An independent investigation into the mystery death of a man 26 years ago has cost the taxpayer almost £250,000. Kevin McLeod’s body was discovered at the bottom of Wick Harbour on February 9, 1997, after a night out.
His parents, Hugh and June McLeod and uncle Allan McLeod, believe he was murdered because of serious injuries found on his body. They have campaigned over the years for the case to be reopened and the killer brought to justice.
In 2019, Merseyside Police were asked by Police Scotland to carry out an independent investigation into their original handling of the death probe. It concluded last year that Kevin’s death was accidental and that there was no criminality involved.
Figures obtained by the Sunday Mail show that £234,881 was spent on the investigation by Merseyside, which involved six detectives and two retired officers. Of that sum, £42,827 was spent in 2020 and £192,054 in 2021. In total, £248,881 has been allocated by cash-strapped Police Scotland to investigating Kevin’s death since 2017.
In their FOI response, the force said: “The higher figures for 2020 and 2021 relate to an independent inquiry conducted by Merseyside Police which was funded by Police Scotland.”
The overall costs include overtime payments to officers and the cost of their food, accommodation and travel. Kevin, a 24-year-old electrician from Wick, died after on a night out with friends in the Caithness town.
The Sunday Mail first revealed the family’s concerns over his death more than 15 years ago. The Merseyside report concluded he drowned in Wick Harbour after a fall and his injuries were caused by hitting creel nets on the deck of a boat.
Claims by a key witness that he saw two local policemen watching Kevin drown were dismissed as fabrication. The report also criticised some members of the Caithness community for spreading conspiracy theories over Kevin’s death. But it said the original police probe in 1997 was ill-equipped and under-resourced.
Last month, Kevin’s family met the Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain to express their concerns over how the case has been handled by the police and Crown Office over the years.
They have rejected the independent findings by the Liverpool force. The family were told that fresh reports from Police Scotland over Kevin’s death are being considered.
Assistant Chief Constable Bex Smith said: “I was grateful to have the opportunity to meet with Kevin’s family last month and reiterate an earlier unreserved apology on behalf of policing for the response which followed the death.”
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