Magic Circle Affair

The Report on an Inquiry
into an Allegation of a
Conspiracy to Pervert the
Course ofJustice in
Scotland
To the Right Honourable the Lord Rodger of Earlsferry QC
Her Majesty's Advocate
By W A Nimmo Smith QC and

J D Friel, Regional Procurator Fiscal of North Strathclyde
Return to an Address of the Honourable the

House of Commons dated 26th January 1993
Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed

26th January 1993
EDINBURGH: HMSO
377
The Right Honourable the Lord Rodger of Earlsferry QC
Her Majesty's Advocate
In discharge of the remit set out in your letter to us dated 18 September 1992,
we have the honour to submit our Report herewith. Although it is submitted to
you, since it is intended for publication we propose hereafter to refer to you in the
third person. You took office on 22 April 1992, and accordingly when describing
events after that date we shall call you "the Lord Advocate". References to "the
Lord Advocate" prior to that date are to your predecessors in office.
Yours sincerely
W A NIMMO SMITH QC
JD FRIEL
Edinburgh,
15 December 1992
THE REPORT ON AN INQUIRY INTO
AN ALLEGATION OF A CONSPIRACY
TO PERVERT THE COURSE OF
JUSTICE IN SCOTLAND
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
Part 1 Our Remit 1.1 to 1.17 1
Part 2 The Judiciary, the Crown and the Police 2.1 to 2.15 8
Part 3 Homosexuality and the Criminal Law 3.1 to 3.7 13
Part 4 Homosexuality and the Holding of 4.1 to 4.3 16
Judicial Office
Part 5 The Resignation of Lord Dervaird 5.1 to 5.4 17
Part 6 Colin Tucker's Statement or "List" 6.1 to 6.32 19
Part 7 Rumours about Members of the Legal 7.1 to 7.13 28
Profession
Part 8 "Jason" the Rent Boy and the "Gay 8.1 to 8.8 31
Judges Scandal"
Part 9 Michael Junior's Story about a "Judge" 9.1 to 9.6 34
Part 10 Allegations by Stephen Conroy against 10.1 to 10.33 36
Sheriff Douglas Allan
Part 11 Other Allegations against Sheriff Douglas 11. 1 to 11. 19 53
Allan
Part 12 The Orr Report 12.1 to 12.28 58
Part 13 Robert Henderson QC 13.1 to 13.22 66
Part 14 HMA v Arthur Colin Tucker 14.1 to 14.22 72
Part 15 HMA v Cordon Michael May and Arthur 15.1 to 15.24 79
Colin Tucker
Part 16 HMA v Neil Bruce Duncan and Others 16.1 to 16.43 85
Part 17 HMA v Stephen Mark Conroy 17.1 to 17.16 96
Part 18 Conclusions 18.1 to 18.14 100
OUR REMIT 1
1. OUR REMIT
1.1 On 11 September 1992 there were reports in the press and on television of
the contents ofan internal report by a senior officer ofLothian and Borders Police
to the Chief Constable, a copy or copies of which had been leaked. We shall for
convenience refer to this document as "the Orr Report" because, although it was
signed by Detective ChiefSuperintendent William Hiddleston, it was written by
Detective Chief Inspector Roger Orr. While we shall have occasion to discuss
passages ofthe Orr Report at some length later in this Report, certain ofits features
could conveniently be mentioned at this stage. Mter an introduction it has the
following headings:
"1. BURNETTWALKER, W.S.-IAN McFARLANEWALKER,AND
ARTHUR COLIN TUCKER",
"2. ARTHUR COLIN TUCKER AND GORDON MAY",
"3. ROBERT EWART HENDERSON, Q.C.",
"4. OPERATION PLANET-THE RENT BOY CASE" and
"5. STEPHEN CONROY AND SHERIFF DOUGLAS ALLEN" (sic).
It ends with a conclusion, the second paragraph ofwhich is in the following terms:
"When all aspects are viewed together and the various links examined, the
overwhelming conclusion has to be that a number of enquiries remain to
be done in order to say accurately that all information in possession of the
police has been fully investigated. The inference is one of the existence of
a well established circle ofhomosexual persons in Edinburgh with influence
in the judiciary who mayor may not have exercised that influence but who
have formed associations which in themselves lay them open to threats or
blackmail. It may well be the case that homosexuality per se is no longer
considered detrimental to the standing of a person holding public office.
However, the circumstances setout in this report indicate that homosexuality
may well have been used as a means to seriously interefere (sic) with the
administration ofjustice."
1.2 Whatever may have been the intention of the author of the report, this last
paragraph has been widely understood to contain an allegation that there has been
a conspiracy to pervert the course ofjustice which has resulted in decisions having
been taken by the Crown in the particular cases mentioned in the Orr Report for
the improper motive of preventing the public exposure of prominent members
of the Scottish legal establishment as being practising homosexuals or as having
engaged in homosexual activities; in any event, we have thought it necessary to
treat the Orr Report as containing such an allegation. The leaking and the press
and television coverage ofthe Orr Report have put this allegation into the public
domain and have caused legitimate public concern about the integrity ofthe system
for the prosecution of crime in Scotland.
1.3 On 14 September 1992 we were invited to undertake this Inquiry and started
work forthwith. As it happened, the Lord Advocate was prosecuting in Glasgow
that week and was not immediately available to discuss with us the terms of our
remit. These terms were finalised in letters to each ofus dated 18 September 1992,
in the following terms:
"I am grateful to you for accepting the task ofreviewing the decisions taken
in the cases which have already been identified to you. At the risk ofstating
the obvious, I must stress that I wish you to exercise the fullest possible
independence ofjudgment in conducting your investigation. I understand,
however, that you would find it useful to have a written indication ofyour
authority and your remit.
2 THE LORD ADVOCATE'S INQUIRY
Authority
You have been provided with a copy of the leaked report to the Chief
Constable and previous relevant papers. There are several cases identified
in that report and you may, with my authority, call for any case papers in
relation to these reports. You may also call for any papers which relate to the
allegations made in the report. You further have my authority to interview
myself, the Solicitor General, anyservingAdvocate Depute and any member
of the staffofCrown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service in connexion
with these matters. You may wish to interview other parties, but, as you
will appreciate, for the most part I have no authority over other people and
I think such interviews could only be arranged by agreement with the
individuals.. Should you meet with any difficulty in this regard, I would like
to consider the matter again.
Remit
The basis of the allegations now made appears to be that decisions taken in
relation to the cases referred to were taken for improper reasons, namely
to preventdisclosure ofinformationwhich would identifycertain individuals
as homosexuals. The purpose ofyour inquiry is to seek to ascertain whether
there is any evidence to suggest that the decisions were taken for such
improper reasons. I would further wish you to consider the actions taken
by Crown Counsel and those in Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal
Service who were aware of the allegations, with a view to establishing
whether there is any evidence to suggest that they were influenced by
improper considerations similar to those defined above.
Clearlyyou will wish to establish on what evidence the police report reached
its conclusions, and to explore that evidence to any extent which appears
to you to be necessary.
It is not, as such, part ofyour remit to comment on whether the judgment
ofCrown Counsel or Procurators Fiscal or deputes was correct on the merits
of the particular cases, although clearly you may require to take account of
suchjudgment before you can decide whether the nature ofany decision was
such as to indicate that it may have been reached for the improper reasons
which I have mentioned. Nor is it a part ofyour remit to enquire into whether
any individuals have engaged in homosexual practices, except in so far as
that may relate to the primary purpose of the inquiry.
Report
Once you have concluded your review, I would be grateful if you would
report, in writing, to me. Ifyou conclude that there is evidence to support
any of the allegations, then the question of possible criminal proceedings
would arise and, to that extent, the possibility of publication would be
affected. Otherwise, I should wish to publish as much of your report as
possible, bearing in mind the principle that the Crown does not disclose
the reasons for certain decisions in relation to prosecutions of identifiable
individuals. I should accordingly be grateful ifyou would consider writing
your report in such a way that as much as possible ofit can be made public.
I should also like you to recommend which parts, if any, should be made
confidential.
Finally, with the exception of the matters specifically excluded from your
remit, I would not wish to constrain you by the terms of this letter from
extending your inquiry into any area which you may consider relevant to
it. "
The terms of our remit were made public on the same date.
OUR REMIT 3 .
1.4 The Lord Advocate has the overall responsibility for both the investigation
and the prosecution of crime in Scotland. Normally he leaves the investigation
of crime in the hands of Procurators Fiscal and the police, as we discuss below,
but it is open to him to investigate crime by himself or through others of his
choosing. In this instance he has chosen us to conduct an investigation in his
name and with his authority into the allegation arising from the Orr Report. An
allegation that there has been a conspiracy to pervert the course ofjustice is of
course an allegation that there has been a course ofcriminal conduct. It has been
clear to us from the outset that our Inquiry is in substance a criminal investigation.
1.5 We have taken a liberal view ofour remit. We have conferred with the Lord
Advocate from time to time, and have indeed questioned him, as was contemplated
by him; but we have received no directions from him and have taken our own
decisions at all times as to the course our Inquiry should take. We have taken
possession of all the papers held in the Crown Office relating to the cases in
question. We have been given full use of the resources of the Crown Office, and
would like in particular to thank the Crown Agent, Duncan Lowe, and the Deputy
Crown Agent, Alfred Vannet, for the help they have given in ensuring that our
requests were met.
1.6 At an early stage the Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police, Sir
William Sutherland, appointed Assistant Chief Constable Graham Power to be
our liaison officer with the police. He, and in his absence Assistant ChiefConstable
Thomas Wood, undertook the responsibility ofsecuring the attendance for inter-
view of serving and retired police officers and of instructing the carrying out of
various inquiries on our behalf. Our every request to the police was attended to
promptly, efficiently and with courtesy; we make a particular point ofsaying so
at this stage because we shall have some hard things to say about some police
officers later in this Report. Our remit does not extend to investigation of the
person or persons responsible for the leaking ofthe Orr Report. A separate internal
police inquiry has been conducted into that matter by ChiefSuperintendent Harry
Gilmour, with whom we have exchanged information and opinions from time
to time. He has provided us with a summary ofhis report to the ChiefConstable.
We should like to thank him for his willing co-operation.
1.7 Our remit gave us authority over serving Advocates Depute and members
of the staff of Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service. We received full
co-operation from all those falling within these categories whom we wished to
attend for interview or to carry out inquiries on our behalf.
1.8 As our Inquiry progressed it became apparent that there were a large number
of other persons whom it would be appropriate for us to interview. Except as
mentioned below, all such persons responded readily to our approaches and
attended voluntarily for interview, although we had no power to compel them
to attend or to answer questions or to hand over documents during the course
of an interview. All interviews were conducted by both of us face to face with
the interviewees except in a few instances, which we have indicated in the text,
where the evidence seemed relatively minor and sufficiently uncontroversial to
justifythe taking ofthe evidence by one ofus alone either in person or by telephone.
1.9 The following persons were interviewed by us, their names being listed in
alphabetical order:
Douglas ALLAN, Sheriffof South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway at
Lanark, and formerly Regional Procurator Fiscal, Lothian and Borders
Dean BARNES
Thomas BELL, Sergeant, Lothian and Borders Police
James BETHELL, Reporter, "The Sunday Times"
David BLAIR-WILSON, Solicitor, Edinburgh
Edward BOWEN QC
Douglas BROWN, Assistant Solicitor, High Court Unit, Crown Office
KarenBROWN
Peter BROWN, Sergeant, formerly Detective Sergeant, Lothian and Bor-
ders Police
David BURNS QC
Ian BURRELL, Assistant News Editor, "Evening News"
AIastair CAMPBELL, Advocate

Hector CLARK, Deputy Chief Constable, Lothian and Borders Police
Isabel CLARK, Procurator Fiscal Depute, Edinburgh
The Honourable Lord CLYDE, Senator of the College ofJustice
Stephen COMERFORD, Constable, formerly Detective Constable,
Lothian and Borders Police
Stephen CONROY
Stephen CONROY, Senior
Hugh CORBETT, Detective Sergeant, Lothian and Borders Police
Kevin CRAWFORD
William CROOKSTON, Detective Chief Inspector, Lothian and Borders
Police
Frank CROWE, Procurator Fiscal, Kirkcaldy, formerly Assistant Solicitor,
High Court Unit, Crown Office
Leslie CUMMING, Chief Accountant, The Law Society of Scotland
Thomas DAWSON QC, Solicitor General for Scotland
Ian DEAN, formerly Crown Agent
Leeona DORRIAN, Advocate
Brian DOUGLAS, Advocate
Kevin DRUMMOND QC
Gordon ELLIS, Depute Clerk ofJusticiary
Christopher FEW,Police Constable, Northamptonshire Constabulary, for-
merly Detective Constable, Lothian and Borders Police
Mark FITZPATRICK, Advocate
Hugh FOLEY, Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary
David FORSYTH, Reporter, "Evening News"
The Right Honourable the Lord FRASER OF CARMYLLIE QC, Minister
of State at The Scottish Office, formerly Lord Advocate
Martin FRUTIN
Brian GILL QC, Keeper of the Advocates' Library
William GILLON, formerly Depute Clerk ofJusticiary
Michael GLEN
Richard GODDEN, Solicitor, Edinburgh
Robert HENDERSON QC
Thomas HEPBURN, formerly Detective ChiefInspector, Lothian and Bor-
ders Police
William HIDDLESTON, formerly Detective Chief Superintendent and
Head of CID, Lothian and Borders Police
The Right Honourable Lord HOPE, Lord President ofthe Court ofSession
and Lord Justice General
AIlan HUTCHISON, Chief Reporter, "The Scotsman"
Ian IRVING, Detective Inspector, Lothian and Borders Police
AIan JOHNSTON QC, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates
David JOHNSTON, Reporter, Radio Forth
Richard KEEN, Advocate
Robert LEES, Regional Procurator Fiscal, Lothian and Borders
Robert LEITCH, formerly Detective Inspector, Lothian and Borders Police
Magnus LINKLATER, Editor, "The Scotsman"
Duncan LOWE, Crown Agent, formerly Regional Procurator Fiscal,
Lothian and Borders
Gordon McBAIN, Solicitor, Edinburgh
Paul McBRIDE, Advocate
The Right Honourable the Lord McCLUSKEY OF CHURCHHILL, Sen-
ator of the College ofJustice
William McDOUGALL, Higher Precognition Officer, Procurator Fiscal's
Office, Edinburgh
Norman McFADYEN, Assistant Solicitor, Fraud Unit, Crown Office
Kenneth MACIVER, Assistant Procurator Fiscal, Edinburgh
Andrew McLAUGHLIN
Elish McPHILOMY, Senior Legal Assistant, Crown Office
lain McSPORRAN, Procurator Fiscal Depute, Edinburgh
OUR REMIT 5
Maria MAGUIRE, Advocate

Elaine MATTHEWS
Hugh MATTHEWS QC
The Honourable Lord MILLIGAN, Senator of the College ofJustice
John MITCHELL QC
James MUIR, Solicitor, Shotts
John MURRAYQC, Dickson Minto Professor ofCompany and Commer-
cial Law, Edinburgh University, formerly Senator ofthe College ofJustice
Neil MURRAY QC
Isabel NICOL, formerly Detective Sergeant, Lothian and Borders Police
Lawrence NISBET, Advocate
Derek OGG, Advocate
Charles ORR, Sergeant, formerly Detective Sergeant, Lothian and Borders
Police
Roger ORR, ChiefInspector, formerly Detective ChiefInspector, Lothian
and Borders Police
The Honourable Lord PENROSE, Senator of the College ofJustice, for-
merly Home Advocate Depute
Richard PRENTICE, Assistant ChiefConstable, Lothian and Borders Police
James REILLY, Advocate
Brian REYNOLDS, Sergeant, Lothian and Borders Police
The Right Honourable Malcolm RIFKIND QC MP, Secretary ofState for
Defence, formerly Secretary of State for Scotland
Peter ROBERTSON, formerly Detective Inspector, Lothian and Borders
Police
The Right Honourable the Lord RODGER OF EARLSFERRY QC, Lord
Advocate, formerly Solicitor General for Scotland
Linda RUXTON, Assistant Procurator Fiscal, Glasgow, formerly Senior
Procurator Fiscal Depute, Edinburgh
John SIMPSON, Advocate
Robert SINCLAIR, Depute Clerk ofJusticiary
WaIter Easton SMITH
Michael SOUTER, Inspector, formerly Detective Inspector, Lothian and
Borders Police
Donald STEWART, Inspector, Lothian and Borders Police
The Honourable Lord SUTHERLAND, Senator of the College ofJustice
SirWilliam SUTHERLAND, ChiefConstable, Lothian and Borders Police
CoHn TUCKER
Peter WATSON, Solicitor, Glasgow
John WATT QC
Thomas WELSH, Advocate
Peter WILSON, Superintendent, Lothian and Borders Police
1.10 Ofthe journalists we have spoken to, we have listed only those whom we
have interviewed in the sense that they have given information in response to
questions by us. We have had occasion to speak to a number ofother journalists
who have been interested in the progress of our Inquiry. We have also spoken
to a variety of other persons, principally with a view to enlisting their help in
making contact with others whom we wished to interview. Only two persons
whom we wished to interview declined to attend. These were Tarn Dalyell MP
and a rent boy (or male prostitute) called ")ason". Mr Dalyell was kind enough
to explain to us by telephone that he remained "implacable" in his refusal to attend
for interview, and was amused by the consequentjuxtaposition ofhis name with
that of ")ason".
1.11 In approaching persons whom we wished to interview we had to resort
to whatever expedients seemed best suited to persuade each individual to attend,
but we ensured that a number ofbasic points were conveyed to each. These were,
firstly, that we were effectively to be regarded as the Lord Advocate; secondly,
that our Inquiry was in substance a criminal investigation; thirdly, that our sole
desire was to establish the truth ofthe matters we were inquiringinto; and fourthly,
that our interviewees could be assured of our discretion about their attendance
for interview and our respect for the confidentiality of information which was
not strictly relevant to our Inquiry. As a result we have been able, as far as we
can tell, to inspire confidence in almost all of those whom we have interviewed.
1.12 It would be convenient at this point to mention that at our request Assistant
Chief Constable Power circulated a memorandum dated 23 September 1992 to
all Chief Superintendents stating that if any member of the Force who was not
called by us to give evidence felt that he had useful evidence to give, he should
be encouraged to make contact with As~istantChiefConstable Power who would
make arrangements for him to speak directly to us. A similar statement was made
in the Force Information Bulletin of25 September 1992. We are satisfied that these
steps have resulted in our having interviewed all police officers with relevant
information to give.
1.13 There was no fixed pattern to each interview. With a few exceptions,
interviews took place on Crown Office premises. No other person was present
during an interview apart from us and the interviewee. We each made a separate
contemporaneous written record ofeach interview. Mter outlining to each inter-
viewee the scope of our Inquiry and the matters in respect of which we wished
to ask questions, we then proceeded to ask questions in a form which seemed best
suited to the occasion. With a few exceptions our interviews were relatively
informal discussions rather than interrogations similar to cross-examination. As
a matter of policy we tried to tell each interviewee no more about the evidence
we had taken from others than was necessary for the formulation of questions
or to explain the reasons for asking questions. We did, however, make a point
of putting to each witness, for his comment, what had been said by others about
the witness or about the matters to which the witness spoke. In the case of some
witnesses it thus became necessary to ask them to attend for more than one
interview, and in a very few instances three or more interviews became necessary.
1.14 While we had no control over what witnesses might choose to say in private
or in public before or after being interviewed by us, we believe that on the whole
our own discretion was matched by that of witnesses, with the result that there
was little public discussion about specific aspects of our Inquiry while it was in
progress. Such public discussion would have been unwelcome to the extent that
it might have inhibited witnesses from agreeing to attend for interview or from
giving us as much information as they did.
1.15 It is in the nature ofthe matters which we have investigated that very often
no written record was made of them by the witnesses at the time. Where such
written records survive, we have taken possession of them, and mention them
in the text of this Report. For the most part, however, we have had to rely on
the recollections ofwitnesses who would have had no idea at the time when the
events took place, sometimes as much as three years ago, that they would be called
on to give evidence about them. As a result, recollections and perceptions ofevents
have varied. Where there have been material discrepancies in the evidence we
discuss those discrepancies. Where there have been minor discrepancies we have
not thought it necessary to treat them in detail and have instead compiled a narrative
which at least closely approximates to the true events. Overall, we believe that
we have been able to establish as much of the truth as anybody could have done
after this passage oftime. The truth as we have established it may be more banal
than what some have chosen to believe, but we hope that even a sceptical reader
will be satisfied with the substantial accuracy of what we have to report.
1.16 There are two main omissions from our Report. Firstly, witnesses were
prepared to confide in us about their private lives, on our assurance that we would
make no more mention of them than was strictly necessary for the purposes of
our remit. Where we have found it necessary to report on aspects of witnesses'
private lives we have deliberately done so in a way which is intended to frustrate
merely prurient curiosity. Secondly, there can be no question of our reporting
on prosecution decisions in such a way as would facilitate public debate about their
correctness. There is avery sound reason for this, which seemed to be unanimously
accepted by those ofthe witnesses who had an interest to discuss it with us. This
is that to put into the public d\...main the subject matter of prosecution decisions
would be to expose persons to a form of public trial without giving them an
OUR REMIT 7
opportunity to defend themselves. The only proper place for a person to be

exposed to a criminal allegation by the Crown is a criminal court. Every person
who is suspected or accused of having committed a criminal offence enjoys a
presumption ofinnocence, which means that he or she is only to be taken to have
committed the offence ifthe Crown has discharged the burden ofproving his guilt
beyond reasonable doubt, by the leading ofevidence ofthe sufficiency and quality
required by law, in a criminal court. Accordingly in those cases where a decision
was taken either not to initiate a prosecution or not to proceed on certain charges,
or to proceed on reduced charges, we intend to do no more than summarise the
procedure which was followed and the views of those who were involved in the
taking of the decision in question.
·1.17 We would conclude this introductory passage with an expression of our
thanks to Valerie Dawson, who prepared the typescript of this Report with
efficiency, discretion and unfailing good humour.
2. THE JUDICIARY, THE CROWN AND

