SNP South of Scotland MSP Mr Michael Russell has said that the fight goes on to get justice for his constituent Shirley McKie, despite a ruling by the Court of Session that the police had shown ‘no malice’ in subjecting her to a humiliating arrest and search. Ms McKie, then a Strathclyde police officer was subsequently tried for perjury on the basis of finger print evidence from the Scottish Criminal Records Office which the court case showed was completely false. Mr Russell, who has been acting on behalf of Ms McKie, and who managed to obtain a public apology from the Justice Minister over her case commented:

“The Court of Session has today rejected Ms McKie’s claim for compensation from Strathclyde Police for the unnecessary humiliation to which she was subjected during her arrest. The court may say that there was no malice, but nobody should have to go through this kind of ordeal, particularly not over a charge, which is based on utterly falsified evidence.

“Ms McKie has the option of appeal on this matter, but more importantly, the judgement does not affect the entirely separate compensation action which Ms McKie is bringing against the Scottish Criminal Records Office for the way in which they produced false finger print evidence in court in their efforts to prove her guilty of a charge of perjury.”

Ms McKie’s father, Mr Iain McKie, added:

“Though we are disappointed by today’s judgement, the fight for justice goes on, and we will be aggressively pursuing the action for compensation from the SCRO. I know what Shirley has suffered as a result of the false accusations which they made against her. Although she has been cleared of the charges against her, and completely exonerated by three separate enquires, her health has been damaged and her career has been lost.

“She now deserves the SCRO to recognise that too, and Michael and I will continue to pursue this campaign until she receives the compensation which she deserves.”