ALISTAIR WILSON: Family of murdered Nairn banker ‘insulted’ and ‘left in the dark’ by police
The family of a Nairn man who was murdered on his doorstep in 2004 called out Police Scotland’s chief for her “misleading” comments about the new team set to start a full reinvestigation of the case.
Chief Constable Jo Farrel appeared in a BBC and an STV interview earlier this week saying that a new Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) and team were “working now” in relation to the investigation into the murder of Alistair Wilson.
However in a newly released statement the family said they were no one at Police Scotland has reached out to them since they released a statement in response news of the case being reinvestigated and that when they contacted their existing Family Liaison Officerthey were told their replacements had not yet been appointed.
Veronica Wilson, Alistair’s 53-year-old wife said: “Jo Farrell was further contradicted when the Family Liaison Officer told us that, although a new SIO had been identified, they were actually abroad on holiday the day after the Chief Constable said 'a new SIO and team' were 'working now'.
"Astonishingly, we were also informed that nobody will be back at work until next week.
"We are baffled as to how the Chief Constable can claim that 'a new SIO and team' is 'working.”
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She added that Jo Farrell’s refused to meet with them “to discuss ongoing issues that remain unresolved.”
“It was insulting for Jo Farrell to tell the media – not us – that she hasn’t “got any plans” to meet us.
“Learning of this impersonal response from her through media reports was a devastating blow dealt by a callous police chief.
“And hearing Jo Farrell repeatedly referring to us as “that family” in broadcast media interviews left us feeling like nothing more than a case number.”
Mr Wilson was fatally shot three times in the doorway of his family home by a mysterious stranger.
The business bank manager’s wife Veronica found the 30-year-old after he was murdered at their home on the evening of November 28, 2004.
His oldest son Andrew Wilson (24), who was just four when his father was killed, added: “It remains a mystery to us, and we question why our family is still being kept in the dark while Jo Farrell is basking in the media spotlight as she talks of building bridges and providing confidence to our family.
“We don’t know whether Jo Farrell has been confused or perhaps even caught in a lie, but she has certainly failed to reassure us that she has a grip on this worsening situation.”
In a statement released on Saturday last week the family described the announcement that Alistair’s murder would be subject to a complete reinvestigation as “upsetting and a huge disappointment” and “far from the ‘good news story’” that Police Scotland wanted it to be.
They heavily criticised how the investigation has been carried out in the past two decades, raising concerns about what they said was “poor leadership” within Police Scotland, after lodging a formal complaint in late 2023.
They added: “These serious matters, including one upheld complaint of misconduct by Head of Major Crime DCS Paul Livingstone, cannot be properly addressed by any Senior Investigating Officer or Family Liaison Officer, of whom we’ve had many over the years.
“Fresh faces will take months, maybe even years to catch up to the progress already made, due to the scale of the investigation.
“It appears there won’t be any continuity from the previous investigation team who have built up the required knowledge.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "The Chief Constable was referencing the Strategic Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Superintendent Suzanne Chow, who was in contact with the family last week via family liaison officers.
"A Senior Investigating Officer has also been appointed and the wider team, which will take forward the reinvestigation, is being identified. The family have been kept updated on this work."