THE POLICE
2.1 In the course of our Inquiry we discovered that there existed considerable
confusion in the minds of some witnesses as to the functions of the various
participants in the criminal justice system. We therefore consider it appropriate
at this stage to discuss the system.
2.2 There are twenty four Judges who sit in the Court of Session and the High
Court ofJusticiary, ofwhom the most senior is Lord Hope, the Lord President
ofthe Court ofSession and LordJustice General. They are appointed by the Queen
and hold office until they retire or resign. They can only be removed from office
in consequence of an address to both Houses of Parliament, a procedure which
has not been used for many years. In the High Court ofJusticiary they preside
over criminal trials in which one party is the Crown and the other party is the
accused. Legal arguments are heard byJudges sitting on their own, but all evidence
is led in the presence of a jury. The jury decides, in the light of legal directions
from the Judge, what view to take of the evidence and what verdict to return.
We have found a surprising ignorance, even among some quite senior police
officers, about the position of the Judiciary in relation to criminal prosecutions
in Scotland. It therefore needs to be clearly stated that the Judiciary are entirely
independent of the prosecuting authorities (collectively referred to as "the
Crown"), and have no say in decisions as to whether or not prosecutions should
be initiated, and if so on what charges, and as to whether or not pleas of guilty
should be accepted or charges should be withdrawn. The usual expression ofthe
Crown's position is that the Crown remains master of the instance throughout.
Judges do of course make decisions about the legal implications of charges or of
evidence led by the Crown, but they do so in open court where their decisions
are subject to public scrutiny. Since all the cases with which we are concerned
which resulted in prosecutions were heard in the High Courtwe need not mention
the lower courts, beyond stating in passing that a Sheriff is a judge and that the
same considerations apply to relations between a Sheriff and the Crown and to
the conduct of proceedings before a Sheriff.
2.3 Judges of the Court of Session and the High Court are serv~d by clerks of
court, headed by the Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary, who are public
servants. Their function is to assist in the administration ofjustice by securing,
so far as is practicable, the availability ofJudges to hear cases which are brought
before the court and by assisting the Judges in procedural and administrative
matters in the interests of efficiency. Hugh Foley, the Principal Clerk of Session
and Justiciary, has described the position in these terms:
"We serve the Bench and through the Bench the public. The Crown is just
another litigant, though our biggest customer."
When a Judge sits in court a clerk of court is always present to keep a record of
the proceedings and otherwise to assist the Judge. The clerk will often act as a
channel ofcommunication between the Judge and the counsel attending a sitting
ofthe High Court in connection with matters affecting the progress ofthe sitting.
2.4 The expression "the Crown" includes the Law Officers, the Advocates
Depute, and the Procurator Fiscal Service, headed by the Crown Agent. The Law
Officers are the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General for Scotland, who are
members ofthe Government and are appointed by the Prime Minister ofthe day.
They are answerable to Parliament for the performance oftheir duties, as are all
Government Ministers. As we have already stated, the Lord Advocate has the
responsibility for both the investigation and the prosecution ofcrime in Scotland,
as well as other functions which are not relevant for present purposes. The Lord
Advocate grants commissions to Advocates Depute, whose numbers have
THE JUDICIARY, THE CROWN AND THE POLICE 9
recently been increased from twelve to thirteen. They are drawn from the
practising membership ofthe Faculty ofAdvocates. Their commissions empower
them to take all prosecution decisions in the Lord Advocate's name as ifhe were
taking them himself. The relevant part ofsuch a commission, the terms ofwhich
have been in use for many years, is as follows:
"to compear for me and in my name as Her Majesty's Advocate before the
High Court ofJusticiary at Edinburgh, and before the different High Courts
ofJusticiary held in Scotland, and to make and subscribe all applications and
Petitions to the Judges thereof, and to raise and subscribe and insist in all
Criminal Actions, Indictments, Complaints, Prosecutions and Trials that
may be brought into said several Courts or any ofthem; and also with power
to him to restrict libels, to desert diets, and to crave judgment as he shall
see cause, and generally to do everything necessary in the premises that I
could do myself if present".
The consequence of this is that an Advocate Depute may, among other things,
accept reduced pleas or drop charges or even withdrawwhole indictments without
reference to the Lord Advocate. Some police officers seem surprisingly ignorant
ofthe extent of the discretion which the Lord Advocate's commission confers on
an Advocate Depute. The Law Officers and the Advocates Depute are referred
to collectively as "Crown Counsel".
2.5 The Crown Agent and the other members of the Procurator Fiscal Service
are public servants. Crown Counsel are served at the Crown Office by the Crown
Agent, the Deputy Crown Agent, and other staff, ofwhom we would particularly
mention the staff of the High Court Unit and the Fraud Unit. Outside Crown
Office, there is a Regional Procurator Fiscal in each of the six Sheriffdoms of
Scotland. In addition there is a Procurator Fiscal appointed to each SheriffCourt
District within the region. Procurators Fiscal function as the Lord Advocate's local
representatives.
2.6 While one of the main functions of the police is to investigate crime, their
investigations are subject to advice and instructions from the Crown. The position
of the police in relation to the Crown is to some extent regulated by statute, in
particular by section 17 ofthe Police (Scotland) Act 1967, which provides for the
making of reports by the police to the appropriate prosecutor, and by section 9
of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975, which provides for the issuing
by the Lord Advocate of instructions to a Chief Constable with regard to the
reporting, for consideration of the question of prosecution, of offences alleged
to have been committed within the area of such Chief Constable, and imposes
the duty on a Chief Constable to whom any such instruction is issued to secure
compliance therewith. But the office of Lord Advocate has existed since long
before the creation of any police force, and his functions and responsibilities
have not been diminished by the availability of the police to conduct criminal
investigations. The fundamental principle is that he has the right to investigate
any alleged crime at any time. The position is well stated in the Opinion ofLord
Justice Clerk-Thomson in Smith v HMA 1952]C 66 at pp.71-72:
''When a crime is committed it is the responsibility of the Procurator-fiscal
to investigate it. In actual practice much of the preliminary investigation is
nowadays, especially in the larger centres of population with highly
organised police forces, increasingly conducted by the police under the
general supervision ofthe Fiscal. This is due to the remarkable development
in recent years of the efficiency of the criminal investigation departments
of the police forces, especially on the technical side of crime detection.
However, the duty of the police is simply one of investigation under the
supervision of the Procurator-fiscal and the results of the investigation are
communicated to the Procurator-fiscal as the inquiries progress. It is for the
Crown Office and not for the police to decide whether the results of the
investigation justify prosecution. The two functions are quite distinct. In
carrying out their initial investigation the police perform a public duty. Their
investigation is entirely private and no one else is entitled to take part in it.
As the police have a monopoly, two results follow. First, the manner in
which they are allowed to carry out their investigation is regulated by
certain rules. Second. as they are the sole investigators, and no more than
investigators, it is their duty to put before the Procurator-fiscal everything
which may be relevant and material to the issue of whether the suspected
party is innocent or guilty. We repeat, it is not for the police to decide what
is relevant and material but to give all the information which may be relevant
and material.
Clearly in reporting the results oftheir investigation, the police must exercise
a power ofselection. Itwould be absurd to suggest that all their results should
be submitted. But a cautious officer will remember that he is not the judge
of what is relevant and material and will tend to err on the safe side. Ifhe
is in doubt, he should consult the Procurator-fiscal. He will also remember
that, as he and he alone has the opportunity of the initial investigation in
the public interest, he must put the result of his investigations fairly before
the Fiscal in order that the Crown may have a fair basis on which to decide
whether or not to prosecute.
On the basis of the information provided by the police the Crown prepare
the precognition and carry out any necessary further investigation to enable
them to decide whether to prosecute. Ifit is decided to prosecute, an indict-
ment is prepared."
2.7 Very often the police will have completed their investigation of the crime
before the Crown becomes involved. One of the more senior officers who has
been involved in the investigation, referred to as the Reporting Officer, will be
allocated the taskofreporting to the Procurator Fiscal. For that purpose he prepares
a report to the Procurator Fiscal summarising the circumstances. In the case of
serious crime the Procurator Fiscal will carefully consider the available evidence
and ifhe considers that proceedings are appropriate will bring the accused before
the Sheriff on petition. Thereafter the police will be required to submit witness
statements to the Procurator Fiscal and may also be required to carry out further
investigations. The Procurator Fiscal will subsequentlycarryout his own investig-
ation by taking precognitions from the more important of these witnesses and
other witnesses identified in the course of precognition. He may ofcourse treat
witness statements taken by the police as adequate without precognition, particU-
larly in the case of signed statements by police witnesses. He may again at that
stage direct that further investigations be carried out by the police. When the
process ofprecognition is complete the Procurator Fiscalwill submit the precogni-
tions together with his own summary and assessment of the evidence, and his
conclusions and recommendations, to Crown Office.
2.8 These papers will be seen in the first place by an Advocate Depute. It is
impossible to predict in advance which Advocate Depute will see the papers
because all Advocates Depute who are not engaged in court attend each morning
for the purpose ofmarking papers and take the papers in each case at random from
among all the papers which have reached Crown Office that day. Any papers not
so marked are marked later that day by the duty Advocate Depute, who attends
for duty according to a weekly rota which frequently changes. The Advocate
Depute who marks the papers may instruct further investigation before making
a decision, but otherwise will decide whether or not there should be a prosecution,
which person or persons should be prosecuted, and on what charge or charges
they should be prosecuted. The Advocate Depute will also decide in which court
the prosecution should be brought, but for present purposes we shall assume that
the decision is to prosecute in the High Court. The Advocate Depute will give
a written instruction to the High Court Unit. That Unit will thereafter consider
the case in detail and prepare a draft indictment setting out the proposed charges
and lists of productions and witnesses. The draft indictment will thereafter be
forwarded to the Procurator Fiscal for revisal. Following revisal the High Court
Unit will prepare the final indictment and allocate the case to a sitting ofthe High
Court before the final indictment is signed by an Advocate Depute and served
on the accused. In cases where the accused has been in custody since his first
appearance on petition all ofthis requires to be done within 80 days from the date
of full committal, so that the accused can be brought to trial within 110 days. If
THE JUDICIARY, THE CROWN AND THE POLICE 11
the accused has been allowed bail he must be brought to trial within one year after
his first appearance on petition.
2.9 One ofthe Advocates Depute is appointed by the Lord Advocate to be Home
Advocate Depute and has the responsibility of co-ordinating the appearances of
Advocates Depute at various sittings ofthe High Court throughout the country.
Very often it is not possible to predict until near the time of the sitting which
Advocate Depute will be free to prosecute the cases set down for a particular
sitting. Moreover, sometimes there are not enough of the regular Advocates
Depute available to prosecute at all the sittings, in which event the Crown Agent
will engage a suitably experienced practising Advocate to serve as an ad hoc
Advocate Depute for the duration ofa particular sitting. Incidental instructions,
for example instructions excusing witnesses from attendance, which require to
be given in the period prior to a trial may be given by any Advocate Depute who
happens to be available, and not necessarily the Advocate Depute who is to
undertake the prosecution. The papers for the cases which are to be prosecuted
at any sitting are usually made available to the Advocate Depute who is to under-
take the prosecution only a relatively short time, at most about ten days, before
the start of the sitting. That will be his or her first opportunity to form an
impression of the strengths and weaknesses of each case. Even after a sitting has
started, if there is more than one Judge sitting, cases may be switched from one
court to another at short notice.
2.10 Mter an accused has appeared on petition he will normally have obtained
the services ofa solicitorwith the benefit oflegal aid. Mter service ofthe indictment
with lists ofproductions and witnesses the solicitor will arrange for precognitions
to be taken from at least the more important witnesses. Sometimes the Crown
will have made a witness list available to the accused's solicitor at an earlier stage,
so that he or she can take precognitions before service of the indictment. The
solicitorwill take steps to instruct counsel to appear on behalfofthe accused. Once
the precognitions are available and counsel has had an opportunity to consider
them there will be a consultation between the accused and his counsel and solicitors,
at which the accused can give instructions as to the position which he proposes
to adopt in relation to the charges in light ofthe evidence disclosed by the precogni-
tions. As a result, in the period immediately before the trial, counsel for the accused
is often instructed either to tender a plea ofguilty to the charges in the indictment
or, more often, to attempt to negotiate with the Advocate Depute a plea or pleas
which will be acceptable to the Crown.
2.11 In assessing the strengths and weaknesses ofa case Crown Counsel are able
to use their experience in deciding on the impression which any evidence is likely
to make on a jury. Above all they are in a position, by virtue ofthe commissions
they hold, to take account ofthe public interest in deciding how best to proceed.
In this respecttheir position is entirely different from that ofthe police. In deciding
whether or not to accept a plea proposed by counsel for the accused an Advocate
Depute may speak to the Reporting Officer with a view to being satisfied on any
matters where the view ofa police officer would be ofassistance. But the deCision
whether or not to proceed on any particular charge is taken by the Advocate
Depute on his or her responsibility alone. The Advocate Depute will often seek
the advice ofthe Procurator Fiscal or his representative who has prepared the case
for trial, but again any decision is the responsibility ofthe Advocate Depute alone.
Once a decision has been taken it will be reflected in the appropriate formal
procedure in court. As we have already stated, the Judge has no part to play in
the taking of any such decision.
2.12 While we have described what normally happens, there are many cases in
which other steps are taken. Where a very serious crime, particularly a murder,
has been committed, the Procurator Fiscal will be involved from the earliest stages
of the investigation. The police will also seek the assistance and direction of the
Procurator Fiscal in many other cases of difficulty, complexity or sensitivity.
The Procurator Fiscal may report to Crown Office at any stage, either for the
information of Crown Counsel or with a view to obtaining Crown Counsel's
instructions. An Advocate Depute may decide to refer a particular point to a Law
Officer for a decision which is then made the subject ofan instruction by Crown
CounseL Special procedures are followed in murder and rape cases, which we
need not explain further here. Apart from written reports and instructions, there
may be meetings at any stage between the Procurator Fiscal and an Advocate
Depute, between an Advocate Depute and a Law Officer, or sometimes between
all three ofthem. Decisions taken at these meetings are sometimes, but not always,
reflected in written instructions. AS will be seen, matters ofgreat sensitivity may
be discussed at such meetings without any written instruction being given.
2.13 The Crown Office Fraud Unit is responsible for the investigation and
preparation, in co-operation with the police and other agencies, ofcases ofserious
and complex fraud, in particular where the crimes have been committed in areas
served by smaller Procurator Fiscal offices. In appropriate cases, officers are
nominated by the Lord Advocate to exercise special powers under section 51 of
the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1987. This section provides that where it
appears to the Lord Advocate that a suspected offence may involve serious or
complex fraud, and that, for the purpose ofinvestigating the affairs or any aspect
ofthe affairs ofany person, there is good reason to do so, he may give a direction
nominating any person (other than a constable), referred to as a "nominated
officer", to exercise the powers and functions conferred by sections 52 to 54.
Section 52, in particular, as subsequently amended, confers wide powers ofinves-
tigation on a nominated officer.
2.14 It will be understood from the foregoing discussion that it is possible for
an allegation that a crime has been committed to be brought to the notice of
the Crown and for all subsequent investigation and prosecution decisions to be
undertaken by the Crown with no, or only incidental, involvement ofthe police.
Our investigation falls into this category.
2.15 It follows from what we have said that, even though the police may not
have been involved in the investigation, and in any event are not involved at a
stagewhen prosecution decisions are taken, such decisions cannotbe takenwithout
the knowledge of at least one Advocate Depute, one member ofthe permanent
staff of the Crown Office, and one Procurator Fiscal. Moreover it is impossible
to predictwith confidence which individuals ofthese descriptionS will be involved
in the taking ofany particular decision. Thus ifsomeone in a position ofauthority
wished to procure the taking ofa decision in a way which suited his own ulterior
motives otherwise than in accordance with law, he would in effect have to be able
to induce the concurrence ofall the Advocates Depute, all the permanent staffin
the High Court Unit of the Crown Office, and every Procurator Fiscal who had
been concerned with reporting the case to Crown Office. The functions and
interests of these groups of persons are not identical, except that they are all
concerned with the investigation and prosecution ofcrime under the rule oflaw,
and we have been unable to postulate how, even in theory, one individual could
induce the concurrence of all of them with such a decision. We shall of course
relate this observation to the particular cases mentioned in the Orr Report when
we come to discuss them.
HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE CRIMINAL LAW 13
3. HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE

CRIMINAL LAW
3.1 Although it has been no part of our Inquiry to investigate homosexual

behaviour as such, we have incidentally learned a great deal about a wide range
ofhomosexual behaviour. It varies from stable and faithful relationships, openly
conducted, at one extreme, to more or less clandestine promiscuity and prostitu-
tion at the other. Anyone who has read the indictment in the case of HMA v
Neil Bruce Duruan and Others (referred to in the Orr Report as "OPERATION
PIANET-THE RENT BOY CASE") will gain an impression of some types
of homosexual behaviour. One matter which we should perhaps mention here
is the use of some licensed premises as places where homosexuals meet and, if
they are so inclined, arrange for subsequent sexual activity to take place. Such
places, commonly called "gay bars", include, at least by repute, licensed premises
in Edinburgh called "The Laughing Duck" and "The Blue Oyster".
3.2 Whilst there seems to be no type ofhomosexual behaviour which, allowing
for anatomical differences, cannot be paralleled in heterosexual behaviour, the
criminal law relating to homosexual behaviour differs from that relating to hetero-
sexual behaviour. Prosecution of unlawful homosexual conduct in Scotland can
be instituted under section 80 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980. This
section provides that a homosexual act in private is not to be an offence provided
that the parties consent thereto and have attained the age of21 years. Other than
in these circumstances, it is an offence to commit or to be party to the commission
of, or to procure or attempt to procure the commission of a homosexual act
otherwise than in private or without the consent ofboth parties to the act, or with
a person under the age of21 years. An actwhich would otherwise be treated for
the purposes ofthe 1980 Act as being done in private is not to be so treated ifdone
when more than two persons take part or are present, or in a lavatory to which
the public have, or are permitted to have, access whether on payment or otherwise.
The common law also provides a range ofcrimes which can be used to prosecute
acts of gross indecency of both a heterosexual and homosexual nature. These
crimes include the offence of breach ofthe peace, shameless indecency and lewd
and libidinous practices.
3.3 We are aware that, as we shall discuss more fully when we come to that case,
counsel for some ofthe accused in the case ofDuruan and Others proposed to argue
that apart from the provisions of the 1980 Act and apart from the common law
crime of sodomy no crime is committed when males over the age of 16 years
engage in homosexual activity. That is not an argument which has been tested
in court and we prefer to proceed on the basis that the law is as stated in the
preceding paragraph.
3.4 In the case of Duncan and Others most of the charges proceeded on the basis
of common law, although some were based on the 1980 Act. In the period after
that case was disposed of in January 1991 there was some public concern about
the appropriateness ofbasing charges on the common law rather than the statute.
In particular, Derek Ogg, Advocate, who had acted as counsel for one of the
accused, made comments to that effect which were quoted in an article published
in "The Glasgow Herald" on 20 February 1991. At about the end ofMarch 1991
Elish McPhilomy, Senior Legal Assistant at the Crown Office, was asked to
prepare a background paper on the prosecution of consensual homosexual off-
ences. Her paper concluded that ifa policy direction was considered to be approp-
riate and necessary with regard to homosexual offences, some consideration might
be given to the following aspects:
(1) The minimum age for homosexual relations.
R
(2) The need for preventive prosecution directed atthe male trade in prostitu-
tion with use ofsection 46 ofthe Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.
(3) The restriction of prosecution of the client or older man to those
situations demonstrating in particular a clear breach of trust, or the
overcoming of will by drugs, threats etc.
(4) The treatment ofhomosexual and heterosexual acts ofindecency on an
equivalent basis.
(5) The use of statutory provisions rather than common law charges
wherever possible.
3.5 This background paper was discussed at a meeting held on 29 April 1991
attended by, among others, Lord Fraser, the Lord Advocate, Alan Rodger, the
Solicitor General, Duncan Lowe, the Crown Agent, and Alfred Vannet, the
Deputy CrownAgent. In the course ofthe discussion the LordAdvocate suggested
the writing ofa letter to the Association of ChiefPolice Officers of Scotland. In
due course a letter dated 1 July 1991 was written by the Crown Agent to Sir
William Sutherland, ChiefConstable ofLothian and Borders Police, as Honorary
Secretary ofACPOS. This letter stated that the Lord Advocate wished to ensure
that prosecution policy in relation to homosexual offences was based on a careful
analysis ofwhere the public interest lay and that there was a clear understanding
ofthe type ofconduct requiring the imposition ofa criminal sanction. It continued:
"It will clearly be necessary for police reporting practice to reflect that policy
and ChiefConstableswill no doubtwish to considera consistentenforcement
approach. "
It concluded by stating that the Lord Advocate was currently reconsidering
elements of prosecution policy in this area.
"It is ofimportance that this exercise takes into account any special features
ofpolice policy and practice which you regard as pertinent to this issue and
the Lord Advocate would be pleased to consider the views ofthe Association
before finalising his instructions in the matter."
Sir William replied by letter dated 30 August 1991 referring to guidelines which
had been issued by a previous Lord Advocate on 1 February 1981 and discouraging
any change in existingprosecution practice. The letteralso suggested that a "careful
analysis of where the public interest lies" was a matter for Parliament.
3.6 Consideration was given to the views of ACPOS as well as those of other
persons who had communicated with the Lord Advocate. There was also press
coverage of the matter. In due course Crown Office Circular No.2025 dated 28
November 1991 was issued to Procurators Fiscal. This circular stated that the
Lord Advocate considered that the public interest was not served by routinely
prosecuting all persons who participated in those consentual homosexual acts
which remain unlawful. It then set out guidelines which included the following:
"Where both ofthe participants are over 16 years but one or both are under
21 years and the act has taken place in private and where there are no
circumstances pointing to exploitation, corruption, or breach of trust,
prosecution would not be appropriate."
3.7 The terms ofthe circular became public and extensive publicity and corres-
pondence with the Lord Advocate ensued. The Lord Advocate apparently took
the view that there was public misapprehension about the significance of the
reviewwhich he had undertaken, which was fuelled byspeculation thathe intended
to effect a unilateral change in the law on the age of consent; that was not his
intention, as such a change in the law would be a matter for Parliament. The
circular was, however, reconsidered and on 20 December 1991 a new Crown
Office Circular No.2025/1 was issued to Procurators Fiscal. This circular made
reference to the continuing review, and set out new, provisional directions by the
Lord Advocate which replaced the directions contained in the previous circular.
These directions included: .
"1. Where both of the participants are over 18 years but one or both are
under 21 years and the act has taken place in private and where there
are circumstances pointing to exploitation, corruption, or breach of
trust, prosecution would be appropriate. Where the Procurator Fiscal
HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE CRIMINAL LAW 15
receives a report involving individuals in this age group and none of

these circumstances is present. but the Procurator Fiscal considers there
are other circumstances which would justify proceedings. a report
should be made to Crown Office for consideration by Crown Counsel.
2. Where both of the participants are over 16 years but one or both are
under 18 years and the act appears to have been consensual and in
private, the Procurator Fiscal should report the case to Crown Office for
consideration by Crown CounseL
4. Where it appears that one ofthe parties has engaged in homosexual acts
bifOre the occasion under consideration and has acted as a prostitute,
there is little justification in pursuing the client of such an individual,
while ignoring his activity as a prostitute...."
We understand that the review continues, and meantime the circular of 20
December 1991 sets out the Lord Advocate's current directions.
4. HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE

HOLDING OF JUDICIAL OFFICE
4.1 The Lord President of the Court of Session and LordJustice General, as the
seniorJudge, is obliged to concern himself, where necessary, with the private lives
as well as the judicial conduct of the other Judges. He is accordingly under the
necessity of forming and, where appropriate, giving expression to views about
such matters as the sexual behaviour ofJudges. Lord Hope, the current holder
ofthese offices, has kindly put us in a position to summarise what we understand
would be the view to be taken of homosexual behaviour by a Judge. This is the
view which he took when the point originally came to his attention and has
remained his view throughout.
4.2 Conduct which constitutes a criminal offence would necessarily be incom-
patible with judicial office. Otherwise the question is a very difficult one, which
must depend upon the circumstances of each case. Homosexuality per se would
not be a bar to judicial office ifit took the form ofa stable relationship which was
not kept secret and which would not give rise to suspicion that the person in
question was at risk ofbeing blackmailed or to the actual opportunity ofblackmail.
The point may be made that heterosexual conduct may give rise to the same risks,
and it is not thought that any material distinction need be drawn for this purpose
between homosexual and heterosexual conduct. To the extent that homosexual
behaviour may tend to be conducted clandestinely and promiscuously, anyJudge
who engaged in such behaviour might engender the suspicion that he would not
be able to exercise a soundjudgment, and might expose himselfto the above risks.
In addition there is the risk that through his activities the Judge may have come
to know something about an accused person or a witness who appears in his court
without wishing to disclose that he has done so because of the circumstances in
which he has come to know it. There is also the risk that he, and consequently
his judicial office, may become the subject of ridicule.
4.3 In summary, behaviour which is carried on in secret, recklessly or promiscu-
ously may be regarded as giving rise to risks. These risks are in particular the risk
ofblackmail, the riskofa lackofobjectivity in the performance ofjudicial functions
and the risk of bringing the Judiciary into disrepute.
• THE RESIGNATION OF LORD DERVAI
5. THE RESIGNATION OF LORD

DERVAIRD
5.1 Mter a career at the Bar, John Murray QC was elevated to the Bench ofthe
Court ofSession in 1988 with the judicial title ofLord Dervaird. His resignation
was accepted on 22 December 1989. Since then he has bec<1me Dickson Minto
Professor ofCompany and Commercial Law at the University ofEdinburgh. His
resignation was unprecedented, at least in recent Scottish legal history. We think
it necessary to give a brief account of the circumstances of his resignation. For
that purpose we have obtained evidence from Lord Hope, Malcolm Rifkind QC
MP, Secretary ofState for Defence, and formerly Secretary ofState for Scotland,
Lord Fraser ofCarmyllie QC, Minister ofState atthe Scottish Office, and formerly
Lord Advocate, the present Lord Advocate, who was then Solicitor General, and
Professor Murray himself.
5.2 By the week beginning Monday 18 December 1989 there were a number of
ru!J1ours in circulation relating to alleged homosexual activity by Lord Dervaird.
Subsequent events and subsequent rumours have caused recollections to vary and
it is not now possible to speak precisely about the rumours which were current
at the time. We believe, however, that there were at least three classes ofrumour,
ofwhich we need mention only two here. One rumour derived from talk about
the contents of a Statement by Colin Tucker, which we discuss fully in Part 6
ofthis Report. The other, quite separate, rumour was to the effect that a newspaper
was about to print a story about Lord Dervaird, alleging, we believe, the supposed
use ofcertain premises for certain purposes. This latter rumour was quite untrue.
It was, however, reported to the Lord President. On Wednesday 20 December
the Lord President asked Lord Dervaird to speak to him in Parliament House and
informed him ofthis rumour. Lord Dervaird denied its truth, but went on to say
that it would not be untrue to say that he had had homosexual relations. He then
went on to inform the Lord President of certain matters. He has told us that in
particular he informed the Lord President that he had been indiscreet in that he
had, during the period since his elevation to the Bench, carried on a homosexual
relationship with a certain person, secretly but in such a way that they had been
seen together in certain places in London. We do not think it necessary to elaborate
on this or on any other matter which he admitted to the Lord President. There
were further meetings between the Lord President and Lord Dervaird on the
evening ofthe same day and on Thursday 21 December, at the last ofwhich Lord
Dervaird tendered his resignation.
5.3 The Lord President informed the Secretary of State for Scotland of the
position and a meeting was arranged for the morning of Friday 22 December,
which was held in St Andrew's House. The meeting was attended by the Lord
President, the Secretary of State, the Lord Advocate, and the Solicitor General.
At the meeting there was discussion ofthe behaviour which Lord Dervaird had
admitted to the Lord President. On the basis ofthose admissions it was concluded
that his behaviour was incompatible with his continued tenure ofjudicial office
and that accordingly his resignation should be accepted. Steps were taken for his
resignation to be announced later that day. This was duly done, and there was
extensive publicity, particularly on Saturday 23 December. No reason for the
resignation was announced, in order not to inflict further humiliation on Lord
Dervaird or distress on his family.
5.4 We would not wish it to be thought that Lord Dervaird's admissions to the
Lord President constituted admissions of criminal conduct, or that the conduct
which he admitted fell into all the categories which we have mentioned above.
He would assert, and we have no reason to dispute, that his conduct did not expose
him to the risk of blackmail. We have no reason to believe, nor would we wish
it to be thought, that Lord Dervaird's official conduct as aJudge had in anyway

been affected by the matters which led to his resignation. The features ofsecrecy
and indiscretion which he has mentioned to us are what led to his tendering his
resignation.
COLIN TUCKER'S STATEMENT OR "LIST" 19
6. COLIN TUCKER'S STATEMENT OR

"LIST"
6.1 Arthur Colin Tucker (usually called Colin Tucker) stood trial in the High
Court in Edinburgh in December 1989 on charges of embezzling money from
clients of the firm of Bumett Walker WS. Colin Tucker was a solicitor and had
been for some time a junior partner to Ian Walker, who had a longstanding
connection with that firm. Ian Walker himself committed suicide on 4 June
1988 during the course ofan investigation into his firm's affairs. We discuss this
investigation and Colin Tucker's trial in part 15 ofthis Report. It is sufficient for
present purposes to indicate that Colin Tucker did not dispute that he had been
involved in the taking ofmoney from the accounts ofclients of Bumett Walker,
and at his trial the evidence to that effect was not challenged. His defence, which
only emerged in the course of his own evidence, was that he had been involved
in the taking of the money at the behest ofIan Walker who had a hold over him
because he (Colin Tucker) was a homosexual.
6.2 In the period prior to his trial Colin Tucker instructed as his solicitor David
Blair-Wilson who in turn instructed as counsel Robert Henderson QC and John
Watt, Advocate (now QC). There were a number of consultations at which
Tucker discussed the forthcoming trial with his counsel and solicitor. At one
such consultation, in about August or September 1989, Robert Henderson asked
Tucker to write a "potted life story" covering the period when he was a partner
in Bumett Walker, so that he could "get a full picture" of Tucker's life. Tucker
proceeded to write a document which he headed "Statement by ACT" (ie his
initials). Tucker has insisted to us that it was solely at Robert Henderson's request
that he wrote the Statement, and he would not otherwise have done so. It was
written on 16 leaves oflined A4 paper, with holes punched at the side, taken from
a block ofsuch paper, ofthe kind used for students' notes. He wrote on both sides
of the paper, so that the Statement extended to 32 pages.
6.3 With Tucker's permission, we have the original manuscript ofthis Statement
in our possession. The first halfofit, more or less, deals with the financial affairs
ofBumettWalkerwhiIe Colin Tucker wasjunior partner to IanWalker, including
the transactions which gave rise to the embezzlement charges. The second half,
more or less, is taken up with an account of the alleged homosexual behaviour
of both Ian Walker and Colin Tucker. According to this account, Ian Walker,
although outwardly a respectable married man, was a promiscuous homosexual
who had sexual relations with a wide range ofpeople. According to Colin Tucker's
own account of himself he also was a promiscuous homosexual who had sexual
relations with a wide range of people. It is alleged that there was a sexual
relationship between Ian Walker and Colin Tucker, in which Walker was the
dominant partner. There are many names in the Statement. In a sense it might
be called a list; but in the proper sense of that word a list would not necessarily
contain more than names, while the Statement amounts more to a catalogue of
the alleged sexual exploits ofWalker and Tucker.
6.4 Apart from Walker and Tucker there is only one person whose name appears
in the Statementwhom we think it necessary to identify. In one paragraph mention
is made ofLord Dervaird, who at the time the Statementwas written was ofcourse
a Court of Session Judge. He is referred to both by his judicial title and by the
name,John MurrayQC, bywhich he was previouslyknown. There is an allegation
of homosexual behaviour by him, apparently during the period prior to his
elevation to the Bench, which we need not repeat here. Suffice it to say that this
was an allegation which would have caused some consternation had it gained any
currency prior to Lord Dervaird's resignation, and indeed did so. As we have
already stated, however, we do not believe that this allegation played any part
in the events which culminated in Lord Dervaird's resignation. We should make

it clear that what we have recorded here is no more than an allegation which may
be read in Tucker's Statement. The other evidence we have been given would
serve to date any event to which the allegation relates as having happened at a
time several years before Lord Dervaird's elevation to the Bench.
6.5 Apart from the allegation relating to Lord Dervaird there is no allegation
in the Statement, directly or by implication, of homosexual behaviour by any
prominent member of the Scottish legal establishment. In particular there is no
such allegation in the case of any Judge of the Court of Session, any Sheriff
Principal, any full-time Sheriff, any Law Officer, any Advocate Depute, any
member of the permanent staff of the Crown Office, any Regional Procurator
Fiscal or any other senior member ofthe Fiscal Service. In short, there is nothing
in the Statement which, ifpublished, would "blow the lid off' the Scottish legal
establishment, as we have heard it put.
6.6 When Colin Tucker had written the Statement he posted it to David Blair-
Wilson who immediately passed it to Robert Henderson. Robert Henderson read
it and marked various passages in red ink. The heaviest markings are on the
paragraph containing Lord Dervaird's name, where the name is underlined and
marked with red crosses and Robert Henderson has written "Murray" in the
margin. There is no obvious consistency or purpose to these markings, because
passages such as this were of no apparent relevance to Tucker's defence. Robert
Henderson brought the Statement with him to the next consultation. There was
little discussion of it, although he remarked to Tucker on the "interesting life"
Tucker had led. There was discussion about having the Statement typed for use
by Counsel at the forthcoming trial. David Blair-Wilson was unwilling to have
it typed in his office, or even to take possession of the Statement, because he
was concerned about the security risks which were posed by the nature of the
information in the Statement. John Watt agreed to type the Statement on his
computer, which has word-processing facilities, and accordingly took possession
ofthe manuscript Statement. Thereafter he retained possession ofthe manuscript
Statement until during the course ofour Inquiry, when it came into our possession.
6.7 JohnWatt used a printer attached to his computer to make copies ofthe typed
version ofthe Statement for the use ofRobert Henderson and himself. He is under
the impression, although he would not insist on it, that he also made a copy for
David Blair-Wilson; for his part David Blair-Wilson insists that he has never
had such a copy, for the same security reasons. The typed version was headed
"Statement by Act", in place ofTucker's initials. This apparent formality led to
confusion in the minds ofsome ofthose who subsequently read it. When printing
copiesJohnWatt used A4 sized paper, pale cream in colour, which is made available
in the Advocates' Library for the use of members of the Faculty of Advocates.
At one point Robert Henderson described his copy as being typed on yellow paper,
but when we showed him a copy which John Watt had printed for us, using the
pale cream paper, he agreed that that looked like the copy which was originally
given to him. We do not have information which would allow an exact time-scale
to be established, but we assume that the typed copies were available not long
after the consultation at which the manuscript was discussed, and in any event
before the trial began. At the trial Henderson had some of his papers, including
his typed copy ofthe Statement, in a ring-binder, and consequently his typed copy
had holes punched in its margin.
6.8 It should be stated at this point that counsel who receive information from
their clients owe a duty ofconfidentiality to their clients in respect ofthat infor-
mation. They may not properly disclose such information to or discuss it with
any person other than the instructing solicitor and other counsel instructed for
the same client, except with the permission ofthe client. It appears, however, that
on reading Tucker's Statement Robert Henderson experienced such consternation
that he was unable to keep to himselfwhat he had read about Lord Dervaird. In
his first interviewwith us he said that he had said something about this information
to "one or two" people. When we pressed him, he said that one of these people
was Brian Gill QC, Keeper of the Advocates' Library, to whom, according to
Robert Henderson, he gave this information "in the interests of the Faculty".
6.9 The giving ofconfidential information to an office-bearer of the Faculty of

