3 years ? ago. Scotland. Cyclist went missing. Anyone familiar with this ?

[glasgowcyclist]

The woman who extracted the confession from her then-boyfriend is suing the police, accusing them of forcing her to spy on the killer.

She is Dr Caroline Muirhead, a forensic pathologist(!), who says police threatened that she herself could be charged unless she agreed to cooperate further, despite having already provided the killer’s confession. She says she was promised anonymity and support but once she’d supplied what they wanted, the police “hung her out to dry”.

This is an extract from The Telegraph:

“They suggested from the start that I could also end up in trouble with assisting a criminal, wasting police time, aiding and abetting.”​

​

After years of severe stress, the 32-year-old from Glasgow discovered the trial judge had permitted a BBC documentary crew access to the court to film proceedings.​

​

After protesting that she did not want to appear on film, she fled and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She said a helicopter was dispatched to search for her and she was locked in custody for two days, suffering a mental breakdown.​

 

[Slick]

The woman who extracted the confession from her then-boyfriend is suing the police, accusing them of forcing her to spy on the killer.

She is Dr Caroline Muirhead, a forensic pathologist(!), who says police threatened that she herself could be charged unless she agreed to cooperate further, despite having already provided the killer’s confession. She says she was promised anonymity and support but once she’d supplied what they wanted, the police “hung her out to dry”.

This is an extract from The Telegraph:

“They suggested from the start that I could also end up in trouble with assisting a criminal, wasting police time, aiding and abetting.”​

​

After years of severe stress, the 32-year-old from Glasgow discovered the trial judge had permitted a BBC documentary crew access to the court to film proceedings.​

​

After protesting that she did not want to appear on film, she fled and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She said a helicopter was dispatched to search for her and she was locked in custody for two days, suffering a mental breakdown.​

Wow, hopefully the police have a reply for those allegations.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Wow, hopefully the police have a reply for those allegations.

All they are saying at the moment is:
“It would not be appropriate to comment on these assertions as criminal proceedings have not concluded.
There are a number of outstanding complaints which will be progressed at the conclusion of all criminal proceedings.”

 

[Slick]

All they are saying at the moment is:
“It would not be appropriate to comment on these assertions as criminal proceedings have not concluded.
There are a number of outstanding complaints which will be progressed at the conclusion of all criminal proceedings.”

They are good at forming words and sentences that don't actually say very much.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

They are good at forming words and sentences that don't actually say very much.

I think they are restricted until the conclusion of proceedings. Although the brothers have been convicted, they have yet to be sentenced and it’s only then that the criminal proceedings will have ended.

At which point they’ll likely say they can’t comment while a complaint is being investigated.

 

[T4tomo]

Interesting twist!

 

[Punkawallah]

Your Police Service. Commonly merely street sweepers and tax collectors.

 

[Profpointy]

They would probably have some, but nowhere near enough to dissolve even one body, never mind the numbers they did.

I really really doubt they'd have HF in a school. I never saw the stuff, and I did A level. This was back in the day before " elf n safety gorn maad" too.

A pal was doing post doc research into silicon chip fabrication which requires HF. Despite it being in a university and he already having a PhD, you had to do a special safety course to be allowed to use the HF. He happily avoided the course because he didn't want to go anywhere near the stuff, as it's so nasty. No way would they have this in school.

 

[classic33]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-66256705

When you think things can't get worse.

"A drink-driver who killed a charity cyclist then hid his body in a shallow grave on a remote Scottish estate has been sentenced to 12 years in prison."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-66614488

 

[glasgowcyclist]

"A drink-driver who killed a charity cyclist then hid his body in a shallow grave on a remote Scottish estate has been sentenced to 12 years in prison."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-66614488

The sentence for killing Mr Parsons is in the range I expected but I’m surprised at the the 5-year sentence for attempting to defeat the ends of justice. I expected longer.

 

[Alex321]

The sentence for killing Mr Parsons is in the range I expected but I’m surprised at the the 5-year sentence for attempting to defeat the ends of justice. I expected longer.

There don't seem to be similar sentencing guidelines available in Scotland for most offences, but the guidelines for Perverting the Course of Justice in England and Wales (which don't actually take effect until October) have a maximum starting point of 4 years custody - that is for the most serious harm and culpability.
https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/crown-court/item/perverting-the-course-of-justice/

 

[Drago]

The woman who extracted the confession from her then-boyfriend is suing the police, accusing them of forcing her to spy on the killer.

She is Dr Caroline Muirhead, a forensic pathologist(!), who says police threatened that she herself could be charged unless she agreed to cooperate further, despite having already provided the killer’s confession. She says she was promised anonymity and support but once she’d supplied what they wanted, the police “hung her out to dry”.

This is an extract from The Telegraph:

“They suggested from the start that I could also end up in trouble with assisting a criminal, wasting police time, aiding and abetting.”​

​

After years of severe stress, the 32-year-old from Glasgow discovered the trial judge had permitted a BBC documentary crew access to the court to film proceedings.​

​

After protesting that she did not want to appear on film, she fled and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She said a helicopter was dispatched to search for her and she was locked in custody for two days, suffering a mental breakdown.​

At a low level this sort of thing is normal. For example, adult child takes parents car without consent, crashes it. Parent doesnt want to stitch up child so refuses to make a criminal complaint. Fine, if you're saying no crime has occurred then by default you must have given them permission, in which case we'll have to knock you off for use, cause or permit, and youll now like receive a greater punishment than thwn they would. Most folk relent and proceed with the comopaint.

