidence that they were caused by a third party."  He went on to state further, "In terms of the criminal investigation, The Area Procurator Fiscal and I are satisfied that, despite thousands of hours of investigation, there is no evidence to substantiate any allegation of
criminality in the death of Kevin McLeod."

Commenting further on the death, Mr Latimer stated "All I am interested in is if Kevin McLeod was murdered, then regardless of what has gone before, let's actually find that out. Every new bit of information that the family has brought forward, we haven't made a judgement on it, we have actually
investigated it. At each stage, we have sought the independent view of the Procurator Fiscal with regard to our actions and conclusions." 

However, Mr Latimer goes on to state "From my perspective, I have to progress this to a conclusion and I have tried to do everything that I can either to discover whether there is any substance to the allegations that are made, or not. Whilst the case is never closed, after thousands of hours of investigation and much use of public money, there are no other obvious lines of enquiry which can be pursued."