Advocates is regarded as proper if it is given in order to enable the counsel in
question to obtain guidance as to his own professional conduct. We can give an
example. On reading the Statement John Watt was concerned about his profes-
sional position because he felt that he would be in difficulty in appearing as counsel
before Lord Dervaird while he was in possession ofinformation ofthis kind about
Lord Dervaird's private life. He accordingly sought the guidance of the Dean of
the Faculty ofAdvocates, AlanJohnston QC, and gave him a copyofthe Statement
to read. AlanJohnston has confirmed to us that as a result he learned ofthe contents
of the Statement. We have no reason to suppose that John Watt disclosed the
contents of the Statement to anyone else until very recently, after the beginning
ofour Inquiry. We conceive that it would not be proper to give such information
without the client's permission "in the interests of the Faculty" or for any other
reason extraneous to the professional conduct of the client's case.
6.10 However that may be, Brian Gill has no recollection of being given such
information by Robert Henderson. Indeed, he recalls having had a conversation
with Lord Dervaird shortly before his resignation. They were speaking about
agricultural law and Brian Gill had no inkling of rumours. about Lord Dervaird
and still less that there might be any reason to think that he might be about to
resign.
6.11 At a later interview Robert Henderson said that he may have told a number
of people "sitting at the lunch table" about the existence ofTucker's Statement,
the inclusion of Lord Dervaird's name in it, and the fact that there were "other
names". He said to us: "There's clearly been a leak. I'm prepared to take responsi-
bility for it." He also told lis that he may have said to others that Tucker had
written out a Statement and there were a lot of names. "I may well have said to
my dose chums 'I've got a right old pickle trying to keep this from coming out' ."
He said that he might have used the word "list". We believe that this loose talk
is what gave rise, prior to Tucker's trial, to rumours about the existence ofa "list"
containing names other than that ofLord Dervaird. We would relate this to what
Robert Henderson has said to us, and we believe to others, that Tucker's intention,
ifhe was convicted at his trial, was to expose the persons named in the list. It is
not confirmed by Tucker, John Watt or David Blair-Wilson that Tucker ever
expressed any such intention, and we cannot account for Robert Henderson's
having stated that it was so except by reference to Robert Henderson's own mind.
6.12 Tucker's Statement was not in fact of any great use to his counsel at his
trial. In the ordinary course, after a trial has been completed, counsel for the
accused returns the papers to the instructing solicitor. The papers are, on a proper
view, the property ofthe client, and the solicitor has possession ofthem or sends
them to counsel in his capacity as agent for the client. John Watt appears to have
returned his papers to David Blair-Wilson. These would have been expected to
include his typed copy of Tucker's Statement, although David Blair-Wilson
cannot recall having received it and is unable to account for it. John Watt did,
however, retain the manuscript of the Statement. It is unclear to us why he did
so, although we have no reason to suppose that he acted from any improper
motive. Robert Henderson told us that he believed that he himself had retained
possession of the manuscript, but had been unable to find it when he looked for
it in his house quite recently. We do not understand why he should have entertained
such a belief, when it is clear that he did not have possession of the manuscript
from the time when it was taken byJohn Watt. Robert Henderson did, however,
retain his own typed copy of the Statement. In his instance, for reasons which
will become apparent, we are bound to express more reservation about his motives
for doing so.
6.13 In the weeks following Tucker's acquittal ofthe embezzlement charges and
Lord Dervaird's resignation (which events, as we have sought to explain, were
little more than coincidental), rumour and speculation became rife about the
alleged homosexuality ofotherJudges and the inclusion ofother names in Tucker's
supposed "list". We discuss the alleged homosexuality ofotherJudges in a separate
part ofthis Report. As we have said, beliefin the existence ofthe supposed "list"
appears to have originated from Robert Henderson's disclosure of information

in Tucker's Statement and the related loose talk.
6.14 In the period after his trial Tucker came under pressure from at least two
newspapers to sell them his "story", with particular reference to the "list". His
position, which we accept, has been consistent throughout, and this is that he
refuses to have any dealings with the press. He insists that all the information that
he has to give about the alleged homosexual behaviour ofany prominent lawyer
is contained in the Statement which he wrote at Robert Henderson's request for
use at his trial and not otherwise. At one interview Robert Henderson told us that
Tucker was in possession of much other information, which he had not included
in the Statement. This included information about Court of Session Judges, in
particular one whom Robert Henderson named to us and in relation to whom
he claimed that Tucker was able to give "chapter and verse". Robert Henderson
even asserted that this latter judge's name appeared in the manuscript ofTucker's
Statement, even if it did not appear in the typed version. The two versions are
in fact identical, and the name does not appear in either.
6.15 We do not believe that Tucker was in possession ofany such information.
On the contrary, Tucker, John Watt and David Blair-Wilson do not support any
suggestion that Tucker had more information to give than was contained in his
Statement. When rumours began to circulate indicating an apparent leak of the
information at Tucker's disposal, these rumours reached David Blair-Wilson.
There was an occasion when he met Tucker at the airport on his arrival to attend
a consultation and taxed him with an apparent lack of discretion which had ied
to such rumours. They have both described to us a heated argument in the course
ofwhich Tucker denied having given any information to anyone else. In the period
after Tucker's trial, however, David Blair-Wilson himselfwas asked by a number
of persons about the supposed existence of Tucker's "list". While we have no
reason to believe that he made any positive statement about the existence ofa list,
his denials, or refusal to make any comment, appear to have taken such a form
as to encourage in some people a belief in the existence of a list.
6.16 BothTucker and David Blair-Wilson have described to us how, at a consult-
ation after Tucker's trial in connection with forthcoming disciplinary proceedings
against him as a solicitor, Robert Henderson showed a keen interest in other
information which Tucker might be able to give and also, while purporting to
speak for "The Sun" newspaper, stated that that newspaper would be willing to
pay Tucker "a six figure sum", ie at least £100,000, for his "story". According
to them Robert Henderson asked Tucker about two Judges, whom he named,
but of each of whom Tucker said: "I wouldn't know him ifhe walked through
that door". Lord McCluskey said to us that, according to what Robert Henderson
told him after Tucker's trial, Tucker had sold his story to "The Sun" for £100,000
or £200,000 (he could not remember which sum), but "The Sun" was not allowed
to name names unless Tucker was struck off as a solicitor. Tucker was in fact
struck off on 3 October 1990, but no such story appeared in "The Sun" or any
other newspaper at that time. Nor, for that matter, did any such story appear
around the time of his trial, along with Gordon May, in May 1991.
6.17 We cannot avoid the conclusion that Robert Henderson has been one of
the main instigators and perpetuators of the belief that there was a document,
whether or not in the form ofa "list", containing information relating to persons
other than Lord Dervaird and, in particular, otherJudges. Even after our Inquiry
began he made statements tojournalists which did nothing to dispel such a belief.
On the contrary, David Johnston, the Editor of News and Current Affairs with
Radio Forth, has told us that in a conversation he had with Robert Henderson
in the Carlton Highland Hotel on about 17 September 1992, Robert Henderson
told him "that ifTucker's "list" ever did come out it would ruin a lot ofcareers/re-
putations, not only in the legal establishment but in many other circles". He also
said, according to Johnston, that he could not let it out ofhis possession because
to do so would be a total breach of his professional duty. In a conversation with
AIan Hutchison, Chief Reporter of "The Scotsman", and two other reporters,
on about 24 September 1992 in:. bar at the Waverley Station, at which Michael
Glen (see paragraph 11.3) was present, Robert Henderson said that he had a full
file on his business dealings, which he kept at his home and also in a safe at
another location, containing information which would "rock the establishment",
information of a kind which would have the reporters "salivating all the way
to the telephone". We have of course pressed Robert Henderson about these
statements. At one interview he said that he was referring only to the leaked Orr
Report, of which he had a copy in his briefcase at the time, but at a subsequent
interview he explained the matter in a different way, which we now summarise.
6.18 When certain aspects of Robert Henderson's financial affairs first came
under investigation, as we discuss in part 13 of this Report, he took certain
precautions. According to him, he expected that the police would arrive with a
search warrant to search his house for documents. He accordingly prepared a
photocopy ofcertain documents which he intended to hand to the police in such
an event, and he gave the principals in a manilla envelope, to Leeona Dorrian,
Advocate, for safekeeping. She has been a friend as well as a colleague of his for
many years. She took receipt of the envelope on 18 August 1989, a date which
she wrote on it herself, and retained it in her possession continuously until, by
arrangement with Robert Henderson, she exhibited the envelope and its contents
to us. Robert Henderson had no access to the envelope in the meantime. We looked
through the papers and are satisfied that they relate solely to his financial affairs.
There is no question ofthe envelope's containing a "list" or any other document
relating to the alleged homosexual behaviour or any other aspect of the private
life of any person. We have no reason to suppose that anyone else holds papers
on behalf of Robert Henderson. In particular we are satisfied that one Elaine
Matthews, to whom we refer in part 7 of this Report, does not hold and never
has held any such papers. Our conclusion musttherefore be that Robert Henderson
has chosen to let it be believed that he is in possession of information of a kind
which he does not possess.
6.19 It is now appropriate to mention other actings of Robert Henderson in
relation to his typed copy of Tucker's Statement. As we have already stated, he
retained possession ofit after the conclusion ofTucker's trial. As it happens, the
investigation which the police called "Operation Planet" and which culminated
in the prosecution of Duncan and others started on 24 January 1990. During the
course of the investigation Duncan Lowe, who was then Regional Procurator
Fiscal in Edinburgh, instructed Detective Superintendent George Ritchie that
Colin Tucker should be interviewed. Duncan Lowe, who is now Crown Agent,
is now unsure as to the circumstances which led to his giving the instruction,
although he is certain that he would have discussed the matter with the then Crown
Agent, Ian Dean. His reasons for giving the instruction were either because the
police felt their inquiries would be incomplete without Tucker's being seen, as
his name tended to crop up in connection with homosexual matters, or because
there was a request from Crown Office, possibly as to whether Tucker had
information in relation to that case which would have involved Judges. It should
be emphasised that at such an early stage in the "Operation Planet" investigation
it was not known what evidence might come to light about any person, and
rumour and speculation about the alleged homosexual behaviour ofJudges other
than Lord Dervaird were rife at the time. Detective Superintendent Ritchie, who
later, as a Detective ChiefSuperintendent, became Head ofthe CID, unfortunately
died on 6 August 1991, so we have been unable to obtain his evidence. Duncan
Lowe does recall that Ritchie was reluctant to carry out the instruction. The
Reporting Officer in "Operation Planet" was Detective Inspector Peter
Robertson, stationed at West End Police Station in Edinburgh, while Ritchie had
overall responsibility for the investigation. Ritchie was particularly sensitive about
the possibility of evidence being discovered about the possible involvement of
prominent lawyers in the "gay scene" in Edinburgh and in particular ofpossible
relationships between prominent lawyers and "rent boys" , ie male prostitutes. He
accordingly maintained a degree ofpersonal involvement in the steps which then
ensued. .
6.20 Although Duncan Lowe is unclear in his recollection of the origins of his
giving the instruction, we think it likely that he acted on a request from Crown
Office rather than on his own initiative. This is consistent with the recollections
of Lord Fraser and lan Dean, and it is intelligible that the then Lord Advocate
should have instructed that Tucker be interviewed. Duncan Lowe is much more
confident in saying that the instruction he gave was not to obtain Tucker's "list"
or any existing document, but rather to take a statement from Tucker which might
be of relevance to the current investigation. Robertson has told us that when
Ritchie repeated the instruction to him, he understood that the instruction was
to obtain the "list". We are not convinced that that was in fact his understanding
at the time, because we can find no support for it in the evidence ofeither Tucker
or David Blair-Wilson. After unsuccessful approaches had been made to Tucker,
David Blair-Wilson informed Robertson that Tucker would be at David Blair-
Wilson's house one Sunday. Ritchie and Robertson accordingly went to David
Blair-Wilson's house, arriving there just as John Watt left. As we understand it,
there had been a consultation about the forthcoming disciplinary proceedings
against Tucker as a solicitor. According to Tucker, all that the police asked him
was whether he knew anything about the rent boy scene in Edinburgh, and he
said that he did not. He was not asked for the "list" or any other document. In
any event, if the police wanted to obtain any document from Tucker, they did
not succeed.
6.21 A few days later Robertson happened to meet David Blair-Wilson at court
and referred to his failure to obtain information from Tucker. David Blair-Wilson
made some suggestion that Robert Henderson might be able to help. His explan-
ation for this is that ifin doubt he would always refer a matter to Senior Counsel
for a decision. Robertson had met Robert Henderson previously because Robert
Henderson had played golf on a number of occasions with Detective Constable
Stephen Comerford and on one occasion Robertson had been a member of a
foursome which had been entertained by Robert Henderson at Muirfield. Because
Comerford knew Robert Henderson better than Robertson did, Robertson
decided to use Comerford as a go-between in making an approach to Robert
Henderson. Comerford arranged for Robert Henderson to meet them for lunch
in Dubh Prais Restaurant in the High Street in Edinburgh a few days later. We
have not been able to fix the date of this lunch, but it was in about February or
March 1990.
6.22 At lunch arrangements were made for Robertson and Comerford to go to
Robert Henderson's house in Gullane that evening, and they duly did so. There
he entertained them for a time. A quantity ofwine was consumed, as it had been
earlier in the day, and Comerford fell asleep. Before Robertson and Comerford
left Robert Henderson handed over to Robertson his typed copy of Tucker's
Statement. He had no authority from Tucker to do so. In Robert Henderson's
words, what he did "can't be reconciled with my duties to Tucker". When we
told Tucker what his Senior Counsel had done he said he was appalled.
6.23 Robert Henderson's explanation for having handed over his copy of
Tucker's Statement was that he did so in "wider interests". According to him,
Robertson had indicated that his inquiry included the possibility that Judges,
whom he named, might be involved, and he handed over the Statement in order
to convince Robertson that that was not so. We do not find this a convincing
explanation. Robertson himself has made it clear to us, and we are able to verify
from the case papers, that there was never any mention ofany particularJudge's
name in the "Operation Planet" investigation or at the time ofthe subsequent trial
of Duncan and Others, and so there was no need for Robertson to be persuaded.
In any event, given Robert Henderson's own statement to us that Tucker had
more information at his disposal than was contained in his written Statement,
handing a copy ofthat Statement to the police would not have resolved the matter.
We are forced to the conclusion that Robert Henderson handed it over because
he perceived that by doing so he might gain some personal advantage.
6.24 The preceding narrative of the handing over of the Statement requires
further explanation. As it happens, we first interviewed Robertson before we
first interviewed Robert Henderson. Robertson at that time told us that Robert
Henderson had handed him the copy Statement, but he omitted from his account
any involvement of Comerford or the fact that the three of them had had lunch
together. He claimed instead that he met Robert Henderson at court and arranged
with him to go to his house to collect the copy Statement. Apparently in giving
this false version he was motivated by a desire to protect Comerford. Thus when
we thereafter first came to interview Robert Henderson we were not in possession
ofa full account from Robertson. At that time we had a photocopy on white paper
ofthe copy which Robert Henderson had handed to the police and which had been
handed to us by SirWilliam Sutherland. When we showed it to Robert Henderson
he said: "I didn't know a copy of that Statement had got into the possession of
the police." When we put it to him that Robertson had told us that he had handed
a copy to Robertson he said: "Absolute nonsense. I never had a typed copy." When
we went over Robertson's (incomplete) account with him he was, ofcourse, able
to deny its accuracy because he was able to say that the only time that Robertson
had been to his house Comerford had also been there: "He has never come to
Gullane on his own." When we pressed him repeatedly he said: "I don't recollect
giving him a copy, but ifhe says I did, I did." He also said: "If! gave him a copy
of the Statement that is the only possible occasion and I have no recollection of
that. " This was obviously unsatisfactory, particularly as later in the same interview
Robert Henderson said: "Before youjudge me too harshly, this has been hanging
over me for five years and lam scrambled." This was a reference to the investigation
which we discuss in part 13 of this Report.
6.25 We therefore had a further interview with Robertson and an interview with
Comerford. Robertson's further account brought Comerford into the picture, but
still not fully, as he claimed that Comerford remained in ignorance ofthe purpose
ofthe visit to Gullane. Comerford, however, made it clear to us that he was aware
of the purpose of the visit and that it had resulted in the copy Statement's being
handed over. At a third interview Robertson agreed that Comerford was aware
ofthe purpose and the outcome ofthe visit. At our second interview with Robert
Henderson he accepted the substantial accuracy of what both Robertson and
Comerford had bythattime told us. He still, however, disputed thatthe photocopy
in our possession was a copy of what he had handed over. Not only did he say
that the copy he had handed over was on coloured paper, he thought that both
the typeface and the layout on the page were different. He said: "I am almost sure
that what you have is completely different." At a third interview we showed him
a printout which John Watt had prepared for us on cream coloured paper. Robert
Henderson recognised that that was the colour of the paper used for his original
copy, and accepted that he "must be mistaken" about there being two typed
versions.
6.26 Robert Henderson told us that as far as he was concerned he handed his
copy to Robertson for Robertson alone to read. Robertson in fact handed it to
Ritchie, as might have been expected, because it was the nearest he could get to
obtaining a statement otherwise than by interviewing Tucker. We have not been
able to recover the copy which was handed to Ritchie. The most likely possibility
is that it was destroyed with other papers of his after his death; though ofcourse
it may still exist in the possession of one ofRitchie's former colleagues. Ritchie
hims~lf asked Robertson to prepare a copy to be handed to Detective Inspector
Michael Souter of the Fraud Squad based at Police Headquarters, and this was
done. Robertson indicated to Souter that he had something to send him, so when
Souter received it through the internal mail system he knew that Robertson was
the sender. Souter showed it to Detective Sergeant (as he then was) Peter Brown,
also of the Fraud Squad, who read it. Brown attempted at one stage to deny to
us that he had read it, but at another stage made it clear that he had, and that names
had "popped out" at him. Souter kept the copy either in an unlocked desk drawer
or in an unlocked cabinet used by the Fraud Squad. It was accordingly possible
for anybody with access to the room used by the Fraud Squad to read the copy,
or to make a further copy from it. We mention this because we have seen some
newspaper reports which betray a knowledge of information derived either
directly or indirectly from Tucker's Statement, and it is obviously possible that
the newspapers have obtained that information from one or more police sources.
6.27 It appears that Ritchie wanted Souter to have a copy of the Statement
because it might have been relevant to the work of the Fraud Squad by virtue of
information it contained about lan Walker's and Colin Tucker's financial dealings,
though that was not in fact the case. The Statement contained no information
which was of relevance to Robertson's "Operation Planet" investigation. We do
not of course have the benefit of Ritchie's evidence as to why he kept the copy
which Robertson had obtained from Robert Henderson, but we are satisfied that
he did so without disclosing to the Crown that he had possession ofit for a period
of almost a year. We are satisfied that he did not show it to Duncan Lowe when
it first came into his possession. This reinforces us in the view that Duncan Lowe
had not given a specific instruction that Tucker's "list" be obtained. If he had
given such an instruction he would have been bound to ask Ritchie about the
outcome, and would have been told in 1990 that the copy Statement had been
obtained.
6.28 We discuss in part 10 of this Report allegations made by Stephen Conroy
against Douglas Allan, formerly Regional Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh and
now Sheriffat Lanark. Mter these allegations had been set out in a memorandum
dated 21 February 1991 from Detective Inspector Souter to Detective ChiefSuper-
intendent Ritchie, Assistant ChiefConstable Richard Prentice telephoned Duncan
Lowe, at that time Regional Procurator Fiscal atEdinburgh. He arranged a meeting
with Duncan Lowe which took place in early March 1991 and was attended
by Ritchie, Souter, and Detective Chief Inspector (now Superintendent) Peter
Wilson. At this meeting copies of Souter's memorandum and an earlier memo-
randum dated 6 December 1990 by Detective Constable Christopher Few to
Wilson were handed to Duncan Lowe. There was no discussion of the Tucker
Statement. We are convinced that ifDuncan Lowe had been aware of it at that
time he would have mentioned it to see ifthere was a possible connection between
it and those aspects ofConroy's allegations which related to the investigation into
the financial affairs of Burnett Walker.
6.29 As we shall more fully narrate, after that meeting Duncan Lowe met the
then Crown Agent, Ian Dean, and thereafter the then Lord Advocate, Lord Fraser,
when itwas decided what instructions should be given about Conroy's allegations.
It was only after those instructions had been carried out, and Conroy and his
former partner Kevin Crawford had been interviewed on tape by other police
officers, that later in March 1991 Ritchie called on Duncan Lowe and gave him
a copy of Tucker's Statement. He refused to disclose how he had obtained it.
Ritchie simply told him that the Statement was something which he thought he
ought to see. He was to have possession of i! for a few days before, as Ritchie
insisted, it was to be returned to him.
6.30 During those few days Duncan Lowe took the Statement and showed it
to the Crown Agent and the Lord Advocate. It was decided that no further action
was required in light of the information contained in the Statement. When the
copy was returned to Ritchie, Duncan Lowe did not keep a copy ofit. Thereafter
Ritchie allowed Detective ChiefInspector (now Superintendent) Peter Wilson to
see the Statement because he was the Reporting Officer in the case against May
and Tucker (see part 15) and as it might have had relevance to that case. In fact
Wilson did not find it to be ofany relevance. Some police officers had the impres-
sion that the Statement had originally come into the possession ofthe police from
a Procurator Fiscal. We believe that this impression can be explained by the above
narrative.
6.31 In addition to the original manuscript we now have in our possession the
following copies of the Tucker Statement:
(a) a copy which John Watt printed for us (see para. 6.7);
(b) a copy which John Watt prepared at David Blair-Wilson's request, and
with Tucker's permission, during the course ofour Inquiry, with a view
to obtaining legal advice about their respective positions from Gordon
McBain, solicitor, Edinburgh, and which the latter handed to us;
(c) Souter's copyofthe copywhich Robert Henderson handed to Robertson;
(d) a copy of (c) prepared for our use, which the Chief Constable handed
to us; and
(e) another copyof(c) prepared for the use ofChiefSu;-erintendent Gilmour,
which he handed to us, along with (c).
John Watt, acting on Tucker's instructions conveyed to him by David Blair-
Wilson, has deleted the relevant file from his computer disk. Any other copy still
in existence must be a copy made or kept for questionable purposes by a police
officer without Tucker's authority. At an appropriate time we shall comply with
Tucker's request to us to destroy his manuscript and the above copies.
6.32 Before leaving the question ofColinTucker's Statementwe should mention
that we have made a point ofraisingwith everywitness who has read it the question
of what may be taken from it as to its contents and the effect that publication
thereof might have on the Scottish legal establishment, and all such witnesses
concur with the description which we have given in paragraphs 6.3 to 6.5 above.
7. RUMOURS ABOUT MEMBERS OF

