Public inquiry announced into police handling of Emma Caldwell's murder case

07 March 2024 , 15:09

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Public inquiry announced into police handling of Emma Caldwell's murder case

A public inquiry is to be held into the police investigation of the murder of Emma Caldwell almost two decades ago, Scotlands Justice Secretary Angela Constance has announced.

Iain Packer was convicted of killing the 27-year-old sex worker and dumping her body at Limefield Woods in Lanarkshire 19 years ago. The 51-year-old was also found guilty of 32 other charges including 11 rapes and multiple sexual assaults against a total of 22 women following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow, Scotland.

Last week, he was given a life sentence and ordered to serve a minimum of 36 years before he will be considered for parole. Packer has now launched a bid for freedom after instructing his legal team to challenge his conviction and the length of his sentence.

In what remained one of Scotland's most prolific unsolved murders for years, Emma was driven 40 miles from Glasgow to Limefield Woods near Biggar, Lanarkshire, in 2005, where Packer strangled her and dumped her body. Detectives investigating her murder interviewed Packer six times, before the killer even led police to the spot where she was buried.

But instead, Strathclyde Police pursued four innocent Turkish men for the murder in a botched investigation which cost £4million. Police Scotland has already apologised to the family of Miss Caldwell and his other victims, saying they were "let down" by policing in 2005.

Double killer who slit girlfriend's throat within weeks of release jailed

Iain Packer was convicted of killing 27-year-old Emma Caldwell (PA)

Emma Caldwell (PA)

Emma's family previously cited a toxic culture of misogyny which left Packer free to rape other women after murdering Emma. Sentencing the murderer last week, Judge Lord Beckett told him: "You murdered a capable and compassionate, intelligent young woman who had planned to extricate herself from the difficult life she had been living. Emma was alone, in the dark, deprived of her phone and miles from any prospect of help."

The judge said Emma was taken from her family at a time when she was trying to take steps to change her life adding she was killed in "truly terrifying circumstances". Packer's sentence is the second longest ever handed down by a Scottish court, behind the 37-year minimum jail term given to World's End killer Angus Sinclair in 2014.

Aamer Anwar, the lawyer for the Caldwell family, said the apology from police was “not accepted” and ruled out the Met investigating as an external force. Mr Anwar said: “That apology is not accepted. Officers who retired or who sabotaged the case must face justice. Iain Packer raped and raped again, and was allowed to do so because the police covered up, and continued to cover up.”

Susie Beever