But when playing for these stakes? I'll believe it if and when it all comes out in the wash. At the moment we have only one person's uncorroborated account about any alleged pressure that may have been diredted her way.

Not only that, the defence will take a dim view of such an allegation only coming to light  after a trial, as if she were under duress as she claims it would instantly undermine her credibility as a witness.

For example, how would a jury know she wasn't involved herself and had spun a Web of lies to distance herself from the crime? She concealed the (alleged) facts while under oath behind her presence and motivation as a witness, so how can a jury be sure of what else she may be concealing?

I doubt that would get them off - a dead body pretty much speaks for itself - but that's not a cert. Stranger things have happened in an appeal court than that.

One thing is for sure. This new allegation means the matter isn't yet done with and I've a feeling in my gut that this isn't going to play out in the manner she expects.

 

[T4tomo]

For example, how would a jury know she wasn't involved herself and had spun a Web of lies to distance herself from the crime? She concealed the (alleged) facts while under oath behind her presence and motivation as a witness, so how can a jury be sure of what else she may be concealing?

Given she only started dating the killer 3 after the accident, I find it highly unlikely she was involve.

My understanding from reading the reports, of the timeline etc, is He confessed to her, she, of her own will got him to show her the grave site at that time and then once more so she could "mark it" she then she went to the police.

The police pressure bit only came post arrest of the brothers, as they made her remain "in situ" to get more of the small detail to help them make the case watertight for court.

"She alleges that after giving Police Scotland the clue they needed to find Mr Parsons' body, detectives pressured her into 'spying' on the twins for a further nine months in order to bolster their case.
She also claims officers leaked key evidence to locals revealing the part she was playing in the inquiry."

She didn't want them to know it was her who shopped them in, which was always going to be difficult to achieve. more detail on the link.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-mark-shallow-grave-cyclist-mowed-buried.html

 

[Time Waster]

I really really doubt they'd have HF in a school. I never saw the stuff, and I did A level. This was back in the day before " elf n safety gorn maad" too.

A pal was doing post doc research into silicon chip fabrication which requires HF. Despite it being in a university and he already having a PhD, you had to do a special safety course to be allowed to use the HF. He happily avoided the course because he didn't want to go anywhere near the stuff, as it's so nasty. No way would they have this in school.

I used HF in my masters research project to etch aluminium to bring out the grain structure. Nasty stuff. A researcher thought they'd got drops on them in a time before chemical showers (like a normal shower but with a lot higher water flow). They took him to the sports centre, cleared the swimming pool and dumped him in and took his clothes. He died in the end because of the few drops.

I got a strong talking to about how to safely use it. I was used to things like that because my first degree I got taught how to take the antidote for cyanide poisoning! The lecturers and COSHH expert basically told us to be quick with the antidote. Can't remember details other times two reagents needed to be mixed in order just before taking in a set ratio. They told us to just swig the first chemical then the second. Don't worry about the correct mix. Both reagents in excess will make you ill but at least you'll not be dead!

I was using it in the fume cupboard with trousers, boots, big leather apron, latex gloves, thick rubber gauntlets going right up your arm, safety glasses and face shield! Meanwhile undergrads were running around like young schoolkids all around the lab waiting for their lab class. That was until the lab tech, a 5' tall woman, walked out. She took one look at me and balled the undergrads out big time! So funny to see them all sit down looking sheepishly down at the floor like the naughty schoolkids they were. Even the ones not involved. I then finished up and was able to leave. Mind you that fume cupboard was kept just for me and the HF and conc HCl acid I needed was kept there.

As to HF acid in schools, not a chance. Absolutely no chance at all! Part of my time was spent in the research building of a technical consultancy. They had a lot of chemicals there including some nasty ones, but they were banned from having HF acid on site. A company that actually needed to use HF acid couldn't so used universities for that. If they couldn't then schools were less likely.

Imho HF acid would be a horrible way to kill someone. Not great for body disposal. The acid actually doesn't burn you like say conc hcl acid. If you get drops on your skin it simply passes through your skin to your bones where it effectively proceeds to remove calcium from your bones. It is not going to dissolve a body that well though.

 

[Pale Rider]

After years of severe stress, the 32-year-old from Glasgow discovered the trial judge had permitted a BBC documentary crew access to the court to film proceedings.After protesting that she did not want to appear on film, she fled and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She said a helicopter was dispatched to search for her and she was locked in custody for two days, suffering a mental breakdown.

She was badly advised/got the wrong end of the stick about the filming.

The telly is only permitted to used a fixed camera (no cameraman) trained on the judge when he is making his sentencing remarks.

You can see the result in the BBC report of the sentencing.

Not only that, the defence will take a dim view of such an allegation only coming to light  after a trial, as if she were under duress as she claims it would instantly undermine her credibility as a witness.

She didn't give evidence.

They might have read her police statement, or played the video of her police interview - assuming both exist, which they probably do.