THE LEGAL ESTABLISHMENT
7.1 Since the motive for the alleged conspiracy to pervert the course ofjustice
is said to have been the desire to prevent the exposure as homosexuals, or as having
engaged in homosexual activities, of prominent members of the Scottish legal
establishment, we have thought it a necessary part ofour investigation to consider
whether the reasons for such a motive might exist. To that end we have asked
witnesses, where appropriate, to repeat to us rumours or allegations they have
heard about the homosexual behaviour ofsuch persons, so that we might consider
whether there was scope for investigation with a view to discovering whether
such persons were compromised.
7.2 The rumours which have come to our notice are many and varied. A rumour
can ofcourse be invented by anyone who is disposed to do so, and thereafter passed
on and embellished by those who are likewise disposed to do so. By its nature,
therefore, a rumour may gain currency without its having any foundation in fact
or an identifiable source, and gain weight by repetition.
7.3 The rumours about Tucker's "list" after Lord Dervaird's resignation were
associated with rumours to the effect that a number of other Court of Session
Judges were similarly compromised by homosexual behaviour. The Lord
President, Lord Hope, considered, and where appropriate investigated, these
rumours and was satisfied that they were all unfounded. He has made it clear to
us that he remains satisfied that these rumours were unfounded. He is also confident
that ifany Court ofSessionJudge felt that he had been compromised by his sexual .
conduct then that Judge would seek an interview with him and would make a
full disclosure of the relevant facts. Thereafter such consequences would follow
as would be appropriate. It will be remembered that in the case ofLord Dervaird
his resignation followed frank admissions by him. No attemptwas made to protect
him or to prevent his resignation, but instead the Lord President discussed the
matter promptly and fully with the Secretary of State and the Law Officers. We
have no reason to suppose that any otherJudge who was similarly compromised
would receive different treatment.
7.4 It is ofimportance to note that, although we were reminded ofthe rumours
which were current in early 1990, not one single person to whom we spoke
attached any credence to them. There was no suggestion that any of them was
capable ofsubstantiation, or that the Lord Presidentwas wrong in holding himself
satisfied that there was no substance to any such rumour. We have carefully
considered whether any useful purpose would be served by the repetition ofthese
old rumours in this Report, and have concluded that we should not repeat them
in awaywhich would in effect revive them or relate them to any identifiableJudge.
Apart from anything else, the rumours of which we have been reminded were
so various, so far-fetched, and related to so manyJudges that itwould be impossible
to treat them seriously.
7.5 We have spoken to some ofthe Judges to whom the rumours related. They
have all denied that there was any truth in the rumours relating to them. Otherwise
their reaction to the rumours and to recent press stories ofa "gayjudges scandal"
has ranged from anger and distress to expressions of ridicule. None of them has
been able to make any conjecture as to why he should be the victim of rumours
and as to how rumours relating to him should have originated. Quite apart from
the rumours relating to individual Judges, it should be appreciated that in a small
community oftwenty-fourJudges every rumour, for example about a "gayjudges
scandal", which is reported in the press, and which fails to identify any individual,
taints every individual and consequently causes deep resentment. Those who
circulate and publish such unfounded rumours are at best ignorant ofor indifferent
RUMOURS ABOUT MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL ESTABLISHMENT 29
to the effect on all the Judges; and at worst are motivated by malice of the most
evil kind.
7.6 We have spoken to no Judge who would, if he believed a fellow Judge to
be compromised, do anything other than leave him to face the consequences.
Indeed, we are sure that if a Judge believed a fellow Judge had engaged in such
unambiguous behaviour as sodomising a teenage rent boy he would not hesitate
to report his belief to the appropriate authorities. Our Inquiry has disclosed no
evidence ofhomosexual behaviour which might be capable ofcompromising any
Judge in his holding ofjudicial office. We are confident in the conclusion that no
serving Judge has been compromised.
7.7 In addition to rumours aboutJudges, we have had to consider rumours about
the present Lord Advocate. Detective Sergeant Charles Orr told us that James
Bethell, a reporter employed by "The Sunday Times", had approached him for
help in tracing a woman, Elaine Matthews, who was believed to be a witness to
an incident in theNew Club in Edinburgh when Robert Henderson had threatened
Alan Rodger. Accordingly, we decided to ask Bethell to attend for interview.
7.8 At interview Bethell told us that the "general theory" was that Robert
Henderson had in some way acquired compromising material relating to Alan
Rodger and had used the material to protect himselffrom criminal investigation.
Of the alleged incident in the New Club, he said that the story was that Elaine
Matthews witnessed a meeting in which a folder ofcompromising material "was
apparently brandished by Henderson in the New Club foyer." According to this
story Robert Henderson and Alan Rodger were sitting together while the witness
was some distance away. It was her assumption that the occasion was one of
blackmail. Bethell said: "I've been told this third person believes this scenario was
one in which Henderson was blackmailing Rodger." This was his reason for
wishing to trace Elaine Matthews. He did not profess any belief in the story, or
claim that there might be any evidence to support it apart from what Elaine
Matthews might say.
7.9 Bethell gave us no assistance as to the origins of the story. We found that
it was a story known to otherjournalists, though in one version the story differed
in that Elaine Matthews did not feature as a witness to the alleged incident but
nevertheless was understood to be able to give information about it.
7.10 We have investigated the story and found it to be entirely untrue. As it
happens, Robert Henderson and Alan Rodger appeared against each other as
counsel in an appeal which was heard on 7 and 8 November 1991. Richard Keen,
Advocate, was Alan Rodger's Junior Counsel. The hearing ofthe appeal finished
before lunch on the second day. The three counsel walked from Parliament House
to the New Club for lunch. At the New Club they had lunch together with Lord
Grieve, a retired Judge, followed by coffee, after which Alan Rodger returned
to Crown Office. We think it likely that he left before either Robert Henderson
or Richard Keen. No clear recollection survives of the conversation at lunch,
though it is certain that there was no dispute ofany kind. Robert Henderson did
not have a file of papers and indeed brought nothing with him from Parliament
House. He had arranged to call on Elaine Matthews that afternoon. She has been
interviewed by us and is able to confirm from a diary entry that he did visit her
on that date. She remembers that he was late and that he gave as his reason for
the delay that he had been having lunch in the New Club with Alan Rodger and
Richard Keen. She told us that he said nothing that would supportJames Bethell's
story.
7.11 It is impossible to think how the untrue story should have originated. Elaine
Matthews did not witness and was not told of any such incident. We have no
reason to believe that she has ever said otherwise. We cannot understand why
journalists should believe that she has information about the story.
7.12 We would have been content to let the matter rest at that if it were not for
further statements to us which we must now discuss. At interview with Robert
Henderson we took up with him the alleged incident in the New Club. He denied
that any such incident had taken place. He then, however, went on to say that
shortly after 23 October 1991 Peter Watson of Levy and Macrae, Solicitors,
Glasgow, told him that Scottish Television had damaging information relating
_ _ _ _ _ _ _J
IQ THE LORD ADVOCATE'S INQUIRY
to AIan Rodger. David Blair-Wilson told us at interview that Robert Henderson

had made a similar statement to him. Peter Watson "legals" for STY, ie he advises
them on the legal implications ofmatters which they have it in mind to broadcast.
When we spoke to him, he denied that he had said anything ofthe sort to Robert
Henderson. Indeed, he has since confirmed to us on behalfofSTV that the Lord
Advocate has never featured as part of any investigation by them, which is why
he could not have said to Robert Henderson what Robert Henderson alleged he
had said. We cannot thus trace the story beyond Robert Henderson.
7.13 There is no evidence whatever that Lord Rodger is or ever has been in any
waycompromised, either as Solicitor General or as Lord Advocate. We questioned
him about the rumours we had heard, and it was clear that they had never
previously come to his notice. Had we discovered any such evidence, or even
grounds for suspicion, however, we would have regarded it as our duty to report
directly to the Prime Minister with a view to his taking appropriate action. We
put this to the Lord Advocate, who agreed that that would be our duty.
"JASON" THE RENT BOY AND THE "GAY JUDGES SCANDAL" 31
8. "JASON" THE RENT BOY AND THE

"GAY JUDGES SCANDAL"
8.1 The information contained in this part ofour Report is derived solely from
stories in the "Evening News" and from interviews with Ian Burrell, formerly
Crime Reporter and now Assistant News Editor, and David Forsyth, Reporter
on the staffofthat newspaper. According to Burrell, when the police investigation
known as "Operation Planet" started in January 1990 he learned about it from
police sources. He began to look into background information which could be
published after the trial. As the investigation progressed "more and more people
were in the frame" and the size of the story was such that Forsyth was brought
in to help him. Byway ofbackground research, according to Burrell, contact was
made with a male prostitute or rent boy who might provide general background
material for a "colour piece". Again, according to Burrell, Forsyth arranged for
Burrell and Forsyth to meet this rent boy one evening, perhaps in about mid-1990.
This rent boy was not apparently familiar with the "rent boy scene" in Edinburgh,
but said that he knew somebody else who operated in Edinburgh and was on the
rent boy scene. At the request of Burrell and Forsyth this first rent boy arranged
for them to meet the person in question. This person's real name is not "Jason",
which is a pseudonym, but we have no other means of identifying him. As we
understand what we have been told by Forsyth, he would regard Burrell as having
been more instrumental in arranging the meeting which took place with "Jason",
but he agrees with Burrell that such a meeting took place.
8.2 According to Burrell. there were in total three meetings with "Jason", a first
meeting at which they built up his confidence in them, a second meeting at which
they obtained his story from him and a third meeting which they put to him the
results ofpoints which they had attempted to check. There is substantial agreement
between the journalists. neither ofwhom has kept his notes, as to what "Jason"
told them. Most of what he told them is contained in a story published in the
"Evening News" of13 February 1991. That story was published on the same page
as extensive coverage of the outcome of the case against Duncan and Others, in
which the accused who had plead guilty had by then been sentenced. In that story
"Jason" was described as being 18 years old, brought up in Manchester, "blond-
haired". and an habitual rent boy or male prostitute. He claimed that one of his
first "punters" in Edinburgh picked him up in a car near Regent Road and drove
him to Waverley Station where he bought condoms and then drove him out of
the city centre to a big house, near which he made "Jason" duck down out ofsight
in the front seat of the car. "Jason" was taken into the house where he was left
to wait in a room lined with books. in which he saw a photograph ofthe "punter"
on the wall showing him wearing "some sort oflong robes". Thereafter he was
taken into a bedroom where the "punter" sodomised him.
8.3 We have ofcourse pressed Burrell and Forsyth for further detail of"Jason's"
story. According to them the carwas red, and according to Burrell "Jason" thought
that it might be of a Japanese make, large but not particularly expensive. They
both said that according to "Jason" the "punter" said that the house they were
going to belonged to the "punter's" sister. Forsyth said that according to "Jason"
the house was set back from the street and was large, but "Jason" was otherwise
unable to describe it. They both said that according to "Jason" he normally wore
spectacles, but was not wearing them on that evening, except when he was left
alone in the room where the photograph was. Neither of them was able to repeat
any description which "Jason" could give ofthe layout ofthe house or the nature
ofits furnishings. Burrell described an attempt to take "Jason" by taxi to retrace
the route from Waverley Station to the house. but said that they became "stuck
in George Street". According to Burrell "Jason" was able to describe the "punter"
rl
as being maybe 5'9" tall, thin, perhaps in his 50s, and balding. He showed "Jason"
some photographs, but Jason was unable to come up with any plausible ident-
ification. Neither Burrell nor Forsyth was prepared to say to us that they under-
stood "Jason" to be describing a person who was a Judge.
8.4 In the Orr Report the following passage appears in the section headed "4.
OPERATION PLANET-THE RENT BOY CASE":
"During the initial appearance of the accused rumours began to circulate con-
cerning the existence ofa rent boy whose identity was known to the press and
who had been interviewed by them. This individual later became known by
the pseudonym "Jason". He is alleged to have detailed being uplifted in the
city centre by a respectable male in a large car and being driven to a spacious
house in Queensferry Road and whilst apparently awaiting his client he saw
a photograph of the client dressed in what are described as long red robes.
This information was published along with certain other articles following
conviction of the principle (sic) accused."
We are not aware of any source of information about the "Jason" story, prior to
the leaking of the Orr Report, apart from the "Evening News". There are,
however, two items ofinformation in the Orr Report which are not derived from
the "Evening News" story. These are, firstly, that the house was in Queensferry
Road and, secondly, that the long robes were red. These items appear to be police
embellishments ofthe original story as there is no other source for them. IfBurrell
and Forsyth had had these items of information they would have investigated
them further and would have included them in their story.
8.5 Mter the leaking of the Orr Report and the beginning of our Inquiry the
"Evening News" carried a story in its edition dated 25 September 1992 by David
Forsyth and another reporter headed "Every Word is True" and sub-headed
"Pledge by Rent Boy in GayJudges Scandal". The story started with the paragraph
"The rent boy at the centre ofthe gay judges scandal, today broke his 19-month
silence to say: "I stand by everything I said"." The last three paragraphs were
clearly intended to link the ''lason'' story with certain events which happened at
the time of the case against Duncan and Others which we discuss in part 16 of this
Report. The third paragraph states: "Nowin his early 20sJason told how awealthy
client took him to a plush Edinburgh house where he saw a photograph of the
man dressed in long red robes." Forsyth was able to give no clear explanation for
describing "Jason" as being "the rent boy at the centre ofthe gayjudges scandal" .
As we have said, according to both Burrell and Forsyth there was no evidence,
apart perhaps from the mention oflong robes, which might identify the "punter"
as a Judge. Forsyth accepts that the description ofthe long robes as being red was
derived from the Orr Report and was an error on his part because it was not derived
from any information given to the reporters by "Jason".
8.6 Although the story of 25 September 1992 was based on a fresh interview
with "Jason", Forsyth told us that "Jason" had nothing to add to the information
contained in the original story of 13 February 1991. The information available to
us from the original story as published and from Burrell and Forsyth does not
lead us to the view that there is any evidence to support the conclusion that the
"punter" was a Judge. Long robes, including those which are wholly or partly
red, are ofcourse worn by clergymen and academics as well as by lawyers. The
robes worn by Judges of the Court of Session and High Court ofJusticiary for
civil and criminal business respectively are partly red. Theyare neverwornwithout
either a short or a long wig. IfaJudge was photographed wearing robes we would
expect him to be wearing a wig as well. No mention is made ofa wig in the "Jason"
story. The evolution of the story from its original publication through the Orr
Report to its more recent publication serves rather as an illustration of the way
in which an originally tenuous story can become embellished through a failure
to pay proper attention to questions of detail.
8.7 At best what we have been able to learn from the "Evening News" and its
reporters represents hearsay evidence. We are prepared to believe that Burrell and
Forsyth did interview a person claiming to be a rent boy who gave them the
information reflected in the story of 13 Feb:-".Jary 1991. The best evidence of that
story would, however, come from "Jason" himself. Ifwe had had an opportunity
"JASON" THE RENT BOY AND THE "GAY JUDGES SCANDAL" 33
to interview "Jason" we would have been able to press him on points of detail
which might have enabled us to check his story in ways not available to the
reporters. If"Jason" is to be believed, a person of some apparent standing in the
community sodomised him when he was under 21 years old and accordingly
committed a crime. There is accordingly every reason whywe would have wanted
to obtain evidence from "Jason" at first hand. Since we had no means ofcontacting
him except through Forsyth, who had seen him before the story of25 September
1992 was published, we asked for Forsyth's co-operation in putting a request to
"Jason" to make himself available for interview by us. We have no reason to
suppose that Forsyth did not act on that request. We have been in frequent
communication with Forsyth, and understand from him that he has told "Jason"
twice of our wish to interview him, but "Jason"'s reaction has been that he is
worried about losing his job, and has nothing to add to what he originally told
the journalists.
8.8 Since "Jason" has chosen to co-operatewithjournalists and notwith the Lord
Advocate's representatives we can only suppose that his interests lie elsewhere than
in helping an investigation into an allegation of criminal conduct. Burrell and
Forsyth both stated that "Jason" received no payment from them, but it is clear
that the desire for notoriety and to cause mischiefaffects some people regardless
offinancial considerations. Our conclusion must be that the "Jason" story yields
no evidence of value to our Inquiry.
9. MICHAEL JUNIOR'S STORY ABOUT

A "JUDGE"
9.1 On 3 and 8 September 1992 MichaelJunior gave a statement to a Detective

Inspector of Strathclyde Police at Stewart Street Police Office, Glasgow. In the
statement he described his earlier history, including a period of service in the
French Foreign Legion. He then stated: "When I came back from the Foreign
Legion I got involved in the "gay scene" and involved in extorting money from
homosexuals." He described his allegedly becoming involved with men who
controlled the activities of rent boys and used them to obtain information about
the identities of men who had used their services in order to blackmail them. He
described how he himself became a male prostitute. He described one incident
in particular, which took place in about November 1991. He said that three men,
whom he named, took him by car to Edinburgh where they went to "The Blue
Oyster". There he was introduced to a man called Ian, with whom he sat talking
and drinking until about 3 am, when they left "The Blue Oyster" and went in
the man's car, which he described, to a house, which he also described. At the
house they discussed what sexual services Junior was to perform. According to
him: "I asked Ian what he done for a living and he said he sat on "the High Benches"
and from that I presumed he was a "Judge"." He then described how they were
engaged in sexual activity when there was a ring at the doorbell. The man went
to answer the door. Junior heard a scream, and a short time later one of the men
who had brought him to Edinburgh burst in with his face masked and with a
butcher's knife in his hand, followed by another of the same men. They made
him lie down and handcuffed him. There were sounds ofan assault on and robbery
of the man whose house it was. Mter about 15 minutes the robbers left. Junior
freed himself, dressed, and found the man lying injured on a bathroom floor.
Junior then left the house, made his way to the city centre, and took a train to
Glasgow. He described the man as "about 55 to 60 years ofage, heavy build, with
a fat stomach, a kind ofEnglish spoken polite accent, light brown hair going grey
receding at the front. He was about six foot tall, I never saw him wearing glasses,
I never noticed any marks or scars or tattoos on him". No report of an alleged
assault and robbery was made to the police.
9.2 On 16 September 1992 MichaelJunior gave a statement to officers ofLothian
and Borders Police at Rutherglen Police Station, Glasgow. In that statement he
described again how in about November 1991 the three men took him by car to
Edinburgh, where they went to "The Blue Oyster" and he was introduced to a
man. On this occasion he stated that the man's name was "either Alan or Ian, I
can't remember his right name." He stated: "I would describe the man as 5'10"
to 5'11" tall, chubby build, age about 60, he had grey hair and was balding on
top. He was wearing a crew neckjumper with a cravat underneath. He had a blazer
style jacket and light trousers." He stated that he and the man sat talking and
drinking together. "During conversation he told me that he was aJudge." Eventu-
ally they left "The Blue Oyster" and went in the man's car to the man's house.
On the journey sexual activity took place between them. At the house further
sexual activity took place between them, which was interrupted by the assault and
robbery. In this statementJunior gave a fuller account ofpurported conversations
between him and the man and features ofthe house and its furnishings. He stated:
"When I was in the house I saw a black robe and a wig lying in one ofthe rooms.
I also saw a red robe hanging up but I can't remember which room that was in."
9.3 Because ofthe allegation thatthere had been an assault and robbery the police
investigation has been as thorough as is possible. Attempts have been made, in
reliance on Tunior'sdescriptions, to identify both the car and the house, butwithout
success. Junior himselfhas been unable to direct police to the house, even though
MICHAEL JUNIOR'S STORY ABOUT A "JUDGE" 3S
he says that he made his way from it by foot to the city centre. Further inquiries
by the police have not confirmed the alleged involvement ofthe three men. One
died on 28 December 1991. The other two have been traced and interviewed, and
have denied that they travelled to Edinburgh with Michael Junior as alleged by
him.
9.4 Our concern obviously is with the allegation that the man whomJunior met
and who was assaulted and robbed was a Judge. There are obvious discrepancies
in the two versions ofJunior's statements to police made only a few days apart.
The physical description of the man is materially different, as can be seen by
comparing the two passages we have quoted. In the first version Junior was
confident about the man's name whilst in the second he was unable to say which
oftwo names it was. In the first the only statement made by the man which might
have indicated his occupation was made at his house and was that "he sat on the
High Benches". In the second statement the man toldJunior at "The Blue Oyster"
that he was a Judge. In the second statement for the first time Junior described,
among other embellishments, that while he was in the house he saw a black robe
and a wig in one room and a red robe in another room. Judges do not keep their
robes at their houses and in any event no Scottish Judge has both a black robe
and a red robe.
9.S MichaelJunior has made a number ofstatements to newspaper and television
reporters who have reported them as either truthful or untruthful, depending on
the story being reported. While we have taken note ofthese reports we have found
nothing in them which would add to the much fuller statements taken by the
police.
9.6 In the whole circumstances we have not thought that it would be of any
value to us to interview Michael Junior ourselves. On his own admission he is a
blackmailer as well as being a male prostitute. His willingness to make such an
admission and to describe his activities to reporters as well as to police officers
suggests a wish for notoriety. There may also have been the prospect ofreceiving
payment from reporters. The discrepancies in his statements, the embellishments
added to the later version, particularly those features pointing to the man's
allegedly being a Judge, and the complete absence of corroborative evidence
suggest that the whole story, or at least those parts ofit material to our Inquiry,
is pure invention on junior's part.
10. ALLEGATIONS BY STEPHEN

CONROY AGAINST SHERIFF
DOUGLAS ALLAN
10.1 Douglas Allan had a career in the Procurator Fiscal Service which culmi-
nated in his serving as Regional Procurator Fiscal in Edinburgh from April 1983
until he was appointed SheriffofLanark on 1 August 1988. The grave allegations
which were made against him by Stephen Conroy related to the time when he
was a Regional Procurator Fiscal. We are not aware ofany allegations against him
relating to the period since he became a Sheriff. There is accordingly no need for
us to say anything more about him in that latter capacity. We should emphasise
at the outset that we have not found a shred ofevidence to support any allegation
against Douglas Allan. All those to whom we have spoken who had personal
knowledge of him during the period when he was Regional Procurator Fiscal
spoke higWy of him in both personal and professional terms. Even those who
thought that the allegations were such as'required to be investigated spoke highly
of him.
10.2 Stephen Conroy has been employed by several different firms ofsolicitors
as a court runner and in similar relatively inferior capacities. According to him,
he entertained for a time an ambition to become a solicitor. Thereafter he was
engaged in various business ventures until he was committed in custody on 9 April
1992 on a petition containing several charges offraud. Following a plea ofguilty
he was sentenced on 20 July 1992 to six years' imprisonment. Conroy appears
to us, from the papers we have read, from information we have received from
others, and from our own experience of interviewing him in prison, to be a
man who is not only prepared to be deliberately dishonest, but also to have an
imagination over which he has only intermittent control. We found that when
he makes an effort, and remains calm, he can give truthful answers to questions.
But he easily loses control ofhis imagination and becomes voluble. At such times
he pours out his fantasies, particularly about people he claims to be homosexuals
in positions ofinfluence. The word "photograph" readily acts as a trigger for the
outpouring of his fantasies. When we pointed out to him that two accounts he
had given, within a few minutes ofeach other, ofphotographs which he claimed
to have seen (and which would not in any event been ofrelevance to our Inquiry)
were mutually inconsistent, he appeared almost frightened by the way in which
his imagination had led him to speak. Consistently with his former ambition to
become a solicitor, he is inclined to fantasise about being himselfa figure ofsome
consequence in the legal world and associating with prominent lawyers. Richard
Godden, who was formerly an advocate and is now a solicitor, and Mark
Fitzpatrick, Advocate, have both described to us an occasion on which they found
Conroy wearing a gown in Parliament Hall and told him he should not do so.
In addition to these characteristics he is correctly described by others who have
had dealings with him as being devious and manipulative. In all, it is hard to see
how his allegations ever came to be taken seriously.
10.3 Conroy's allegations against Douglas Allan came to the notice ofthe police
in the following circumstances. For a time Conroy and Kevin Crawford were
partners both sexually and in business together. They appear to have run a number
ofshops in the course oftheir business. In early 1990 both their sexual and business
relationships came to an end. Crawford was thereafter harassed by Conroy,
according to him, and decided to make a complaint to the police. He went to
Police Headquarters on 5 December 1990, where he saw Detective Constable
Christopher Few (now a Constable in Northamptonshire Constabulary). Craw-
ford made a number of allegations against Conroy, which Few rc:orded in a
memorandum dated 6 December 1990 to Detective ChiefInspector Peter Wilson,
ALLEGATIONS BY STEPHEN CONROY AGAINST SHERIFF DOUGLAS ALLAN 37
headed "Allegation of Fraudulent Activity-Stephen Mark Conroy". The only

