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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Hannah Mackenzie Wood

Watchdog order police to review four complaints made by grieving mum of Rhys Bonner

A watchdog has ordered Police Scotland to review four complaints made by Rhys Bonner's grieving mother over the investigation into the death of her teenage son.

Rhys Bonner was just 19 years old when he went missing from his Barlanark home in July 2019. His half-naked body was found two weeks later in marshland between Easterhouse and Gartloch Village.

Police Scotland said the death was fully investigated and declared not suspicious.

His grieving mother Stephanie Bonner says she still does not know where her son's body was found and his death certificate stated the cause as 'unascertained'.

She claims she conducted her own investigation into the tragedy and the family's concerns were ignored by officers.

Rhys Bonner was found dead on August 8, 2019. (Daily Record)

The Police Investigations & Review Commissioner (Pirc) has ordered Police Scotland to re-examine how they dealt with a number of formal complaints made by the family following a review.

Four out of 26 complaints put forward by Stephanie were found to have not been dealt with to a reasonable standard. These include the family being given the incorrect co-ordinates for where Rhys' remains were discovered and officers failing to facilitate a site visit.

Officers also gave the family a map of the area and expected to 'find the location themselves'.

A review has also been ordered for a complaint that Police Scotland failed to investigate Rhys's final movements, leading to his family conducting their own enquiries.

Reacting to the report, Stephanie said: "I still don't know where my son's body was recovered. It's horrendous. I miss him with every breath I take and everyday I wake up and lose my boy all over again.

"But I've got to keep going and stay strong for Rhys's four siblings, to show them that mum is still fighting.

"We have been waiting for these answers but to now have them in writing is surreal.

"I'm delighted that PIRC has come back with this report. It has restored my faith in humanity."

Police Scotland maintain they carried out a full investigation into the death before declaring it 'not suspicious'. (Daily Record)

Stephanie is now preparing to give evidence at Scottish Parliament in support of a petition to improve the way that unexplained deaths are dealt with.

She added: "I'm so proud that I'm going to be able to take this issue to the Scottish Parliament. Now I have the PIRC report, I will be able to fight my case and explain Rhys's story."

Chief Superintendent Mark Sutherland, divisional commander for Greater Glasgow, said: “My sympathies remain with Stephanie Bonner, her family and friends for the distress they have suffered since Rhys’s death in 2019.

“We have received a Complaint Handling Review from the Police Investigations & Review Commissioner which looked at how we dealt with the family’s complaints and will study this carefully before updating them and the PIRC in relation to any matters raised."

A Pirc statement said: “We have received an application for a Complaint Handling Review in this case. Following careful consideration of the available information, the Commissioner issued a CHR report with our findings and conclusions to the family on 30 November 2022.

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