News In Focus
16 March 2006
MSPs defer Shirley McKie inquiry decision
MSPs yesterday deferred a decision on whether to hold a parliamentary inquiry into the Shirley McKie fingerprint case.
Members of the Justice 1 Committee agreed to seek further details of an action plan currently being drawn up for the Scottish Criminal Record Office before launching an inquiry.
Ms McKie was awarded £750,000 in an out-of-court settlement last month. She had been accused of perjury after stating that her fingerprints were not present at the house of murder victim in Kilmarnock. After being cleared of perjury, she went on to sue the Scottish Criminal Records Office which had matched her print with the print in the house.
Ms McKie's father Ian has said that he will be writing to the Public Services Ombudsman Alice Brown to ask her to investigate the case. A spokesperson for Alice Brown said that every complaint had to be looked at in detail before making a decision to investigate.