allegation which is of significance for present purposes reads as follows:
"10. Being in possession of compromising photographs of a Procurator
Fiscal and using these to obtain confidential information in possession of
the Procurator Fiscal's Office, to avoid prosecution for offences and to have
had Crawford's prosecution for assault pursued with greater vigour than
would otherwise have been the case."
10.4 Few informed us, in the course ofa telephone conversation, that Crawford
named the Procurator Fiscal as Douglas Allan. Because the allegation was ofsuch
sensitivity he did not put the name in the memorandum, but did report it to his
superiors. Wilson instructed Detective Inspector Michael Souter to look into the
matter. As we understand it, it was from Few that he learned that the Procurator
Fiscal's name was Douglas Allan. As will be seen when we discuss the case against
Colin Tucker in part 14 of this Report, Souter had already formed a view of
Douglas Allan's role in the investigation into the financial affairs ofBurnettWalker
WS. According to Souter, Crawford's mention ofDouglas Allan's name "started
ringing bells".
10.5 Souter made contact with Crawford who agreed to be interviewed on a
confidential and informal basis on 3 January 1991. At this meeting he repeated
allegations ofcriminal conduct against Conroy which he had previously made to
Few. Souter reported on this meeting and subsequent inquiries in a memorandum
dated 21 February 1991 to Detective Superintendent George Ritchie. According
to the memorandum:
"At the initial meeting with the reporting officer Crawford was asked to
elaborate on the matter concerning Mr Douglas Allan and confirmed that
he had informed DC Few that these photographs existed. He claimed that
during the summer of 1988 he had been in the "Laughing Duck" public
house 24 Howe Street, Edinburgh, along with Conroy and another male
homosexual associate ofConroys, David Blair Wilson, then ofWilson Terris
& Co., 22 Hill Street, Edinburgh, when he noticed another male customer
continually looking at Conroy and smiling to him. As he was having a
relationship with Conroy he asked who the apparent admirer was and was
informed by Conroy in the hearing of David Blair Wilson that it was
"Douglas Allan" the Procurator Fiscal, the "Top Law man in Edinburgh".
Conroy and Wilson informed Crawford that David BlairWilson had com-
promising photographs ofDouglasAllan alongwith a "youngguy",Craw-
fords understanding was that although Conroy was present he was not the
young man involved in the photo session."
10.6 Although the meeting on 3January 1991 was between Souter and Crawford
alone, thereafter the investigationwas carried out by Souter and Detective Sergeant
Peter Brown together. There was a further meeting between them and Crawford
on 14 January 1991, when Crawford repeated much of what he had said on 3
January. On 25 January 1991 Souter and Brown met Conroy in Parsons Green
Terrace, Edinburgh. According to the memorandum he "agreed to speak offthe
record regarding his involvement as a juvenile with homosexuals in the legal
profession and although he denied that he had personally had sexual relationships
with anyone he claimed that he was aware of the homosexuality of" a number
ofpersons whom he named, one ofwhom was Douglas Allan. The memorandum
proceeds:
"He claimed that his only knowledge of these men was hearsay but that
Douglas Allan is a friend as is his own solicitor David Blair Wilson. He
claimed that these people had all at some time attended parties ... in Pal-
merston Place, Edinburgh, at which young men attended and where alleged
sexual activities occurred."
He agreed to provide a written account of these matters, but in the event he did
not do so.
10.7 The memorandum proceeds:
"At 0900 hours on Monday, 11th February, 1991, Kevin Crawford
telephoned the reporting officer at the Fraud Squad and related an incident
which he claimed had occurred about 0130 hours on Sunday 10th within
the "Blue Oyster Club" in Rose Street Lane, Edinburgh, when he had seen
Conroyand "Douglas Allan" talking together apparently about him and
laughing. He claimed that this had enraged him and as he was somewhat
intoxicated he had struck Conroy while Douglas Allan and Conroy had
been dancing together. Douglas Allan and others present had separated
them and the incident much to Crawfords surprise was not dealt with by
the Stewards who would in normal circumstances have been expected to
have severely ejected Crawford. Crawford left shortly after this incident.
As this account did not seem credible the reporting officer endeavoured to
obtain a photograph of Mr John Douglas Allan in order to confirm or
otherwise that he was the person that both Crawford and Conroy spoke
off. At 1500 hours on Friday, 15th February, 1991, the reporting officer
and Detective Sergeant Brown uplifted Crawford from his place ofemploy-
ment and showed him this photograph circa 1987 of Douglas Allan, he
failed to identify him as the man he knew as Douglas Allan saying that his
hair is all wrong and that the man he knew as Douglas Allan was similar
but more like "John Major" than the man in the photograph. He repeated
the information about the incident in the Blue Oyster and was adamant that
the man was the Procurator Fiscal "Douglas Allan".
At 1630 hours that same date David Blair Wilson telephoned the Fraud
Squad Office and informed the reporting officer that his client Conroy
would not be supplying any other information to the Police. Wilson expre-
ssed his anger that the Police had raised his own name in this matter and
was assured that although his name may have been mentioned it had not
been raised by the Police. He then continued that we should not pay too
much attention to what Conroy may say as Conroy has a personality
problem for which he sees a Consultant, and that he, Wilson, always takes
with a pinch of salt anything which Conroy tells him."
10.8 After a sentence about David Blair-Wilson's private life the memorandum
further continues:
"He raised the subject ofArthur Colin Tucker and Gordon Michael May
and advised that he, Robert Henderson Q.C. and another would be
defending May in the forthcoming Teague Homes trial and that the defence
would not be based on homosexuality. Wilson said that he was a personal
friend of Tucker as well as his Solicitor but even he had been amazed at
the "not guilty" verdict recorded at Tuckers trial but that this was due to
an inept prosecution and the Law Society dragged their feet, and that the
defence arguments should never have been accepted. He claimed that he
felt that the Police were under the impression that there is a homosexual
conspiracy going on in Edinburgh involving the legal profession and asked
why the Fraud Squad were concerning themselves with homosexual mat-
ters. He then went on to speak ofCrawford and Conroys differences, then
spoke ofthe Lord Advocates Guidelines regarding the non prosecution of
consenting adults aged between 18 and 21 years. He was advised that these
were only guidelines and that the Law said 21 years of age and therefore
the Lord Advocate would consider the circumstances and merits of each
case. He offered that if I wished to speak with him I should contact him
at any time and not raise the matter with others.
At 1106 hours on Monday, 18th February, 1991, Conroy telephoned the
reporting officer at the Fraud Squad and stated that he had only approached
David Blair Wilson because he did not know who to turn to for help.
Crawford had been bothering him over the telephone and urging him to
go to the Police and "tell all", he had taped these calls. He then went on
to tell how Crawford has assaulted him in the "Blue Oyster" while he was
dancing with the "Sheriff of Lanark, Douglas Allan". He agreed to meet
with the reporting officer and Detective Sergeant Brown on Tuesday, 19th
at 1530 hours in Carrington Road, Edinburgh.
On Tuesday, 19th Con.oy telephoned early in the day and asked the
reporting officer if the meeting could be on a one to one basis but was
told this would not be. He attended as agreed and again wished to speak
informally. He related his account ofthe incident at the Blue Oyster Club
which was in accord with what Crawford had claimed. He was then shown
a number of photographs (attached) and had no hesitation in identifying
as "Douglas ABan" the former Regional Procurator Fiscal Mr J.D. Allan
although he stated that the subject wore a toupee when attending the
"Club".
He claimed to have known Douglas Allan for about three or four years but
denied that there had ever been anything improper between them. He
claimed that their contact had been confined to talking at the "Laughing
Duck" or the Blue Oyster Club or dancing at the latter. He further claimed
that he had during 1988 attended at the house of RAJ Godden ... when he
had been shown 6 or 8 quarto sized photographs of naked men indulging
in indecent activities (he declined to elaborate) and that he had immediately
recognised Douglas Allan who he knew at that time..."
This part of the memorandum concludes with the sentence:
"While Crawford and Conroy are speaking to the Police for differing
reasons and they are now antagonistic towards each other the hearsay
information obtained from Crawford is being given some substance by the
information given by Conroy which is more than mere hearsay."
The memorandum then moves on to a discussion of the cases against Tucker,
May and Tucker, and Duncan and others and the proposed case against Robert
Henderson QC. In respect ofthe case against Duncan and others the memorandum
states:
"That Conroy has stated that the indecent photographs he was shown by
Godden were taken '" in Palmerston Place may link these matters to the
recent proceedings involving rent boys and male homosexuals ... which
Alistair Darling MP has involved himself in by declaring his intention of
examining the role played by the Crown Office in the decision to dismiss
many apparently proveable charges."
The memorandum concludes with the following passage:
"If Crawfords original claim that Conroy was able to manipulate the cri-
minaljustice system because ofhis knowledge ofillegal homosexual activi-
ties members of that system have involved themselves in is true-and
nothing to discredit his information has yet been found-then a serious
problem may exist in the administration of Justice in Edinburgh and
elsewhere in Scotland which may be highlighted by either the Press or Mr
Darling in the very near future. If it is revealed that Lothian and Borders
Police had been made aware ofthe allegations referred to in this report and
failed to take appropriate action in these matters then considerable criticism
or even suspicion may be directed at the Police.
While enquiries have been made and have established evidence that Conroy
has been involved in fraud no action has yet been directed beyond the
informal interviewswith Crawford and Conroy regarding the illegal homo-
sexual allegations. It is feltthat Crawford will be willing to make a statement
on tape ifasked, and Conroy could soon be cultivated to a similar position,
although this may prove more difficult as David BlairWilson has obviously
attempted to frighten him away from placing any trust in the Police in
general and the reporting officer and Detective Sergeant Brown in particu-
lar. "
10.9 We have quoted from the memorandum at some length in order to show
not only the nature ofthe information which was given to Souter and Brown but
also the link which was then made in the minds ofSouter and, presumably, Brown
between otherwise apparently unconnected cases. Souter had of course by then
had possession for some months ofa copy ofTucker's Statement, which Brown
had read. This may have inclined them to give credence to allegations ofhomosex-
uality made against prominent lawyers. As will be seen when we come to discuss
the Orr Report in part 12 ofthis Report, the link made in Souter's memorandum
is the same as that made in the letter from DavidJohnston to Tam Dalyell MP,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _J
in the letter from Tam Dalyell to the ChiefConstable and in the Orr Report. Since
the Orr Report was, according to its author, largely based on information supplied
by Souter and Brown, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that either Souter
or Brown or both have been, directly or indirectly, the source or sources of
information at every stage about the alleged link.
10.10 The photographs which were shown by Souter and Brown to Conroy,
as recorded in the memorandum, and which were referred to in subsequent
interviews by police officers ofCrawford and Conroy, are now in our possession.
Ofthe two showing Douglas Allan, one is a colour photograph taken at a Burns
Supper at Police Headquarters, showing Douglas Allan in a kilt, the ChiefConst-
able, SheriflWilliam Christie and the Deputy ChiefConstable. The other is a poor
photocopy in black and white of a photograph taken on the same occasion,
showing at least 13 persons, ofwhom Douglas Allan is third from the right and
a police officer is fifth from the left. There is little apparent resemblance between
these two apart from the fact that they are both wearing glasses. SheriffAllan has
expressed resentment to us at the use, for the investigation ofallegations ofcriminal
behaviour by him, of photographs taken at a private social occasion at Police
Headquarters.
10.11 On receipt of Souter's memorandum Wilson discussed its terms with
Ritchie and they decided that, however incredible the allegations against Douglas
Allan might seem, it was necessary to take the matter to Duncan Lowe, the
then Regional Procurator Fiscal. Accordingly Assistant ChiefConstable Richard
Prentice telephoned Duncan Lowe and arranged a meeting, which took place in
early March 1991, and was attended by Ritchie, Wilson and Souter. Copies of
the memoranda by Few and Souter were given to Duncan Lowe. No mention
was made of the Tucker Statement. There was a brief discussion, during which
Duncan Lowe said that he wanted to consider the matter further. He did not tell
the police officers what he intended to do. What he in fact did was to arrange to
see lan Dean, the then Crown Agent, and to show him the Souter memorandum.
They discussed the matter at length, and it was decided that the Crown Agent
would arrange for the Lord Advocate, Lord Fraser, to see the Souter memorandum
and discuss it with Duncan Lowe. A meeting was accordingly arranged with the
Lord Advocate, which was attended by lan Dean and Duncan Lowe. There was
a full discussion ofthe memorandum. The meeting concluded with a decision that
Crawford and Conroy should be interviewed on tape by police officers.
10.12 After the meeting with the Lord Advocate, Duncan Lowe instructed
Ritchie to have Crawford and Conroy interviewed on tape. The instructions were
given by telephone on 8 March 1991 and were recorded in a file note. Their terms
included instructions that the interview should be carried out by different officers
from those previously involved because ofthe ongoing criminal inquiry, and that
the statements should be specific as to whether Crawford and Conroy were
alleging criminal conduct by DouglasAllan. Ritchie accordingly instructed Detec-
tive Inspector lan Irving and Detective Sergeant Hugh Corbett, both members
of the Serious Crime Squad, to carry out the interviews. For that purpose they
were given use ofcopies ofthe memoranda by Few and Souter and ofthe photog-
raphs which we have described.
10.13 Crawfordwas interviewed on 12March 1991, and again, on a matterwhich
is not relevant for present purposes, on 22 April 1991. Conroy was interviewed on
17 April 1991. We have transcripts of these interviews. While they are lengthy,
nothing ofsubstance was added by either Crawford or Conroy to what they had
already told Souter and Brown. In order for the quality of the evidence to be
understood we think it appropriate to quote certain passages.
10.14 In the transcript of the interview with Crawford on 12 March 1991 the
following passage appears:
"DI Could you please express in your own words what you know
about the former Regional Procurator Fiscal and now Sheriff of
Lanark. I would suggest that you start from the beginning pos-
siblywhen you first heard or met him right up until this last time
that you saw or met him so ifyou just relax and just tell me how
you know or what caused you to make these allegations and
how you know ehh the Regional Procurator Fiscal. Could you
commence?
SUSPECT Ehh it was roughly about four to five years ago that I met Stephen
Mark Conroy in a gay bar called Fire Island I had been in a
relationship with Stephen for about a year and we were in a disco
one night which is the Laughing Duckehh Public House in Howe
Street. Stephen had pointed out a gentleman ehh to me and had
turned round and said that that is the Procurator Fiscal from
Edinburgh. Stephen had said that he had something over the
Procurator Fiscal we used to go a place called Tokyo Joes where
a lot of lawyers and people in the Court who knew Stephen
Stephen had worked in the Court or worked for a company called
Drummond and Company and this is how he knew the people
in the court and it was common knowledge through Stephen that
a lot of people in the court were gay or on or homosexual and
ehh they vacated the gay bars and gay clubs Stephen had pointed
this chap out to me and said that himselfand David Blair Wilson
had been at a party one night and the P.F. or Procurator Fiscal
ehh was at the party and that they have photographs he said that
that man will do him favours he said because ofwhat he has got.
He says I can pull strings in high places.
DI Who said this?
SUSPECT Stephen Mark Conroy. He says that they were at a party one
night with David Blair Wilson and the chap was there and that
David Blair Wilson has polaroid photographs of the Procurator
Fiscal with a gentleman who is under the age of consent of21
ehh I've never actually spoke to the chap but the Procurator Fiscal
who was pointed out to me has never ever spoke to Stephen now
I've been in a sorry I was in a relationship with Stephen for almost
five year for all the time that we went to pubs clubs ehh or discos "I
or anything whenever this chap was in the pub or on the same
premises they never ever spoke they would just acknowledge
each other by letting on nodding heads and just acknowledge
each other but never ever spoke in public ehh until recently about
two months ago probably less than that that I was in a place called
The Blue Oyster on Rose Street in Edinburgh ehh I had been
comingdown to Fettes regarding this situation and my allegations
Stephen was talking to the Procurator Fiscal or the person who he
was saying the Procurator Fiscal and who he had the photographs
over and the chap who would do him favours ehh this was the
first time I had ever seen them actually talking together in the
whole five year it was almost every weekend that we were out
in a pub or a club so over the period offive years they had never
spoke to each other now they are speaking to each other ehh I
was leaving the disco and Stephen turned and says as I walked
past him we can soon sort him out look what the cat dragged
in so I ignored it and I was leaving the premises then I went back
in a temper and I grabbed Stephen by the back of the hair of the
dance floor and had a word in his ear the chap who that with him
who I know or I am led to believe is a Procurator Fiscal backed
ofand he didn't want anything to do with it but before I actually
done that was dragged Stephen ofthe dance floor the two ofthem
were very cocky and like trying to rub me up.
DI You mean by that you mean by ehh trying to ...
SUSPECT Trying to wind me up basically.
DI Yes aye.
SUSPECT Standing beside me in the disco the person who I am led to believe
is the Procurator Fiscal standing smiling over now the chaps never
spoke to me but he has always known who I am and I have always
known or led to believe who he is he never ever speaks to anybody
in the disco he comes in stands watches everything that goes on

and leaves ehh but this night he was standingwith Stephen having
a conversation with Stephen and they were basicallywinding me
up ehh as I was leaving I walked past them he had said that that
ehh ohh we can soon sort him out look what the cat dragged in
sort of thing.
DI Who had said that?
SUSPECT Stephen had said it and the chap who I am led to believe is
the Procurator Fiscal was in conversation with Stephen and just
laughed so in a temper I dragged Stephen ofthe dance floor then
the other guy backed ofbut this was Stephens front for anything
or whenever he was up to tricks Stephen would phone the court
or he would phone the P.F.'s office and he has done it in front
of me ehh at the time when he had said what was going on
asked questions about different things he wanted to know and he
received information from the Procurator Fiscals office.
DI In relation to what?
SUSPECT He just used to phone up and say ohh I would like to find out
this Stephen was ehh or he got in trouble with a credit card and
he had used a credit card ehh when he was living in Springfield
Street it is offBalfour Street I think and what had happened was
the credit card was sent to a block of flats there is six in the flat
Stephen had opened it up the credit card didn't belong to him
Stephen had used the credit card and it was later found out that
he was on camera and the police proved it was Stephen Stephen
was worried about it and then he had turned round and said to
me no problem I'll get that sorted out I've got friends in the
Procurator Fiscals Office i.e. Mr Douglas or Douglas Allan or
Douglas James Allan.
DI Was it who was it he actually phoned at the ...
SUSPECT He phoned the P.F.'s office.
DI Mmhh now the P.F. office there are numerous Procurator Fiscals
within that area.
SUSPECT He was phoning.
DI In that office.
SUSPECT He was trying to phone Douglas James Allan
DS I take it you were present when he made that phone call?
SUSPECT I was in the room yeah.
DS Do you know what number he dialled?
SUSPECT No not off hand no.
DS How do you know it was the Fiscals office that he was on to?
SUSPECT Ehh because he had a law directory itwas a standard law directory
for lawyers to list every solicitor.
DI Where is that that directory?
SUSPECT Stephen had it you can only obtain it from a solicitor or if you
have worked in a solicitors office it is supplied to them to acknow-
ledged solicitors within the City and in there he had the number.
DS Right did he speak to who you think was Mr Allan ehh within
your hearing?
SUSPECT I am led to believe that it was Mr Allan on the other end of the
phone he asked him if he could meet meet him to help sort or
something out ehh Stephen the same the same week had phoned
David Blair Wilson and met David Blair Wilson in a public
bar called Tokyo Joes and had a conversation with David Blair
Wilson.
DS How long ago are we talking about~
SUSPECT Mmmh three and a half three and a half years ago.
DI So how long is it since he possibly was in possession of these

photographs?
SUSPECT As far as I am led to believe it is David Blair Wilson who holds
the photographs because Stephen says that if anything ever
happened or he needed to use the photographs for anything that
David Blair Wilson has them in a safe place.
DI Do you know where about?
SUSPECT No.
DS Have you any idea who took the photographs?
SUSPECT No, not at all.
DS Have you ever seen the photographs?
SUSPECT No all this was said to me was Stephen by Stephen that David
Blair Wilson holds the photographs for when he needs them or
when Stephen needs them to pull a favour.
DI When the photographs were taken how long ago is it since the
photographs were taken do you thinkjust an estimate?
SUSPECT Five year ago.
DI You think about five year ago and where is it supposed to have
taken place about?
SUSPECT It is supposed to have taken at a house a public a party within
a house.
DI Do you know where about?
SUSPECT It was somewhere in the new town I know that.
DI But you don't know whose house.
SUSPECT I don't know the address, I don't know the address or whose
house it was taken at a party.
DI And what was supposed to be in this photograph or these photog-
raphs?
SUSPECT What is supposed to be in the photograph was the Procurator
Fiscal DouglasJames Allan with a homosexual guy under the age
of 21 and this is what Stephen and David Blair Wilson were
holding over him that they had ehh polaroids of the Procurator
Fiscal ehh in a sex act with someone under the age ofconsent of
21.
DI Do you know who that young person is?
SUSPECT No.
DI Who would know who that young is?
SUSPECT Stephen Conroy or David Blair Wilson.
DI They would know who it was?
SUSPECT Mmhh.
DS And is it just the two of them?
SUSPECT As far as I am led to believe it was the only the two that the was
only only name mentioned by Stephen was David BlairWilson."
10.15 Another passage we think we should quote from the transcript ofCraw-
ford's interview is as follows:
"DI The can you describe to me the man you know as a Procurator
Fiscal?
SUSPECT The best description I could give you of him is John Major the
Prime Minister that's who he reminds me ofJohn Major's height,
build, looks, hair, glasses.
DI What height do you think he is?
SUSPECT (sniff) 5'8"-5'6" ehh sorry 5'8"-6 ft.
DI What sort of build?
SUSPECT Medium build he is a man ofsay late forties ehh stocky but trim
he is not fat he is not a heavy he is just trim guy ehh glasses.
DS What sort of glasses does he wear?
SUSPECT Steel rimm glasses silver steel rimmed ehh.

DI Does he smoke?
SUSPECT No.
DI Does he have a moustache?
SUSPECT No ehh I have never seen him smoke ehh steel rimmed glasses.
DS What about the hair style was it natural or was he would he wear
a hair piece?
SUSPECT No ehh he's grey hair grey hair medium length cut cut tidy.
DI Was it very grey?
SUSPECT Yeah it was more of a silver silvery grey.
DI It has no been dyed or anything like that?
SUSPECT No.
DS And how high a forehead was he receding at all or no?
SUSPECT He was receding slightly ehh let let me think (pause) he had it
short tidy and combed over to one side.
DS Mmhh.
DI What was he wearing what does he normally wear?
SUSPECT Always wears casual clothes ehh sometimes trainers just casual
trainers ehh casual slacks and casual jumper it was always.
DI What is casual what is casual slacks?
SUSPECT Ehh might be fawn fawn trousers ehh like an older guys taste in
clothes just a casual plain shirt a dress dress shirt but just plain
nothing on it ehh and just casual trainers just plain trainers not
a designer trainer just a plain."
10.16 It will be understood from the passages we have quoted from the transcript
of the interview with Crawford that the only direct evidence which he was
able to give related to seeing a person whom he believed to be Douglas Allan.
Everything else about this person was hearsay.
10.17 The transcript ofthe interviewwith Conroy on 17April 1991 is impossible
to summarise. We shall quote some ofthe more significant passages. One passage
reads as follows:
"DI Could you please express in your own words what you know
about the former Regional Procurator Fiscal and now Sheriff of
Lanark, I would suggest you start from the beginning possibly
when you first heard or met him right up until the last time you
saw or met him. Now do you understand that?
SUSPECT Yes I do.
DI Now ifyou possibly ifyou could start off and ifyou maybe tell
me a few if you what is the name that you know him by?
SUSPECT I know him by Douglas Allan ehmm I was introduced to him
ehmm I was doing a traineeship with the Law Society to become
a solicitor ehmm I met Mr Allan at various just parties and
meetings you know ehmm through the law people that I now
ehmm I was more impressed in meeting him because ofwho he
was ehmm he was always very pleasant ehmm I might add that
these were outside sort of homosexual places these were you
know bars normal bars and things like that ehmm he was always
very pleasant didn't strike me as being homosexual ehmm until
ehh I met him in a gay pub a couple oftimes the Laughing Duck
ehh but I think he disguises himselfwhen he goes in I don't think
he uses his own name although I know him as being Douglas
Allan ehmm I d I have never seen him leave with anybody and
he certainly hasn't left with me ehmm he has been in and he has
always been very pleasant and just spoke ehmm he has never
mentioned to me whether you know what he is in for or whatever
ehm-n it hasjust been a general discussion ofhow you doin things
like that ehh I have gone to dinner with him once or twice ehmm
ALLEGATIONS BV STEPHEN CONROV AGAINST SHERIFF DOUGLAS ALLAN 45
just generallyjust outyou know more to further my career ehmm

not in any sexual sense at all and never had done ehmm at a later
date I know a lot of Edinburgh solicitors and advocates and
things like that involved in the gay scene ehmm I heard from one
advocate a Mr Dick ehmm Godden that ehh that were several
photo's of Mr Allan in homosexual acts which I was very
surprised at ehmm because as I say I had never seen Mr Allan
directly involved in any way whatsoever ehmm Mr Godden
showed me photographs that I could identify as being very like
Mr Allan to me ehmm I would be more than sure ehmm I haven't
really it is very difficult because when Mr Allan goes out to a gay
club although he is receding on top he tends to wear a wig ehmm
which can sometimes be confusing because the photographs were
black and white ehmm and there were several people involved
which made them confusing to look at ehmm I don't know what
Mr Godden did with these photographs I never used them for
any compromise or anything on my behalf ehh although my
former partner Mr Crawford had asked on several occasions that
I do so ehmm I really don't know as I said to you already it
is very difficult to confirm something like that so I had never
considered using them at all ehmm I thought Mr Allan more as
a friend and not as a sort of person I would go and compromise
ehmm I seen the photographs and there was a lot oflaughing and
joking around the legal fraternity with them ehmm when I say
legal fraternity I sort of mean the gay legal fraternity ehmm but
I don't know what they were used for I would be aware that Mr
Godden still had them in his possession or ehmm maybe one of
the other advocates or lawyers I don't know where they are at
the moment I don't have any ehmm and really that's about it
ehmm Mr Crawford ehhh is a very difficult person to explain
he is the type of person that loves to be involved in something
like that and he thinks that Mr Allan is corrupt ehmm and that
I am corrupt and that the rest of the legal fraternity are corrupt
that I worked within when I worked there ehmm I am sure there
is corruptness in every fraternity ehmm be it gay or straight or
whatever ehmm I have never found Mr Allan in any way to be
ehh you know the type of person that would do that although
I have heard rumours before ehmm but I put them down to
rumours cause they have never signified anything else to me
ehmm you know Mr Crawford as I say I I was in a disco the late
the most recent was in the Blue Oyster disco several months ago
after ehmm your colleague Mr Souter had interviewed me and
ehh Mr Crawford was there with a another friend ehmm who
I would believe would be his friend they were very abusive to
me and I ignored them and walked on ehh it just happened that
Mr Allan was in the bar that night and he had seemed to know
just exactly what was going on already which cautioned me to
a certain extent because I felt that ehmm there is somebody else
involved somewhere else along the line ehmm because I had only
spoken to Mr Souter and I had been assured that nobody else
would find out ehmm Mr Allan asked me what the hell had been
going on and I told him no mo no more basically that people had
asked me and not naming anybody ehmm we discussed it and
he said that he would sort it out ehmm I don't know what
that entails ehmm we were walking past Mr Crawford and Mr
Crawford made suggestions towards Mr Allan and me ehmm we
continued to walk on as if it didn't bother us we were going to
dance and Mr Crawford ehmm tried to lunge at us ehmm he he
never intercepted and his friend pulled him back ehmm all I know
after that is that you know is that I was dancing with Mr Allan
ehmm on the dance floor and ehmm I was pulled from behind
by the hair and dragged across the floor ehmm and sworn at and
told that I was having my throat slit ehmm and this was Mr
Crawford but it really didn't hit me until a few minutes later and
he had left the club by the time I had got out into the lane to
actually challenge him back but ehmm after that I was ehh the
victim of several abusing phone calls ehmm which I have taped
on my answering machine basically saying to me that you know
things were going to happen to me and things like this which
worried me ehmm as yet I am still in one piece ehh you know
I have ifit's any extra help I have known other people to know
Mr Allan ehmm not in the legal fraternity I have spoken to other
friends before who have said you know because I thought I was
big ifyou like I've said do you know who that is and I know him
you know he is the Procurator Fiscal ehmm I didn't know that
to be a compromise but other people one or two namely have
said to me no he is somebody else he is Tom Hanks or something
you know for example you know ehmm so I was aware that Mr
Allan didn't identify himself to people that wouldn't know him
or wouldn't normally know him because of his job ehmm
anything you want to ask me?
DI Did, what name did he use then if he went out to one of these
gay clubs?
SUSPECT Well I don't know he always I've just spoken to him as being
Douglas I know his name is lames Douglas Allan but he has
always asked me to call him Douglas.
DI Ehmm.
SUSPECT Ehmm so it's more of a formal sort of relationship you know
where you meet and you know I can call him his first name I don't
call him Mr Allan ehmm I can't really remember I would be
telling a lie ehh ehmm I'm quite unsure what he calls himself
when he goes out but Ijust know that a couple of people have
said to me before on different occasions ehmm you know that's
not Mr Allan that's Mr so on so he works in the computer
department or something and I have just left it at that knowing
that you know who he really is ehmm and thinking well maybe
the guy doesn't want to sort ofyou know being in the profession
that he is in he can be I would imagine that he could be liable to
be sort ofblackmailed or something like that so I thought maybe
for his own reasons ehmm he doesn't you know let go on who
he is and I believe he had been married or was married so I thought
may be for these circumstances he hadn't you know ehmm he
had declined to give them his name and maybe given somebody
else which happens a lot in the gay scene a lot of people don't
tell you who they are and there is a lot of it's the kind of scene
that a lot ofpeople tell lies on it's you know people seem to want
to be other people ehmm you know everybody on the gay scene
wants to draw attraction to themselves so they often say that they
are this or they are that or you know they're a Sheriff or when
they're not you know ehmm.
DI But you think that the Mr Allan that your talking about is defin-
itely right?
SUSPECT Oh yeah."
10.18 Conroy then went on to describe meeting Douglas Allan in Queensferry
Street and going out for dinner with him in the Howard Hotel in Great King
Street. We now quote another passage from the transcript:
"DI Could you describe him to me please?
SUSPECT Yep. He is quite tall receding hair and he wears glasses ehh when
he went for dinner he never had anything on his head but he often
wears when he goes to the Laughing Duck or the Blue Oyster
ALLEGATWN' BY 'TEPHEN CON'<oY AGMN'T mER'" DOUGLA' ALLAN 47 I
where I have met him on several occasions a wig on top ehmm
or a toupee whatever you call it ehh which changes his facial a
little you could be you could mistake him for being a different
person ehmm.
DS Butyou'd been in his company on both with the wig and without?
SUSPECT Yeah.
DS Would know him either?
SUSPECT Professionally he doesn't wear a wig apart from on the bench
now I would imagine he would wear a wig ehmm professionally
when I have met him before he didn't have anything on ehmm
outside for some reason or another which has mixed me up on
a couple ofoccasions ehmm although I would know his face ehh
he has won a toupee or whatever you call them.
DI Right, what age would you say he was?
SUSPECT Forties (sigh).
DI Age forty. I am going I'll show you this picture itis a 123 (pause)
there are about thirteen to fourteen men in the picture could you
have a look it's not a very clear picture it's a photocopy could
you examine that and see if Mr Allan the Mr Allan you know
is in that group?
SUSPECT (long long pause) that one that gentleman there is not clear ehmm
(long pause) it would look more like that gentleman to me.
DI This one this gentleman here?
SUSPECT Or that one but that one's a bit it's cause I can't see this ones face
more I've seen clearer photos of your colleague.
DI Have you ever?
SUSPECT Which I have identified.
DI Ever seen that that photograph this particular one?
SUSPECT I've been shown one similar to that.
DI Who showed you it?
SUSPECT Your colleague Mr Souter.
DS That's okay. Right sorry yeah now in that photograph that your
indicating to a person that you know as Mr Allan it appears
to be the third person along from the right hand side of the
photograph.
SUSPECT I'm confused this gentleman looks very like him but then again
ehmm the hair would the hair would make me say no this
gentleman here.
DS That's the one.
SUSPECT But I couldn't see.
DS The third from the right.
SUSPECT Yes it is.
DS We think is more likely to be the one.
SUSPECT Yeah.
DS Thank you. Could I ask you about the photographs that you
mentioned there you say that ehh a person or one ofthe persons
in the photograph was Mr Allan, is that correct?
SUSPECT Ehmm.
DS You have seen these photographs?
SUSPECT I've seen the photographs.
DS How many photographs are we talking about?
SUSPECT About four or five.
OS Are they polaroid or are they been developed?
SUSPECT They looked I wouldn't know the difference really ehmm they
are big photos you know they are maybe about this size A4.
DS Well polaroid are normally much smaller than that so ehh.
DI They are quite large about one foot even well than what six or
seven.
SUSPECT About five or six.
DI Five or six.
DS Are they colour photographs or black and white?
SUSPECT Black and white.
DS How many persons would be in the photographs?
SUSPECT Three or four at the most in one photograph.
DS And how many photographs are we talking about?
SUSPECT Five or six.
DS Right."
He also stated that the persons in the photographs were all male and were naked.
We see no need to quote further from his descriptions of the photographs.
10.19 In reporting'on these interviews to the Procurator Fiscal both hving and
Corbett described Conroyas devious. Robert Lees succeeded Duncan Lowe as
Regional Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh on 1 April 1991. Before then Duncan
Lowe had made him aware of the terms of the Souter memorandum. Mter
Crawford and Conroy had been interviewed and the transcripts and report were
available there was a meeting at Crown Office attended by the Lord Advocate,
Duncan Lowe, who was by then the Crown Agent, and Robert Lees. It was
decided that David Blair-Wilson should be interviewed about those aspects of
Conroy's allegations which suggested that Douglas Allan might have been com-
promised. Robert Lees accordingly arranged a meeting with David Blair-Wilson,
which took place on 10 May 1991. Kenneth Maciver, Assistant Procurator Fiscal,
was also in attendance. At the meeting David Blair-Wilson said that he had never
met Douglas Allan, had not seen him in any ofthe premises referred to by Conroy,
and denied any knowledge of the photographs referred to by Conroy. He stated
that with his familiarity ofthe "gay scene" he would have known ifDouglas Allan
was a homosexual, and had heard nothing to that effect. According to Robert
Lees, David Blair-Wilson said: "If you're going to base any case on Conroy,
double and triple check it, he is a liar." Robert Lees gained the overall impression
that David Blair-Wilson was telling the truth. Thereafter Robert Lees returned
to the Crown Office to report to the Lord Advocate and the Crown Agent. He
told them his views about his meeting with David Blair-Wilson and it was decided
that because there was no evidence of the existence of the photographs referred
to by Conroy there was accordingly no evidence to justify taking the inquiry
further.
10.20 A newspaper called "The Sunday Scot" appeared as a publication for a
short time. In its edition of12 May 1991 there was an item entitled "Gay Boy and
the Sheriff" which repeated Conroy's allegations, but without naming Douglas
Allan. While it is possible that either Conroyor Crawford gave the story to the
newspaper, another distinct possibility is that it came from a police officer who
knew of the contents of Souter's memorandum of 21 February 1991 and was
dissatisfied with the steps which had been taken. SheriffAllan was aware of the
publication, but decided that because he was not named in it there was no action
which he could usefully take. His attitude to further newspaper stories published
since the time that Conroy appeared in court in July 1992 has been that he expects
the truth to emerge in our Report.
10.21 At an early stage of our investigations it became apparent that Conroy's
position in relation to his allegations against Douglas Allan might be materially
different from what it had been eighteen months previously. On 22 September
1992 Conroy telephoned Police Headquarters from prison and said that he wanted
to see Detective Inspector Michael Souter as he had information for him. It was
decided that he should be seen, not by Souter, but by Detective Inspector Irving
and Detective Sergeant Corbett, who had previously interviewed him on tape.
They interviewed him, again on tape, at HM Prison, Glenochil, on 23 September
1992. We have a copy ofthe transcript. What Conroy had to say to the two officers
was even more incoherent than it had been 0:: the previous occasion, but we quote
briefly from it. At one point he said:
''When 1met you down at Fettes Headquarters 1was under a lot ofpressure,
1did tell you several untruths into the Douglas Allan situation. 1exaggerated
by you know, the relationship with him ifyou like, my knowledge ofhim
because you know 1was worried when Mr Souter and Mr Brown charged
me, and although 1 knew somethings 1 didn't know quite what 1 knew so
1made them up to the extent to try you know, save me from being charged
on the fraud matters."
When, rather later in the interview, he was asked what untruths he had told the
officers on the previous occasion, he said:
"Just really the situation with Douglas Allan, you know the club, the
nightclub in question, 1 am not a hundred percent certain 1 was with Mr
Allan, you know, maybe its other people who identified them as being so
and when 1 seen a photograph given to Mr Souter he did certainly look
like him, but you know 1 don't know ... "
When we interviewed Irving and Corbett separately they concurred in an assess-
ment of Conroy as being a very devious person.
10.22 Among various stories which appeared in the press during September
1992 we took particular note of one which appeared in "The Observer" on 27
September, headed "Gay Hunt Police Offered Me Deal" and which started:
"Lothian and Borders Police were so keen to prove the existence of the
"magic circle" of gay lawyers and judges that they offered to drop the
case against fraudster Stephen Conroy in exchange for evidence of a gay
conspiracy. "
During the story Conroy is quoted as having said to the journalist who wrote
it:
"I did know lawyers and 1did know a Sheriff, but no relationship ever took
place and as far as 1 know no photo ever existed. 1 saw the Sheriff once in
a gay bar, it's true, but 1 don't even know if he is gay_ A lot of straight
people go to gay bars."
10.23 On 2 October 1992 Conroy wrote a letter to us in which he stated:
"My experiences, with the Lothian Borders Police, and other events should
be made known to you. 1 feel this information can only be constructive,
and in my opinion it is only fair that 1be given this opportunity to portray
the truth to you directly on this unsavoury scenario."
10.24 Although there was every reason to continue to treat Conroy's original
allegations against Douglas Allan as untruthful without further investigation, we
came to the view that we should investigate the matter ourselves and that we
should interview Conroy. Accordingly in the first place we interviewed the
persons who had featured in the original allegations as having knowledge of the
compromising photographs of Douglas Allan. Richard Godden told us that he
knows MarkFitzpatrickwell. He regards Stephen Conroyas a slight acquaintance.
He does not know David Blair-Wilson, although he may have met him. He has
never met Douglas Allari or even seen him. He does not think that Conroy has
ever been in his flat. He does not know Kevin Crawford and has never met him.
He knows his name because Conroy mentioned him as his boyfriend. He had no
knowledge of the existence of the allegedly compromising photographs. Mark
Fitzpatricksaid that he knows Conroy, but did not recall ever being in his company
in Godden's flat. He does not know Douglas Allan and has never seen or heard
ofthe allegedly compromising photographs. When we interviewed David Blair-
Wilson his position was the same as it had been when he was interviewed by
Robert Lees and Kenneth Maciver.
10.25 Arrangements were made for Conroy to be brought to HM Prison,
Saughton, to be interviewed by us. We made it clear to him that we were interested
only in discovering the truth and that we were not in a position to do him any
favours. We told him to concentrate on our questions and to give direct answers
to them. He told us that he does not know Douglas Allan personally. He said that
he does know him by sight because ofhaving seen him in Parliament House when
he was Regional Procurator Fiscal. He also saw him once or twice in Queensferry
Street near to his office, at a time when Conroy had a hairdresser's business in
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _J
Lynedoch Place. He has never spoken to him. Conroywas in "The Blue Oyster"
on one occasion and saw somebody who was not Douglas Allan, but was very
like him. He has no reason to believe Douglas Allan is a homosexual. He has never
been in the same company as Douglas Allan. He has never had a meal with Douglas
Allan. He has never seen a photograph depicting Douglas Allan apart from those
shown to him by police officers, which we showed to him again. He has never
regarded himselfas being in a position to procure any kind offavour from Douglas
Allan. He has no reason to say that Douglas Allan would do anything to bring
himselfor his office into disrepute. He has no direct knowledge ofany impropriety
by Douglas Allan. Of his allegations against Douglas Allan he said:
"I am trying to be as honest and frank as 1can. 1have been dishonest before.
It is time to be honest. It was blatant dishonesty."
At a later stage he said:
"I'd like to apologise. 1feel 1have made people's positions difficult through
not being honest. 1 was under pressure. "
10.26 He tried at some length to make out that he had made the allegations
against Douglas Allan because he had been put under pressure by Souter and
Brown who had indicated that ifhe helped them with their "magic circle" theory
they could hinder the investigation into his criminal activities. We do not elaborate
on this because the police first heard ofConroy's allegations from Crawford and
there is no question of Souter and Brown having caused Conroy to make the
allegations. This is not to say that they did not take a keen interest in the allegations
once made, which may well have led Conroy to believe that if he persisted in
making the allegations he might induce them to favour him.
10.27 As we have mentioned previously, the word "photograph" acted as a
trigger to Conroy. At times he became agitated and voluble and described photog-
raphs, not showing Douglas Allan, which he claimed Richard Godden had shown
him and Crawford at Godden's flat. We have no reason to suppose that there is
any truth in this.
10.28 We interviewed Kevin Crawford after we had seen Conroy. He
emphasised to us that the allegations about Douglas Allan which he had repeated
when he was interviewed by Irving and Crawford were based on hearsay from
Conroy, though he was prepared to believe them. He insisted, however, that
though he had not seen any compromising photographs ofDouglas Allan, he had
been in Richard Godden's flat with Conroy. He gave a description of Richard
Godden which included his having a beard and moustache and greying hair swept
back, wearing 1940's style clothes and having 1940's style furniture in his flat. We
have confirmed with Richard Godden that this information is not correct. He has
dark hair. He has never had a beard. He once grew a moustache for a theatrical
production about eight years ago but shaved it off afterwards. The descriptions
of his clothing and furniture are not correct.
10.29 On a more important matter, Crawford insisted to us that he had seen
a man, whom he believed to be Douglas Allan, about twelve times in "The Blue
Oyster". This was over a period from about December 1987 into 1988. Crawford
had been with Conroy on these occasions. Only Conroy had spoken to the man.
The occasions were Friday or Saturday nights, when the man had stayed from
about 12.30 or lam until about 4am. He wore a loose shirt, fawn slacks and plain
white trainers. When we showed him the photographs he had seen previously
Crawford identified the police officer standing fifth from the left in the black and
white photocopy photograph as being the man. He also identified Douglas Allan
in the colour photograph as being the man. He insisted to us that it was one and
the same man who was shown in these photographs.
10.30 It should be added at this point that, at his request, we interviewed Stephen
Conroy, senior, Conroy's father. He was concerned about the effect on himself
and other members ofhis family ofthe publicity about his son and the allegations
attributed to him. He described his son as being manipulative, very immature
about some matters, and inclined to fantasise. According to Stephen Conroy,
senior, his son has never made allegations in his hearing about Douglas Allan,
about compromising photographs or about homosexuals who were liable to be
ALLEGATIONS BY STEP HEN CONROY AGAINST SHERIFF DOUGLAS ALLAN 51
blackmailed. He said that it was Kevin Crawford who made such allegations.
When we read out to him a passage from the transcript of Conroy's interview
with Irving and Corbett he was not able to reconcile that with what his son had
otherwise said to him. He described to us an occasion in about April or May 1991
when he was at his son's flat and Souter and Brown had visited his son in the course
of their investigation into the frauds committed by him. According to Stephen
Conroy, senior, who overheard part of what was said, they were much more
interested in talking about compromising photographs ofhomosexuals than about
fraud.
10.31 At a stage when we had interviewed both Conroys and, as it happens, on
the day on which we interviewedWaiter Easton Smith, we received an unsolicited
letter from Conroy dated 24 November 1992 enclosing an unsealed letter to
Douglas Allan, with a request that we make sure that it be given to him. We
reproduce the text of the letter to Douglas Allan in full:
"Stephen M Conroy
1117/92 C-Hall
HMP Glenochil
Tullibody
Clackmannanshire
FKlO 3AY
25th November. 92
Dear Sir,
I feel that I owe sincere apology to both you and your family. Over a period
of time various rumours have developed, which I have played party too.
These rumours had no foundation, and no ill-will was intended, since then
these rumours have escalated out ofall proportion, and I cannot begin too
imagine the amount ofstress and discomfort this has caused you and your
family.
I am totally ashamed of my Association in this unsavoury scenario, No
words can sustain my utter regret, Everyday in your court Sir, you have
people that come before you, people that are Unfortunate, to have no
parents or support, no money, need I go on as you are familiar with what
I am attempting to portray, My parents have been mentally scarred with
the actions I played party too, yet they remain completely supportive, I
often wonder why? My parents brought me up on strong morals-and my
upbringing was a fortunate one, My parents However, never brought me
up to resort to the actions, I have been involved in. I could go into reasoning,
but I feel this is irrelevant, the principal is that I played a role in something
which my parents beliefwas completely out ofcharacter, and thus be the
reasoning behind their fortunate, continual support. The last 3 years ofmy
life, Sir, have been a mess, and I want so much to improve and become
a better person, who can hopefully be trusted to rejoin Society, and perhaps
repay my parents, and become someone that they are proud off.
Sir, I beg for no forgiveness as I accept that the damage which I have
associated myselfin-is irrepairable, I can only offer my sincere apologises
once again to you personally and of course your family, In my wildest
dreams, I could never begin to imagine the amount ofinnocent people that
I would hurt as a consequence of my actions.
Written with Sincere Regret.
Most Respectfully,
Stephen M. Conroy
1117/92"
10.32 We have of course discussed all these matters with Douglas Allan. He
assured us that he has never been in "The Laughing Duck" or "The Blue Oyster" ,
does not know Conroy, and knows nothing of compromising photographs. He
has not worn clothing as described by Crawford. He generally spends Friday
evenings at home with his wife. He is very circumspect in his social life and careful
about the kind ofplace in which he might be seen. Above all he is aware ofhaving
done nothing which could have compromised him in the performance ofhis duties
as a Regional Procurator Fiscal (or for that matter a SherifI) and nothing which
would be inconsistent with the proper investigation and prosecution ofcrime and
the proper administration ofjustice.
10.33 We entirely accept what SheriffAllan said to us. Quite apart from the fact
that Conroy's original allegations against him were incapable of substantiation,
Conroy has now expressly withdrawn those allegations in their entirety. They
both agree that they have never been in each other's company. Crawford's evidence
remains something ofan anomaly, but his powers ofdescription and identification
are such that we cannot treat him as a reliable witness to Douglas Allan's alleged
presence in "The Blue Oyster". No other witness claimed to have seen him in
such a place apart from WaIter Easton Smith and Dean Barnes, whose evidence
we discuss below. It is impossible to understand fully why Conroy should have
chosen to make such damaging allegations against Douglas Allan. He had started
to make them before he was interviewed by the police. Thereafter he may have
perceived some advantage to himself, as is reflected in the eagerness with which
Souter and Brown pursued the allegations. In the end the only answer may be
that prominent persons are exposed to the occupational hazard offeaturing in the
fantasies of disturbed people such as Conroy.
OTHER ALLEGATIONS AGAINST SHERIFF DOUGLAS ALLAN 53
11. OTHER ALLEGATIONS AGAINST

SHERIFF DOUGLAS ALLAN
11.1 We have had to investigate other allegations against Douglas Allan and
other stories about photographs. Souter told us that when he was investigating
Conroy's fraudulent activities he had occasion to visit the premises of]ohn Hudson
& Company Limited at Dalkeith. Conroy had been employed there for a time
in 1988 as a sales representative. According to Souter he was told that when one
of the staff cleaned out the glove compartment of a car which Conroy had used
they found black and white photographs ofnaked men, which photographs were
subsequently destroyed. It was clear from the way in which Souter told us about
this that he thought that the photographs might be compromising photographs
of Douglas Allan. He told us, to our surprise, that he made no further inquiry
about what was shown in the photographs with a view to possible identification
ofthe men. In the course ofour Inquiry we asked Assistant ChiefConstable Power
to arrange for steps to be taken for possible witnesses to the finding of these
photographs to be traced. This was done by ChiefInspector Harvey, who reported
in writing with statements of the witnesses whom he had traced. He reported,
under reference to persons who had been employed respectively as a sales manager
and a traffic controller by the Company:
"There are differing opinions between Thomson and Scott as to the descrip-
tion of the photographs. Thomson recalls a black and white photograph
of a male clad in denim jeans while Scott thought the male was wearing
only pants and the photograph to be colour. As to the destruction of the
photograph Thomson is under the impression Scott tore it up while Scott
assumes Thomson disposed of it. From the statements it is reasonable to
assume that there was only one photograph in existence; it was recovered
from the Vauxhall Astra motor car, most probably by Thomson; the
photograph depicted a male model clad in either jeans or underpants; the
photograph was endorsed in handwriting on the front with words similar
'to Stephen with love from ..... .' (male's name); the photograph was
destroyed or is now missing."
11.2 Harvey's thorough investigation has thus served to demonstrate that Souter
was entirely incorrect in his account to us of what he had been told about the
photograph. Instead of showing naked men, it showed one partly clad young
man. By no stretch of the imagination could it be described as a compromising
photograph of a Regional Procurator Fiscal.
11.3 There is another storyabout a photograph which we have had to investigate.
Michael Glen is a man with an extensive record ofcrimes ofdishonesty. We have
been supplied with a copy ofhis criminal record, in which he is correctly described
as an habitual fraudster. For a time prior to Conroy's appearance in court Glen
and Conroy shared a cell in Saughton Prison. No doubt Conroy spoke to Glen
of photographs. Conroy's current partner is Andrew McLaughlin, who stays
during the week at his brother Michael's house in Livingston and is employed
in Livingston. Andrew McLaughlin has regularly visited Conroy in prison. Glen
learned about him at that time. Glen was released from prison before Conroy's
appearance in court on 20 July 1992. When we interviewed David Johnston for
the purposes ofpart 12 of this Report he told us that immediately after Conroy's
appearance in court he had been in a public house called "Snatchers" in the High
Street in Edinburgh and, because of his connection with "The Sun" newspaper
had become involved to a limited extent in an attempt which Glen was making
by telephone to sell what he claimed to be a photograph showing Douglas Allan
to that newspaper. We accordingly invited Glen to attend for interview.
11.4 During the course ofthe interview Glen told us that there was a photograph,
which he had seen, showing Douglas Allan and Stephen Conroy sitting on a settee
with a coffee table in front ofthem. Mark Fitzpatrick was also in the photograph.
He did not suggest that the photograph did other than show Douglas Allan and
Conroy in a context of some familiarity with each other. He insisted that the
person shown in the photograph was Douglas Allan, whom he claimed to have
seen in person. Glen said that the photograph belonged to Conroy but was
currently in the possession ofAndrew McLaughlin, who was "playing silly bug-
gers" because he thought it might have some value and was reluctant to return
it to Glen. We asked Glen to attempt to arrange the return of the photograph by
Andrew McLaughlin.
11.5 We made contact with Glen some days later to ask him what progress he
had made. He told us that he had arranged to go to Livingston at 6pm the following
day when he expected Andrew McLaughlin to let him have the photograph
without more ado. We arranged to call at noon the day after that at a shop which
Glen was having fitted out in Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, so that he could hand
the photograph to us. When we went there, he was there, but said that he did
not have the photograph because he had gone to the house in Livitigston as
arranged but found no one there despite having waited for two hours. He said
that he had tried telephoning without success. He said that he would continue
to make efforts to contact Andrew McLaughlin with a view to recovering the
photograph from him. Mter we had left Glen we telephoned the house and
spoke to Michael McLaughlin. He told us that Andrew McLaughlin had gone to
Edinburgh for the weekend. We went back and told Glen this, and he said that
he would look in various public houses where Andrew McLaughlin might be
found. He telephoned one of us the following day to say that he had tried that
without success.
11.6 We left the matter for a few days before going to speak to Glen again in
Cockburn Street. He had done nothing more, and seemed content that we should
pursue the matter ourselves. We did so. We attempted to telephone Andrew
McLaughlin at his employers' premises but were told that he could not be found.
Then we went to Livingston and found Michael McLaughlin at his house. He was
fully co-operative. He said that there had been no contact with Michael Glen of
which he was aware apart from a message on his telephone answering machine
mentioning the Lord Advocate's Inquiry. He was sure that his brother Andrew
would not wish to speak to Michael Glen. He gave us directions to his brother
Andrew's place of employment. Just as we were leaving Andrew McLaughlin
came to the house in a hurry, having been told that someone from Crown Office
had been trying to contact him. This was a reference to our earlier telephone call
to his employers. He intended to telephone Crown Office to find out what was
wanted. He was fully co-operative with us and readily agreed to be interviewed.
He made it clear to us that he knew nothing of any photograph and could not
understand why Glen was claiming that he had possession of one. The only
photograph he had was one of Conroy alone, which he showed to us.
11.7 We went back to Edinburgh, found Glen, and arranged for him to attend
for a further interview the following day. On that day he caused a friend to
telephone us to say that he was otherwise engaged, but would telephone to arrange
a fresh appointment. When he did not do so we telephoned him a few days later
and arranged to see him the following morning in Cockburn Street. When we
saw him we pressed him for further information about the photograph. He said
that it had come into his possession in a flat in Thistle Street along with other
belongings of Conroy and Andrew McLaughlin. He claimed to have shown the
photograph to "a chap from 'The Daily Record' who verified it was Douglas
Allan." He declined to name this person to us. He said he had not sold the
photograph to "The Daily Record" because "it wouldn't come up with the right
figure." He was unable to give an intelligible account ofhow the photograph had
left his possession and had got into Andrew McLaughlin's possession. He insisted
that he had made contact with .<\ndrew McLaughlin. We told him we had seen
Andrew McLaughlin ourselves and that, since there was nothing to support Glen's
OTHER ALLEGATIONS AGAINST SHERIFF DOUGLAS ALLAN 55
account, Glen appeared to be a liar. He then invited us to leave the premises, and
so we left. We have heard nothing more from Glen.
11.8 At one point Glen told us that he believed that Karen Brown, the licensee
of "The Tree" public house in Gorgie Road, Edinburgh, had had possession of
some ofConroy's photographs, which might be interesting, but they had been
stolen from her car. We have spoken to Karen Brown. She told us that for a time
in early 1992 she looked after two bags ofclothes, and perhaps other possessions
belonging to Andrew McLaughlin, all ofwhich she returned to him by arrange-
ment in about June 1992 in the car-park at Saughton Prison, after he had visited
Conroy there. Nothing of his has ever been stolen from her car, though her car
was stolen, with its contents which were her property, some months ago. She
knew nothing about the existence of allegedly compromising photographs. She
resented the way in which Glen had involved her in our Inquiry.
11.9 We have referred to our dealings with Michael Glen at some length because,
although he is not the kind of man in whose evidence we would readily have
suspended disbelief, he has helped to keep alive the story of the existence of
allegedly compromising photographs ofDouglas Allan. A recent press report of
the supposed existence ofsuch a photograph is, we believe, attributable to Glen's
activities. Our Inquiry failed to bring any such photograph to light. We have no
reason to believe that it has ever existed. We are sure that if such a photograph
ever had existed it would have been sold to a newspaper long ago.
11.10 WaIter Easton Smith (commonly known as Terry Smith) was convicted
ofan indecent assault on 3 July 1992 and was sentenced to four years' imprison-
ment. At an early stage in our Inquiry he was granted interim liberation pending
an appeal against his conviction. We propose to say nothing about the circum-
stances of his conviction or his grounds of appeal. We became aware, however,
that he had made public statements both in and out ofcourt which suggested that
he might be in possession ofinformation which would be relevant to our Inquiry.
We accordingly invited him to attend for interview. There was some delay because
the solicitors he had instructed to act for him in connection with his appeal were
concerned that it might not be in his best interests for him to be interviewed by
us until after his appeal had been disposed of. Eventually, after some discussion,
he did attend for interview at a late stage in our Inquiry and before his appeal had
been disposed of.
11.11 At interview Smith made a number of claims, principally relating to
Douglas Allan. He claimed that he knew Colin Tucker and that he had knowledge
ofTucker's "list". He said to us that Tucker had told him that the "list" included
three presently servingJudges, and gave their names. When we asked him when
Tucker had told him about this "list", he gave contradictory evidence ofthe date,
describing first an occasion when the affairs ofBurnettWalker WS were first being
investigated in 1988 and second an occasion after Tucker's trial and the resignation
ofLord Dervaird in 1989, bywhich time ofcourse there were a number ofrumours
current about Judges, including the Judges in question. For the reasons we have
already discussed in part 6 ofthis Report we are satisfied that Tucker said no such
thing to Smith and that Smith was accordingly lying to us. For what it is worth,
Smith did not claim more than hearsay knowledge of the homosexuality of any
Court of Session Judge.
11.12 As we have said, Smith's principal claims related to Douglas Allan. He
made it clear that he had a grudge against Douglas Allan. Smith told us that after
leaving the Army some years ago he took an interest in the welfare ofhomosexual
soldiers and became involved in an organisation called "RankOutsiders Scotland".
He took to making complaints about the alleged ill-treatment of homosexual
soldiers by the Military Police. This was at a time when Douglas Allan was
Regional Procurator Fiscal in Edinburgh. According to Smith, Douglas Allan was
involved in the devising of a scheme to stop him from lodging complaints. He
spoke of having had a heated telephone conversation with Douglas Allan about
one particular complaint. According to him, the upshot was that a letter was sent
to him from Lothian and Borders Police with the permission of Douglas Allan
stating that they would not investigate any further complaints that he made about
the police, and accordingly "disqualified him of his legal rights". We have not
seen this letter. According to Smith, this was humbug on Douglas Allan's part
because, at the same time as obstructing attempts to further the interests of
homosexuals he himself frequented "The Laughing Duck" and knew Stephen
Conroy.
11.13 It is of obvious relevance to mention that while Smith was in Saughton
Prison in early 1992 he knew both Stephen Conroy and Michael Glen. He told
us that he spoke to Glen quite a lot and occasionally had cups oftea with Conroy,
who claimed that he had had a relationship with Douglas Allan, that there was
a compromising photograph ofDouglas Allan, and that Douglas Allan had done
favours for him. Although his current claims about Douglas Allan relate to the
period before Douglas Allan became a Sheriff in 1988, we have no evidence that
Smith first made these claims until after meeting Conroy in 1992. His claims
therefore show every sign of being based on what Conroy told him. When we
suggested to him that not only Douglas Allan but also Conroy might now deny
that there had ever been a relationship between them, he became disconcerted.
He nevertheless persisted in making his claims to us.
11.14 Smith said that he had seen Douglas Allan in "The Laughing Duck" twice
in 1988 "with various gay people" . Both occasions were in the early evening when
the premises were fairly quiet. Smith said that he himselfwas with a very close
friend called Dean Bames on both occasions. Since Smith obviously knew Douglas
Allan by sight for other reasons, there was no point in our showing him photog-
raphs.
11.15 A few days after interviewing Smith we interviewed Dean Bames. Bames
said that Smith had spoken to him in the meantime but had not discussed what
he had told us. We did not believe this, as Smith makes a habit ofspeaking at length
to anybody who is prepared to listen to him about his claims relating to Douglas
Allan. According to Bames, he was with Smith in "The Laughing Duck" about
four years ago when Smith pointed out a man standing on his own at the bar,
speaking only to the barman, and said that he was Douglas Allan. On the second
occasion, a few months later, the same man was in the bar by himself sitting at
a table. Bames said that although the premiseswere more crowded on that occasion
he recognised the man when he passed him. Both occasions were late in the
evening. Barnes was unable to give any clear description of the man, and when
shown the faces of all the men in the photographs in our possession he failed to
identify Douglas Allan.
11.16 We continue to be satisfied that Douglas Allan has never been in "The
Laughing Duck". Smith was accordingly lying when he told us that he had seen
Douglas Allan there. Bames was also lying when he said that Smith had pointed
out a man and said that he was Douglas Allan. The obvious discrepancies in their
stories support this view. For what it is worth, however, we should add that Smith
expressly stated that all he could say of Douglas Allan's alleged presence in "The
Laughing Duck" was: "So what?"
11.17 Smith further claimed that there was a relationship between Douglas Allan
and Conroy and was satisfied that there was a photograph ofthem both in a social
setting. He did not claim to have seen it himself, but said that Martin Frutin, a
friend of his, told him that Conroy had shown him the photograph. He also told
us that Martin Frutin had told him that he had seen Douglas Allan and Conroy
together socially in "The Blue Oyster".
11.18 Smith was aware, when he made the claim, that Martin Frutin, the alleged
source ofthe information, was then in Thailand. That did not deter us from taking
steps to trace and contact Martin Frutin, and we made a telephone call to him in
Bangkok. He was very co-operative. He said that he does not know Douglas
Allan. He does know Conroy through having employed him in a shop for about
three weeks in 1986. He said that Conroy told him stories about prominent people
which were no more than fantasies. He said that it was a lie that he had told Smith
that Conroy had shown him a photograph ofhimselfand Douglas Allan. He had
never seen such a photograph. He took the opportunity to express indignation
about two passages of the Orr Report in which he is mentioned. He described
them both as absolute nonsense and was annoyed that nothing had been done to
check the truth ofthese allegations about him before they were included in a police
OTHER ALLEGATIONS AGAINST SHERifF DOUGLAS ALLAN 57
report. We are satisfied that Smith lied to us in what he said Martin Frutin had
told him about Conroy and Douglas Allan.
11.19 We have no doubt that Smith's untruthful claims about Douglas Allan
were motivated by malice. We would conclude our discussion of our interview
with Smith by mentioning that his solicitor, James Muir of Sneddons, Shotts,
came to the interview with Smith and waited outside the room in case Smith
wanted to consult him. He also wanted to give us the opportunity to interview
him became he had some information which he thought might be relevant to our
Inquiry, though we found that it was not. He told us, and said that we could record
it as his view, that "what Smith has to say is bullshit". We need say no more.
«
12. THE ORR REPORT
12.1 In considering the origins ofthe Orr Report the earliest point to which we
have been able to take our investigations is a letter to Tarn Dalyell MP by David
Johnston dated 26 November 1991. DavidJohnston is Editor ofNews and Current
Affairs with Radio Forth and has a close working relationship with "The Sun"
newspaper. It appears that Johnston chose to write to Tarn Dalyell because he
knew that he had been critical ofthe Crown's handling ofpossible charges against
Libyans for the bombing of a Pan Am aircraft over Lockerbie. Johnston had
previously received information from a source, whom he has declined to identify,
but whom we assume to have been a police officer, who had views to express
about Crown decisions taken in a number of cases, particularly fraud cases, and
most recently the decision announced in October 1991 that there would be no
proceedings against Robert Henderson QC. Johnston thinks that what prompted
him to write to Tarn Dalyell was his learning ofthe latter decision. He resists any
suggestion that his role in the matter might be described as "sinister". In a letter
to us Johnston stated:
"My sole motive in writing was that the stories and rumours contained in
my letter had been in wide circulation in various forms for a number of
years. Whilst at no time have I ever considered myself to be on a crusade
of any kind, through largely coincidence I have been closely involved in
most of the stories which, when added together result in the conspiracy
theory. I thought it was worth one last attempt to actually try and establish
if there was any truth in the claims which were in wide circulation."
12.2 In his letter to Tarn Dalyell,Johnston stated that the letter concerned "what
I think is a major scandal in Scots life". He then referred to the investigation into
the financial affairs ofBurnett Walker WS, Colin Tucker's trial on embezzlement
charges and subsequent acquittal, the outcome of the prosecution of May and
Tucker, the decision not to prosecute Henderson, Conroy's allegations against
Douglas Allan, and the outcome ofthe case against Duncan and others; as we have
mentioned, these cases had also been linked in Souter's memorandum of 21
February 1991. Mter these matters he wrote:
"Now, without even mentioning until now Lord Dervaird and the allega-
tions outlined by Lord Hope in his Editor's briefing, you have all the
ingredients of a conspiracy. Or is it just coincidence?"
He concluded with a passage relating to the Lockerbie investigation, which he
had mentioned in passing at the beginning of his letter.
12.3 We understand from Johnston that he had lunch with Tarn Dalyell after
writing his letter. Tarn Dalyell told us by telephone that he had received infor-
mation from sources other than Johnston, but since he has told us nothing about
that information or those sources we have to proceed on the basis ofwhat we have
been told by Johnston as his only identified source. With Johnston's help Tarn
Dalyell wrote to SirWilliam Sutherland, ChiefConstable ofLothian and Borders,
by letter dated 28 November 1991. In that letter he referred to what he believed
to be genuine public concerns, and wrote:
"The basic trouble revolves around a series ofCrown Office decisions, on
cases investigated by Lothian and Borders Police. The cases to which I refer
are those involving Mr Colin Tucker, and what became colloquially known
as the "West End Rent Boys Case", the investigation into the financial
affairs ofMr Robert Henderson QC, and the allegations made about Sherriff
Douglas AlIen (sic), during the investigation into the business dealings of
Mr Stephen Conroy. As you and your senior colleagues know, all these
cases have attracted deep disquiet among serious people."
THE ORR REPORT 59
He then elaborated on these various matters, in terms which, to our reading, were
derived from, or in any event contained nothing additional to, the terms of
Johnston's letter to him. In concluding, he wrote:
"... I do not want the morale ofour Scottish Police to be dented by Crown
Office decisions, which on the face ofit, and on the information available,
are hard to understand. I appreciate that this may be a delicately difficult
letter to which to reply."
12.4 On receipt ofTarn Dalyell's letter Sir William Sutherland wrote, by letter
dated 29 November 1991, acknowledging receipt and stating:
"Clearly this is a most delicate area in which to delve and I have asked for
a full report on the issues which you discuss. It will, therefore, be about
two weeks before I am able to respond more fully and trust that you will
be happy with this arrangement."
12.5 This reply did not reveal the steps which it was proposed to take. On receipt
of Tarn Dalyell's letter the Chief Constable discussed it with Hector Clark, the
Deputy Chief Constable. The Chief Constable regarded what Tarn Dalyell was
saying as very serious and he did not want to deal with it in the normal way. Clark
regarded the matter as quite delicate. He said to us that the Chief Constable and
he decided to keep it as close to themselves as possible, but in order to make a
meaningfuljudgment and a more meaningful reply they decided to call for a report
from a senior officer, prepared in secret. It was not intended that the report should
serve any other purpose. The Chief Constable telephoned the Crown Agent,
Duncan Lowe, on receipt ofTarn Dalyell's letter, outlined its terms and told him
what he intended to do.
12.6 Clark spoke to Detective Chief Superintendent William Hiddleston, who
was Head of the CID from a few days after the death of Ritchie in August 1991
until his retirement in October 1992. It was decided that the report should be a
reference report which would enable the Chief Constable, the Deputy Chief
Constable and the three Assistant Chief Constables to reply, whether to Tarn
Dalyell or anyone else, without going back to the operational officers who were
the sources of the information. It was decided that the report would cover the
five cases mentioned in Tarn Dalyell's letter. According to Hiddleston: "The
report itselfobviously was to be kept very very tight. We appreciated that talking
to operational officers would make them show interest and fuel speculation."
12.7 Hiddleston then decided that Detective Inspector (later Detective Chief
Inspector and now ChiefInspector) Roger Orr, stationed at Portobello, was the
officer best suited to take on such a task. Hiddleston told Clarkwhen he had made
this decision. Hiddleston called Orr to Police Headquarters and briefed him. He
told him about the sensitivity of the matter and that "the whole thing had to be
kept very tight". He was to be given a room to work from alone. His typing was
to be done by a Special Branch typist and thereafter the tape was to be destroyed.
The report was to be a unique document and Orr was not to keep a copy. No
one else should have sight of it. Interviews were to be carried out on a one-to-
one basis. Hiddleston expected Orr to interview each Reporting Officer, but
otherwise he left it to Orr to decide whom to interview. He expected all interviews
to take place at Police Headquarters. Orr could, ofcourse, telephone those whom
he wished to attend for interview. He did not instruct Orr to confine his interviews
to police officers but expected him to ingather all necessary information from any
suitable source. Orr could, for example, have approached the Justiciary Office
ifhe thought it appropriate. While Hiddleston is not certain that he gave Orr a
14-daydeadline, Orr says that he did, and having regard to the ChiefConstable's
initial reply to Tarn Dalyell we take that to be the case.
12.8 According to Orr, he decided that it was a good opportunity to put together
in one document rumours that had been circulating for years. As he put it in his
report:
"It should be stressed at the outset that the allegations contained in the letter
have been the subject ofpersistent rumour within the Force and the media
for some considerable time and against that background the opportunity
has been taken not only to supply information suitable to facilitate a reply
to Mr. Dalyell, but also to condense all the known facts and circumstances
currently in possession ofthe police to allow an accurate assessment ofthe
position should any further action be deemed necessary."
.As will be seen, he achieved nothing of the sort.
12.9 According to Orr: "My remit did not allow me to take the matter outside
the police so I could only go to the case officers." Even if that was so, he did not
in fact do that in every case. In the case of the "Operation Planet" investigation
which resulted in the prosecution of Duncan and others he did indeed speak to
the Reporting Officer, Detective Inspector Peter Robertson, then based at West
End Police Station, now retired. He also spoke to another officer who had been
engaged on the case, Detective Sergeant (now Sergeant) Charles Orr, who is his
brother and with whom he has a close relationship. We shall discuss this case fully
in part 16 of this Report. The other cases, ie those relating to the prosecution of
Tucker in December 1989, May and Tucker in May 1991, the possible prosecution
ofRobert Henderson QC, and the allegations by Stephen Conroy against Sheriff
Douglas Allan, were all cases which had been dealt with by the Fraud Squad. In
the case against Tucker the principal Reporting Officer was Detective Inspector
Robert Leitch, who retired on 31 December 1988. Leitch completed the investig-
ation before being replaced as Reporting Officer by Detective Sergeant (now
Sergeant) Peter Brown. In the case against May and Tucker the Reporting Officer
was Detective Inspector (now Superintendent) PeterWilson. In the proposed case
against Henderson the principal Reporting Officer was Detective Inspector (now
Detective Chief Inspector) William Crookston. Other reports in that case were
made by Detective Sergeant (now Inspector) Donald Stewart and by Detective
Inspector (now Inspector) Michael Souter, who also dealt with the Conroy allega-
tions. Of all these officers Orr spoke only to Souter and Brown. Orr informed
us that he simply recorded as fact what he was told by these officers and did not
subject it to any critical scrutiny.
12.10 The Fraud Squad ofLothian and Borders Police is a small unit to which,
until recently, some officers were posted for extensive periods. All the Fraud
Squad officers worked in one relatively small room and seem to have taken a close
interest in each other's work. There are obvious advantages to this method of
working, but one main disadvantage is that an officer who was not in fact engaged
on a case could gain a false impression of the circumstances of that case by the
acquisition of random pieces of information from the officers engaged on it.
Moreover, perhaps because ofthe nature oftheir work, some Fraud Squad officers
appear to have been prepared to give as much credence to rumour as to actual
evidence and to believe in conspiracy theories whether or not supported by
evidence. Souter and Brown had a close working relationship and, though we
did not find their habits of mind to be identical, they both appeared to us to be
officers who would seize on any rumour which would tend to support a conspiracy
theory. We also formed a distinct impression, both from speaking to him and
from what we were told by others, that Brown has a particular animosity against
suspects who are professionally qualified (he described Tucker as "a bogus
workman in a suit"), and also an animosity against homosexuals. Professionally
qualified homosexuals are thus persons about whom, as it appears to us, Brown
would be prepared to entertain grave suspicions, with little prompting. Souter's
thinkingwas similar to Brown's to the extent that he gave credence to the existence
of a "list" made by Tucker, and to Conroy's allegations against Douglas Allan.
12.11 Throughout the fortnight during which Orr was working on his report,
Souter was confined to his house through ill health. At an early stage Orr went
with Brown to Souter's house where they spent about an hour together. It was
contrary to Hiddleston's instructions that Orr should have been seeing Souter
with Brown present. This was the only contact between Orr and Souter until after
Orr had completed his report.
12.12 According to Orr he obtained information from Souter which is reflected
in his report. He also of course obtained information from Brown, to whom he
frequently spoke during the fortnight. Brown provided him with the Fraud Squad
case reports. He was also provided with the memoranda by Few and Souter
relating to the Conroy allegations, and with the transcripts of and report on the
THE ORR REPORT 61
interviews of Crawford and Conroy by Irving and Corbett. For some reason
Brown denied to us that he gave Orr these latter documents, but we accept On's
evidence that he did. Orr was also provided with Souter's copy of the Tucker
Statement. It is a curiosity that Orr is convinced that the version he saw was in
manuscript, although that cannot have been the case. Brown has insisted to us
that it was not he who gave Orr the Statement but in Souter's absence no one
else but Brown was in a position to give it to On. However that may be, On
unquestionably received and read the Statement.
12.13 While we shall discuss various sections of the Orr Report in appropriate
parts ofthis Report, a number ofpoints can be made now. At no part ofthe report
is there any identification of the persons who gave On the information upon
which he based his report. Those for whose use the report was intended could
not thus appreciate that On had received information from such a relatively small
number of people. If future reference required to be made to the report, there
would be no means of assessing the reliability of the information without going
back to the case officers, which was a course which the writing of the report was
specifically intended to make unnecessary.
12.14 If there is a unifying theme in the report, it is the suggestion that Robert
Henderson QC, by reason of his possession ofTucker's "list", was in effect able
to blackmail the Crown and secure that there were either no prosecutions, or no
successful prosecutions, of himself and others whom he sought to favour. Yet
no disclosure is made in the report ofthe fact that police officers were in possession
of copies of Tucker's Statement, being the only known document which could
be identified as the so-called "list". Instead there is a passage in the report in which
On engages in disingenuous speculation:
"The reporting officer [ie Orr] now believes that the so called 'list' may
indeed take the form ofa precognition taken from TUCKER for the defence
prior to his trial. Other information indicates however, that it is simply
a list of names."
On has agreed with us that he deliberately suppressed the knowledge that he and
other police officers had of Tucker's Statement. According to him, he did so at
the request of Souter and Brown. He was not, as we understand it, given any
infonnation about the circumstances in which it had come into the possession of
the police, and the only explanation which he could give us for not referring to
it in the report was that the nature of the document itself suggested that it was
something which should not be in the possession of the police. We find this
remarkable, because for all that On had been told there might be a straightforward
explanation which would not reflect discredit on any police officer. In any event
the report he was writing was intended only for use by the Chief Constable.
Though On would deny any intention to mislead the ChiefConstable, the Chief
Constable was in fact misled as to the extent of the information available to the
police until he was told about the Tucker Statement after the beginning of our
Inquiry. The Chief Constable promptly disclosed that information to us.
12.15 It will be seen from our discussion ofthe sections ofthe Orr Report which
relate to the five cases that there are a significant number of factual errors and
omissions. More importantly, the assertions that the Crown was sinisterly moti-
vated in the taking of the relevant decisions are not only unsupported by any
evidence but are not attributed by On to identifiable informants. When we
interviewed the officers who had given information to Orr, none ofthem except
Charles Orr would go so far as to advance assertions in the form in which they
appear in the On Report. We are prepared to assume that Orr compiled the report
in good faith from information which was given to him, but the manner of its
compilation, without attribution to identifiable informants, made it possible for
his informants to feed rumours to him without having to take the responsibility
ofjustifying any beliefin them. When we told Orr that we were unable to obtain
anything that amounted to full confirmation ofthe assertions repeated in his report
he made it clear to us that he was unhappy at being left thus exposed. His brother
also expressed concern about the position in which Orr was left. While we have
some sympathy with Orr, because the task he was given was an unenviable one,
we also regard him as being a victim ofhis own working methods. Ifhe had sought
information from more sources than the four officers to whom, in his interviews
with us, he has attributed the information contained in his report, and if he had
been more rigorous and less uncritical in the testing of rumours against available
evidence, he would not have found himself in his present position.
12.16 In any event, Orr must take responsibility for the "conclusion" to his
report, the terms ofwhich we have quoted early in this Report. In that conclusion
one sentence reads:
"The inference is one ofthe existence ofa well established circle of homo-
sexual persons in Edinburgh with influence in the judiciary who mayor
may not have exercised that influence but who have formed associations
which in themselves lay them open to threats or blackmail."
Any "inference" which is properly so called is drawn from evidence of facts and
circumstances. Yet there is no evidence in the Orr Report which would support
an inference thatthere exists a "circle" ofhomosexual persons in Edinburgh, rather
than a number of persons who happen to be homosexuals. Nor is there any
evidence which would support an inference that such persons, whether or not a
"circle", have "influence in thejudiciary". Orrwas unable to give us any satisfac-
tory account of the thought-processes which led to his writing this sentence. He
told us: "People in these positions lay themselves open to blackmail. It is well
documented that homosexuals in positions ofinfluence are open to that." But he
had no evidence which would justify him in saying that there were homosexuals
in relevant positions of influence. When we pressed him, the furthest he was
prepared to go in the identification of any such person was to refer to Conroy's
allegations against Sheriff Douglas Allan. These were allegations which, as he
must have known, had not been substantiated.
12.17 In the last sentence ofthe report On wrote that the circumstances set out
in the report indicated "that homosexuality may well have been used as a means
to seriously interefere (sic) with the administration ofjustice". When we pressed
him on the use ofthe words "may well have been used", he denied any intention
to express the matter in terms of probability or likelihood. He said:
"My impression was that it may well have been used. I am still justified
in saying that the evidence as I had it justified me in saying that homosex-
uality has been used, subject to further inquiry. I was in possession of
evidence that iflooked at would support the inference."
He also said, at a later interview:
"I don't think I intended to convey the impression that Judges were being
protected by the Crown. The impression I intended to convey was that the
Crown's ability to deal with certain matters may have been influenced by
allegations of homosexuality. "
He repeatedly said to us that in his view further inquiry was required before a
conclusion could be reached, as indeed he wrote in the "conclusion" to his Report.
12.18 We have referred to On's evidence to us at some length because of the
mutually contradictory aspects ofit. He seemed to us to be saying at one and the
same time that there was evidence to support a conclusion, and that evidence
required to be obtained before a conclusion could be reached. He also stated to
us that if he had known in detail the various steps taken in each of the cases he
would have been inclined to reach a different conclusion. In the result we are quite
unable to say by what intelligible process he, an experienced police officer, came
to express himself in such a way as to yield the grave allegation which we have
to investigate.
12.19 On conferred from time to time with Hiddleston while he was working
on his report, but not, as we understand it, on any substantive matter. He then
produced a draft report for Hiddleston's consideration. As drafted, it contained
a recommendation that several people should be interviewed, but since that was
not the purpose of the report Hiddleston instructed Orr to remove that passage.
That was the only change made to the draft before the final version was prepared.
Unknown to Hiddleston, and contrary to his instructions to Orr, Orr showed the
draft to Brown, Robertson and his own brother. He also, contrary to Hiddleston's
instructions, made two copies of the final version, in addition to the principal,
THE ORR REPORT 63
one ofwhich he kept himself and the other of which he passed to Souter on the
latter's return from sick leave in January 1992.
12.20 "When the final version had been prepared Hiddleston signed it. It appears
to be normal practice in Lothian and Borders Police for officers who are not the
authors ofreports to sign them and thereby take responsibility for their contents.
As Hiddleston put it to us: "Iwould have to agree that it means taking responsibility
without being able to check the contents." Immediately after signing the report
Hiddleston personally handed it to the Deputy ChiefConstable. Clark read it and
handed it to the Chief Constable.
12.21 Clark told us that on his reading of the report there was no evidence to
support the so-called "inferences" any more than there was to support what had
been written in the letter by Tarn Dalyell to the Chief Constable. He said to us:
"'Suggestion, rumour and innuendo' seem to me to be appropriate to fit
both documents."
He also said:
"I had a feeling that perhaps there may have been too many coincidences
for my liking, but my feelings were not strong enough to enable me to
advise the Chief Constable that the matter should be taken further, ie by
investigation in the Police Force or by formal referral to the Crown. I have
complete and utter faith in the integrity ofthe Crown and everything I do
or say is intended to preserve that integrity."
Clark elaborated on his "feeling" by saying:
"I have a feeling there is a 'list'. I do feel there is something to this talk about
lawyers and rent boys."
He said this although he had recently been informed ofthe existence ofthe Tucker
Statement and was aware of its contents, and otherwise had nothing to go on
except Conroy's allegations about Sheriff Douglas Allan.
12.22 Sir William told us that on reading the report he concluded that he was
not going to reply to Tarn Dalyell with reference to facts because they were
not substantiated. There were "rumour, speculation and innuendo, but no hard
evidence." The ChiefConstable and Deputy ChiefConstable were both involved
in the drafting of a reply to Tarn Dalyell. This letter, dated 13 December 1991,
we quote in full:
"I refer to my previous letter dated 29th November in response to your
correspondence of 28th November 1991.
The contents ofyour lengthy letter have been given considerable thought
and I have personally and carefully examined the various issues you raised.
Indeed, I called for a detailed comprehensive report before deciding on how
to respond.
The area you probe is clearly a delicate one. Being aware ofyour knowledge
of how the Scottish Criminal Justice system works, perhaps I do not need
to remind you (but I will) that the police have a duty to investigate all
criminal matters that come to their notice, either as a result ofa direct report
or allegation, or as a product of information received.
Such information would include rumour and speculation, some ofwhich
is sometimes true but so often false, and facts reported to us by known
informants. It is not our practice to ignore reports falling within these
categories, but our duty is purely to fully investigate all criminal matters
arising from these reports and submit all the evidence gathered to the
Crown, through the Regional Procurator Fiscal.
Thereafter, the Crown decide on whether or not to prosecute and the nature
and detail ofthe charges to be preferred. Occasionally, additional enquiries
are ordered by them and undertaken by the police. In addition, the Crown
may arrange to precognosce the witnesses contained in the police report
and, indeed, other persons, and we are not always aware of that process
or what extra evidence is gained during it.
In short, we are often unaware ofthe total case the whole process produces
and therefore unable to comment on the final decisions made, even if we
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _J
desired to. It is true that sometimes the decision to prosecute or otherwise

surprises my officers but traditionally it is accepted and not publicly com-
mented on by us.
You will see, therefore, that the matters you now advance fall into the
foregoing framework and it is not possible for me to comment. It is imposs-
ible even for me to say publicly that I share your concerns, although I have
to admit that I can see the reasons behind your letter.
You will know that I am never reluctant to supply information and explan-
ations to responsible members of the public or elected representatives but
I regret that, beyond saying that the cases you mention have all been
investigated as far as it is possible for the police to involve themselves, I
can assist you no further on this occasion.
I trust you will understand my position. "
We do not understand that the Chief Constable would any longer describe the
Orr Report as a "detailed comprehensive report" . Sir William explained to us that
the words "I share your concerns" were intended to mean that he shared a concern
that there were rumours, not that he believed there was any substance to them.
12.23 The Chief Constable telephoned the Crown Agent and read over to him
the terms of his reply to Tarn Dalyell. Duncan Lowe understood that this was
for his information rather than his approval.
12.24 We have already discussed the Deputy ChiefConstable's "feeling". While
he was not of the view that further investigation was called for at that time, he
thought that the Orr Report should be kept because if something fresh cropped
up in the future which was more substantial than the cases mentioned in the report
the report would have afforded a starting point for any subsequent investigation.
The Chief Constable told us:
"I don't believe there is any evidence to show there is a high powered
conspiracy. "
He also said:
"Nothing has been brought to my notice to make me believe I am going
to discover evidence about the allegations in the Orr Report."
12.25 Mter the ChiefConstable had written to Tarn Dalyell, the ChiefConst-
able, the Deputy ChiefConstable and Assistant ChiefConstable Richard Prentice
agreed that the Orr Report would be kept in a secure cabinet in Prentice's office.
He kept it there in a sealed envelope. In August 1992, after there had been a break-
in at Police Headquarters, the Chief Constable instructed Prentice to shred the
report. The Deputy Chief Constable took a different view, for the reason given
above, but Prentice acted on the Chief Constable's instruction and shredded it
himself.
12.26 The Chief Constable's instructions to Prentice about the safekeeping
and subsequent destruction of the Orr Report were ofcourse given in ignorance
of the existence of copies of it. In the meantime at least one person with access
to a copy leaked it to the outside world. It is clear that this had been done by the
time that Tarn Dalyell wrote a letter to the Lord President on 19 August 1992,
because that letter is evidently derived, in both language and substance, from the
terms of the Orr Report. We have copies of this letter and the Lord President's
reply because Tarn Dalyell gave copies to the police, and copies of these and the
letters between Tarn Dalyell and the Chief Constable were sent to the Crown
Agent by the ChiefConstable on 25 August 1992. It is not our function to discover
who was responsible for the leaking, or to whom a copy or copies of the report
were leaked, or by what route Tarn Dalyell received a copy. These are matters
which have been the responsibility of Chief Superintendent Harry Gilmour to
investigate in the course of his inquiry.
12.27 The ChiefConstable and Deputy Chief Constable both made their posi-
tions about the Orr Report clear to us as quoted above. For good measure we
should add that Assistant Chief Constable Prentice said:
"I arn aware ofno evidence that direcrly or by inference would support the
allegation of a conspiracy to pervert the course ofjustice. "
THE ORR REPORT 65
Whoever leaked the report must presumably have been someone who disagreed
with the views ofthese senior officers. His leaking of the report was not only an
act of deliberate disloyalty which was calculated to undermine the authority of
his superior officers, it must also intentionally have been done with a view to
undermining public confidence in the integrity of the Scottish legal system by
allowing credence to be given to rumours and allegations which had the apparent
stamp of authority by being set out in a report signed by a senior police officer.
The Chief Constable himself has publicly described the leaking of the report as
"an act of wickedness".
12.28 While it was appropriate for the Chief Constable to obtain information
to enable him to reply to Tam Dalyell, it seems to have occurred to no one who
was involved in the preparation ofthe Orr Report that the rumours which reached
Tam Dalyell came from the very persons who gave information to Orr. The result
was that all the report achieved was to re-cycle those self-same rumours. The
combination of this muddled thinking and the leaking of the report has made it
possible for it to be claimed that there must be something in the rumours ifthere
is a police report on them. The Chief Constable's instruction to shred the Orr
Report serves as an eloquent demonstration of its true value.
________________________________________J
13. ROBERT HENDERSON QC

1
13.1 Robert Henderson is, and has at all material times been, a practlSlng
Advocate with the rank ofQueen's Counsel. This part ofour Report is concerned
notwith his professional conduct butwith a decision by the Crown not to prosecute
him in respect of certain business transactions not directly connected with his
professional practice. Beyond identifying the subject matter of the investigation
which preceded this decision as being these business transactions, we intend to
give no further information about them except such as may necessarily be inferred
from the narrative which follows. This approach is consistent with the terms of
our remit and with our previously stated policy of not reporting on prosecution
decisions in such a way as would facilitate public debate about their correctness.
13.2 On 5 December 1985 Kenneth Pritchard, the Secretary ofthe Law Society
ofScotland, wrote to the then Lord Advocate, Lord Cameron ofLochbroom QC,
reporting on a number ofmatters which had come to his notice, including certain
business transactions in which Robert Henderson had been involved. On 9
December 1985 the Lord Advocate instructed an urgent investigation into these
matters and on the same date Duncan Lowe, who was then Deputy Crown Agent,
wrote to Douglas Allan, the Regional Procurator Fiscal in Edinburgh, enclosing
a copy of Kenneth Pritchard's report. He instructed that the police, who were
currently investigating associated matters, be made aware of the allegations con-
tained in the report and asked for a preliminary report which would enable him
to reply to Kenneth Pritchard.
13.3 On 28 January 1986 Douglas Allan replied, enclosing an interim report by
Detective Inspector (now Detective Chief Inspector) William Crookston. This
report, taken with Kenneth Pritchard's report, led the Deputy Crown Agent to
write, in a note dated 29 January 1986, to the Lord Advocate:
"The police report when read in conjunction with the earlier material sent
by the Law Society makes dismal reading from Mr Henderson's point of
view. I would recommend that no attempt should be made to treat him
as a case apart, and that the investigation should proceed along normal
lines. "
13.4 On 3 February 1986 the Lord Advocate gave an instruction that the inquiry
should not proceed separately from the remaining inquiries. The investigation of
Robert Henderson's business transactions was accordingly conducted as part of
a wider investigation affecting other persons as well. We do not propose to discuss
further the overall investigation so far as it related to other persons, some of
whom were prosecuted and some not. At this stage the investigation of Robert
Henderson's business transactions was left in the hands of the police.
13.5 The investigation was continued by Crookston, who conferred from time
to time with the Crown Office Fraud Unit. His work was well advanced by the
time that he interviewed Robert Henderson at Police Headquarters on 20 February
1987. Crookston was to be transferred to Livingston the next day, and the inter-
view was attended by his successor in the investigation, Detective Sergeant (now
Inspector) Donald Stewart. Despite his transfer Crookston went daily to Police
Headquarters to help with the work ofthe Fraud Squad. Stewart was only posted
to the Fraud Squad from about September 1986 to about May 1987. While he
carried on the investigation himself from February to May 1987, he did so to a
large extent on the basis of information he received from Crookston. In May
1987 he submitted to Crown Office a report relating to Robert Henderson and
containing three charges.
13.6 On receipt ofthis report in Crown Office it was decided to allocate the case
for further investigation to the Crown Office Fraud Unit, to be investigated along
ROBERT HENDERSON QC 67
with other, possibly related, cases. The pressure ofwork on these cases was such
that no material progress was made on the case against Robert Henderson for
some time thereafter. On 22 September 1988 the case was allocated for initial
precognition by Mrs A Fisher of the Fraud Unit, and on that date Norman
McFadyen, Senior Procurator Fiscal Depute in the Fraud Unit, wrote a note of
suggested lines of inquiry. In January 1989 the case was reallocated to Mrs A
Norton of the Fraud Unit in the absence of Mrs Fisher on maternity leave. On
20January 1989 the then Reporting Officer. Detective Inspector Michael Souter,
submitted a further report with two further charges against Robert Henderson
for consideration.
13.7 On 23 February 1989 Norman McFadyen and Mrs Norton made a detailed
preliminary report to Crown Counsel reporting on the inquiries to date and
recommending that in order to advance the investigation a direction be made
under section 51 ofthe CriminalJustice (Scotland) Act 1987 nominating Norman
McFadyen and an officer of Inland Revenue jointly to exercise special powers.
On 1 March 1989 the Home Advocate Depute, George Penrose QC (now Lord
Penrose), instructed that a direction be sought and that the Law Officers be made
aware of the background. On 3 March 1988 Norman McFadyen reported to the
Law Officers as instructed. On 8 March 1989 the then Solicitor General, Alan
Rodger, gave an instruction narrating the agreement in principle ofthe then Lord
Advocate, Lord Fraser, with what was proposed and that there should be a further
report after discussion with the Inland Revenue. On 20 March 1989 Norman
McFadyen reported to the Lord Advocate submitting a nomination order for
approval. On 21 March 1989 the Lord Advocate gave a direction nominating
Norman McFadyen and an officer ofInland Revenue to investigate the affairs of
Robert Henderson and another under section 51 of the 1987 Act.
13.8 In the period following the giving of that direction extensive interviews,
searches and examinations were carried out. The investigation produced volu-
minous documentation, which we have seen. Norman McFadyen told us that the
quality of the evidence of certain witnesses to essential matters of fact appeared
to him to deteriorate during the course ofprecognition. He discussed the case with
Crown Counsel from time to time.
13.9 Meantime there was ill-informed discontent within the police about the
attitude of the Crown to this and other cases. On 29 May 1990 Detective Chief
Superintendent Charles Boulton wrote a memorandum to Assistant ChiefConst-
able Richard Prentice drawing his attention to certain matters. The memorandum
contained the following passage:
"Outstanding Cases at the Crown Office
As will be seen from the Appendix attached to this report, there is a list
of outstanding cases which have been submitted by officers of the Fraud
Squad over recent years. It will be noted that the worst of these crimes is
some two years old, and at best and if normal procedures had followed,
even ifa warrant was issued tomorrow it would take several more months
before a trial commenced. Further, it is well to remember that in most, if
not all cases, some ofthe witnesses concerned would have been interviewed
by police officers weeks ifnot months prior to the submission ofthe police
report. As a consequence of the above it seems that witnesses may well be
facing a gap ofsome 3 years or more before they are called to Court to give
evidence. These prevailing circumstances are surely unsatisfactory to all
concerned.
I wonder at the apparent necessity for a complete re-investigation of these
types ofcases by Crown Office on receipt ofa police report. It would appear
that in not a few cases, the Crown Office will instruct the precognition of
most, if not all witnesses before a decision is made on what charges to
prosecute, although there may be a number ofgood reasons why the Crown
should feel it necessary to re-examine in depth some aspects of the case,
I wonder whether there is an implication that the police are not capable of
properly investigating the matter in the first place. It would seem to be a
gross waste of time for professional police officers to undertake extensive
enquiry merely to find that the witnesses whom they have interviewed are
t
merely re-interviewed. There must also be a question as to why when the

reporting police officer has reached a conclusion on which charges may be
preferred, the Crown Office can and not infrequently do reach an entirely
different conclusion.
The delay in commencement of proceedings following receipt of a police
report can do nothing for the recollection of the witnesses and also makes
one wonder whether police should put in the efforts that they do to have
a case reported at the earliest opportunity."
The list included the case of Robert Henderson. The passage we have quoted
showed no awareness of the part played by Crown Office in criminal investiga-
tions, or the work which had been done on this case: see paragraphs 2.6, 2.7 and
2.13 of this Report.
13.10 On 3 June 1990 an article was published in "Scotland on Sunday" which
started:
"The Crown Office has spent two years considering what to do with a
Fraud Squad report alleging that a member of Scotland's elite Faculty of
Advocates has been involved in the commission of an alleged crime. No
action has been taken but the case has not been dropped."
The article went on to quote various comments about the supposed delay. We
think it reasonable to assume that the writing of the article was prompted by the
receipt of information from a police source.
13.11 On 4 June 1990 Norman McFadyen wrote a detailed report to the Lord
Advocate setting out the history of the investigation. He stated that as a result
of precognition inquiry had been extended into four of Robert Henderson's
business transactions which were not part ofthe police investigation. He explained
what steps had been taken in respect of all the business transactions which were
under investigation, including the use of the section 51 direction. He stated:
"I would hope that we can re-submit the papers, with the updating sum-
mary, statements and recommendations, within the next six weeks."
In his conclusion he referred to the "Scotland on Sunday" article and said:
"It is not, ofcourse, appreciated by the writer that the matter has been the
subject ofinvestigation (rather than mere consideration) by Crown Office
and that investigation has ranged into a number ofareas which simply did
not form part of the police investigation."
13.12 Prentice wrote to the Regional Procurator Fiscal, Duncan Lowe, on 12
June 1990, enclosing a copy of Boulton's memorandum. Thereafter there was a
telephone conversation between them, in the course ofwhich Duncan Lowe said
that there were evidential difficulties, but, if the evidence justified it, Robert
Henderson would be prosecuted.
13.13 On 29 June 1990 Duncan Lowe wrote a letter to Prentice, which included
the following passage:
"Mr Boulton refers to a number ofcases offraud which are being dealt with
either by my own office or by the Fraud Unit at Crown Office and makes
a number of observations as to the "delay" in dealing with these cases. In
particular, Mr Boulton wonders at "the apparent necessity for a complete
re-investigation" ofthese cases. He also goes on to wonder whether "there
is an implication that the police are not capable of properly investigating
the matter in the first place". I am surprised at the naivety implicit in
these remarks. There is a clear separation offunctions in relation to initial
investigation and subsequent preparation for court. In addition, however,
as I am sure Mr Boulton knows, the Procurator Fiscal has an investigating
role-and with the new powers now available that role is an extensive one
in fraud cases."
Mter mentioning the cases in the list in respect of each of which he stated that
he had made enquiries, he wrote:
"I fully accept that we do not always carry out perfect and fast work in fraud
cases. Equally, police work in this area is occasionally to be found wanting.
They are difficult cases which, most of the time, between us we do quite
well-and certainly better than is done in many other countries. I regret

being presented with a list in the manner in which it was prepared. In my
view, these are matters best dealt with between the individual member of
my staffdealing with the case and the individual officer reporting it. That
is more constructive in relation to the case itself and for the future."
Prentice fully accepts what Duncan Lowe said and wrote to him.
13.14 InJuly 1990 Norman McFadyen made a final report to Crown Counsel,
together with the full papers, as he had indicated he would in the report dated
4 June 1990. Mter extensive reference to and discussion ofthe witness statements
and the productions he concluded with a recommendation that there should be
no proceedings against Robert Henderson.
13.15 Crown Counsel who considered the July 1990 report was the Home
Advocate Depute, George Penrose, who qualified as a Chartered Accountant
before becoming an Advocate. He fully considered the papers and wrote a note
to the Lord Advocate dated 21 July 1990 in which he set out his views on the matter
at some length. He particularly referred to the quality as well as to the sufficiency
of the available evidence. Towards the end of the note he wrote:
"The most one can do is form the rather negative view that there is not
evidence of such cogency and reliability as would justify the very serious
allegations that would be involved in the case. N .McF. has set out some
alternative views on the course which might now be taken. It is AD's
recommendation that the files should be closed on this matter now."
13.16 George Penrose's note was seen in the first place by the Solicitor General.
He wrote a short note, dated 24 July 1990, to the Lord Advocate, stating in
particular:
"I have seen some of the papers over a long period and have discussed the
matter on several occasions with N .McF. ... For the reasons set out by
the Home AD everything runs into the sand. I entirely agree with his
assessment, and indeed the fact that the Home AD ofall people has reached
that view confirms me in my own conclusion that no more can be done."
13.17 By note dated 25 July 1990 the Lord Advocate instructed that no further
investigation was to be carried out and that Norman McFadyen's section 51
nomination was withdrawn. He also instructed that there was no need to intimate
the decision to anyone. He did not go so far as to instruct that there were to be
no proceedings against Robert Henderson. This instruction left open the poss-
ibility that further evidence might, in theory at least, emerge which would enable
the decision not to prosecute Robert Henderson to be reconsidered. Intimation
of a decision not to prosecute him would have barred the Crown from future
proceedings in respect ofthe same business transactions, regardless ofany change
of circumstances.
13.18 There was renewed press interest in the investigation in May 1991. Because
ofthe passage oftime and this press interest it became necessary to consider what
further steps were required. The Deputy Crown Agent, Alfred Vannet, wrote
a note to the Law Officers, dated 10 May 1991, summarising the position and
setting out the options, including the option that a decision now be taken that
there would be no proceedings against Robert Henderson. The Solicitor General
read the note and on 13 May 1991 wrote a note of his own to the Lord Advocate
stating that there seemed to him to be two issues. The first was whether the case
should be marked "no pro", in respect of which he said that the answer should
be "yes". The second related to the handling of any press inquiries, which he
thought more complicated. Duncan Lowe, the Crown Agent, also wrote a note
to the Lord Advocate, dated 15 May 1991, about the handling of press inquiries.
Thereafter a draft press line was worked up, and a decision was taken, particularly
following advice by Norman McFadyen to the Lord Advocate in a note dated 3
October 1991, to write to the Chief Constable.
13.19 Norman McFadyen accordingly wrote to the Chief Constable by letter
dated 23 October 1991 advising him that Crown Counsel had instructed
no criminal proceedings in respect of the matter. He referred specifically to
reports by Souter in respect of the matter, "which was thereafter the subject of
investigation by this Unit (ie the Fraud Unit) under nomination granted by the
Lord Advocate in terms of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1987." The letter
continued:
"Although Crown Counsel concluded some time ago that the evidence did
notjustify criminal proceedings and the then Head ofthe Fraud Squad was
advised informally ofthis, Crown Counsel were unwilling to give a formal
and final instruction in case any relevant further matter (which might
strengthen the case) should come to light. Nothing further has been revealed
and in view oftime that has now passed Crown Counsel have decided that
it is necessary to draw a line under this investigation and have given a final
instruction. "
The letter went on to refer to press interest and the Lord Advocate's view that:
"where a criminal investigation is carried out into a particular person and
the existence ofthat investigation is not publicly known it would be wholly
improper for the Crown to disclose that a decision had been taken, after
investigation, not to prosecute that person."
There was in fact publicity about the decision reflected in the letter after it was
sent, although no public announcement of the decision was made by Crown
Office. We think. it reasonable to assume that a police officer was responsible for
the publicity.
13.20 The Orr Report refers to Norman McFadyen's letter, but makes no refer-
ence to the fact that in addition to the police investigation there had, as stated in
the letter, been investigation by the Crown Office, using section 51 powers, before
the decision was taken not to prosecute Robert Henderson. Mter referring to the
letter, the Orr Report states:
"It is an understatement to say that this instruction was met with dismay
by those Police Officers involved in the enquiry, and, having read the
relevant reports it is the enquiry officers opinion that they represent a strong
case against HENDERSON."
Orr did not speak to Crookston or Stewart. Had he done so, he would have
discovered that, as they each told us, neither of these officers would suggest
that there was any improper motivation in the decision not to prosecute Robert
Henderson. Crookston would go no further than to express the kind ofreservation
about lawyers investigating an allegation against a lawyer that might be expressed
about the police investigating an allegation against a police officer. Stewart said
that he had no reaction whatsoever to the decision.
13.21 So far as we can make out, what is written in this part ofthe Orr Report
is principally derived from information given to Orr by Souter and Brown. Of
these two, only Souter has been prepared to repeat to us the views which were
apparently expressed to Orr. The report states:
"It is difficult to pinpoint any definite reason for the non prosecution of
HENDERSON other than the official Crown Office reason. The rumour
in circulation however, is that HENDERSON is in possession ofthe 'list',
or a copy of same originally referred to in the TUCKER embezzlement
inquiries of 1989 ... and as such is in a position to threaten to expose
prominent figures and by such means influence the course ofjustice."
Souter said to us that he speculated to Orr that Robert Henderson "may have been
party to information which may have been embarrassing to people". He described
the conversation, which it will be recalled took place at his house with Brown
present, as "cops talking together, speculating, saying 'what if, 'maybe', 'per-
haps', 'could this have happened?"'. He said: "It may have been that Henderson
got information from defending Tucker which would have been detrimental to
the Crown Office if it got out." Souter was very insistent to us that this was no
more than speculation. He had, ofcourse, read and kept in his possession a copy
ofthe Tucker Statement, which he agreed could not be "detrimental to the Crown
Office" for reasons which we have already discussed, but he expressed to us a
belief in the possibility that there was in addition a further "list". He is the only
operational police officer who has expressed such a belief to us. He was unable
to give us any reason for it.
13.22 Not only was Robert Henderson not in a position effectively to blackmail
the Crown, he had no influence whatever on the investigation into his business
transactions. A thorough investigationwas carried out by the Crown Office Fraud
Unit, in accordance with the instructions of Crown Counsel, well after Robert
Henderson was supposedly in possession of a "list". Souter seems to have been
unaware ofany investigation after his own, which is perhaps one reason why no
mention is made of the Crown Office investigation in the Orr Report. Any
improperly motivated conspiracy not to prosecute Robert Henderson would have
had to extend at least to the Lord Advocate, the Solicitor General, the Home
Advocate Depute and Norman MacFadyen, and probably also the Crown Agent
and the Deputy Crown Agent. We have discovered no evidence whatever which
would support an allegation that there was such a conspiracy. On the contrary,
we have discovered ample evidence that the decision not to prosecute Robert
Henderson was taken after an exceptionally thorough investigation and after
anxious consideration, by all the most senior people in the prosecution system,
of the evidence produced by that investigation.
14. HMA v ARTHUR COLIN TUCKER
14.1 Arthur Colin Tucker (usually called Colin Tucker) was a solicitor and was
for some time a partner in the firm of Burnett Walker WS. Ian Walker, who had
a long-standing connection with the firm, was latterly its senior partner. He
committed suicide on 4 June 1988. Colin Tucker stood trial in the High Court
in Edinburgh in December 1989 on an indictment containing two charges of
embezzlement ofsums amounting respectively to £19,364.90 and £28,012.89 from
clients of the firm. His trial started on 11 December 1989 and on 19 December
1989 he was acquitted by the jury. On 3 October 1990 the Scottish Solicitors
Discipline Tribunal found Colin Tucker guilty ofprofessional misconduct in that
he engaged upon a course ofconduct calculated to bring the profession ofsolicitors
into disrepute and in particular that being the Attorney ofa client, he was in gross
breach of and grossly abused his position of trust by appropriating to the use of
another, funds belonging to that client and caused another client to sign a receipt
purporting to acknowledge that she had received from his firm the sum of£5,000,
the truth being as he well knew that the said client had received no such sum and
that the sum had been appropriated to the use of another, and further in respect
of his breach of Rule 6 and Rule 8(1) of the Solicitors (Scotland) Accounts Rules
1981 and 1986; and ordered that his name be struck off the Roll of Solicitors in
Scotland. Since there were other partners in the firm of Burnett Walker WS, we
should make it clear that there is no suggestion that any ofthem had any involve-
ment in the matters which led to Ian Walker's suicide or the prosecution of or
disciplinary proceedings against Colin Tucker.
14.2 Leslie Cumming, the Chief Accountant of the Law Society of Scotland,
has the responsibilityfor ensuring that the books ofsolicitors' firms are inspected at
regular intervals. On 27 April 1988, following authorisation by the Law Society'S
Guarantee Fund Committee, two of his staff began an inspection of the books
of Burnett Walker. The inspection included the scrutiny of clients' ledger cards
and the listingofbalances. On 28April 1988 Leslie Cumming received information
from his staff about their initial findings and attended the firm's office himself.
He interviewed Tucker about certain entries in ledger cards which did not appear
to make sense. Tucker said that Walker had been involved in most of the work
although he himself had been involved in specific transactions. The inspection
continued on 29 April 1988. On 2 May 1988 Leslie Cumming wrote a letter to
Burnett Walker detailing all the discrepancies which had been found and seeking
explanations for them. On 6 May 1988 Tucker gave information to Leslie Cum-
ming's staffwhich led to a decision that all Powers ofAttorney handled by Burnett
Walker should be examined. A Power ofAttorney enables the Attorney, normally
a solicitor, to transfer a client's funds without reference to the client. They made
further visits to the firm's office on 9, 11 and 12 May 1988. On the basis of
the information thus made available to him Leslie Cumming attended Burnett
Walker's office together with one of his staff on 17 May 1988 and carried out a
further inspection of further client ledger accounts. Tucker was interviewed and
stated that certain sums of money belonging to an executry operated under a
Power of Attorney by him had been transferred on his instructions either to
accounts in the name ofIan Walker, or paid in cash to Walker, or transferred by
Walker to his own account. Walker was interviewed and denied any knowledge
or involvement, referring to Tucker as being the partner responsible for the
administration of the account.
14.3 Leslie Cumming reported these matters to the Committee at a meeting held
on 20 May 1988, when it was agreed that the police should be notified and that
arrangements should be made to have aJudicial Factor appointed to oversee the
HMA V ARTHUR COLIN TUCKER 73
business of Burnett Walker. Thereafter the police were duly notified. So far as
we can establish, the police were not notified directly, but through the then
Regional Procurator Fiscal, Douglas Allan. Detective Chief Inspector Thomas
Hepburn, now retired, the then head ofthe Fraud Squad, told us that that would
have been the usual course. Leslie Cumming told us that the Law Society practice
is to report to Crown Office, to the Procurator Fiscal or to the police, depending
on the circumstances, ifan inspection discloses evidence ofcriminality. It would
seem to be consistent with normal practice that Douglas Allan should have been
informed ofthe matter, even though the police had been asked to investigate, and
thereafter should have taken a general interest in the investigation. It is thus clear
that Douglas Allan was aware from an early stage that the police were investigating
the matter.
14.4 When the matter was notified to the police Hepburn instructed Detective
Inspector Michael Souter to make an enquiry into an allegation of the embezzle-
ment of clients' funds which had occurred at the premises of Burnett Walker.
Souter and Detective Constable (now Sergeant) Brian Reynolds had a preliminary
meeting with Leslie Cumming at his office. According to Souter he was surprised
to learn that no documents had yet been taken from Bumett Walker's office. That
evening he and Reynolds went to Tucker's home address to obtain his assistance
but did not find him there. The next day, which we believe to have been 26 May
1988, Souter reported on his enquiries to Hepburn, who decided to give a different
job to Souter and Reynolds and to put Detective Inspector Robert Leitch in charge
ofthe investigation. Souter was busy on another inquiry, Leitch was due to retire
on 31 December 1988, and it seems to have been thought that the likely time-
scale of the investigation would allow it to be completed during his remaining
months ofservice. Leitch told us that Hepburn told him to keep the inquiry tight
(ie restricted to the central issues), and Hepburn confirmed to us that that would
be consistent with his general policy. On 26 May 1988 Leitch had a preliminary
meeting with Leslie Cumming. They had a general discussion and it was agreed
that several other meetings would be necessary. In the days which followed that
preliminarymeeting Leitch undertooksome inquiries but left it to Leslie Cumming
to carry on the main investigation at Bumett Walker's office.
14.5 Leslie Cumming made a further visit to Bumett Walker's office on 27 May
1988 and reviewed a number of outstanding matters. He spoke to both Walker
and Tucker. Later that day Tucker and his solicitor, David Blair-Wilson called
at Leslie Cumming's office and told him that Tucker would not be helping any
more with the investigation as there was a possibility of criminal proceedings.
Leslie Cumming told us that Walker had indicated to him that he would be
able to clear any shortfall in his clients' funds from his own resources. He also
understood thatWalker and Tucker were proposing to sell BurnettWalker's office
and business. The Law Society would have been happy for another firm to take
over. In the meantime no immediate steps were taken to have a Judicial Factor
appointed. On 3 June 1988 Leslie Cumming attempted to see Walker at Burnett
Walker's office to discuss the position, but despite two visits did not find him
there. He left word with Tucker that he needed to see Walker urgently. He took
the view that at that point he had sufficient information to entitle him to demand
that funds be introduced to make good the losses of clients' funds.
14.6 On 4 June 1988 lan Walker committed suicide. There had been some
publicity immediately before his death about the police investigation into the
affairs of Burnett Walker. The view has been expressed to us that that publicity
led to his suicide, but we think it more likely that it was because he had realised
that the Law Society inspection ofhis firm's books had by then disclosed irrefutable
evidence of his dishonesty. On 6 June 1988 Leslie Cumming and one of his staff
attended Burnett Walker's office and searched the room and desk previously used
by Walker. From an examination of various documents a statement of funds
withdrawn from client bank accounts and investment funds and applied to Wal-
ker's bank accounts was prepared. A calculation was made of the total sum not
accounted for to clients or applied to personal bank or expense accounts.
14.7 We have narrated the Law Society inspection at some length in order to show
that prior to 10 June 1988 Burnett Walker's books had already been extensively
examined, substantial progress had been made in establishing the extent ofWal-
ker's dishonesty, and Tucker had co-operated by admitting the part he had played
in certain transactions. We would also emphasise that Leitch was content to leave
the investigation in the hands ofLeslie Cumming and his staff, who had far more
experience than he did in the inspection of solicitors' books.
14.8 As we have already indicated, we believe that Douglas Allan must have
been aware ofthe investigation from about the time when the police first became
involved. He no-longer has a clear recollection of his subsequent involvement,
although he can say that it was only incidental. He remembers that Fraud Squad
officers would drop in from time to time to see him. Leitch told us that very early
in his investigation he found a note on his desk saying that Douglas Allan had
asked to see him, so he went to see him and Douglas Allan asked him to keep
him up to date as the investigation progressed. He thought it unusual for the
Regional Procurator Fiscal himselfto be in touch, but had no difficulty in accepting
that interest of this kind would be appropriate when evidence was emerging of
the dishonesty of a prominent lawyer such as Ian Walker. Such interest would
be particularly understandable if, as may have been the case, Leitch went to see
Douglas Allan in the period after Walker's death. In fact, we can say from our
own direct experience that such interest by a Regional Procurator Fiscal would
be quite usual.
14.9 On 10June 1988 anonymous information reached Leitch to the effect that
documents relevant to his investigation could be found in the boot of Tucker's
motor car. Leitch took steps to discover where the car was. Detective Sergeant
Isabel Nicol obtained a search warrant from a Justice of the Peace. The search
warrant was technically inept because it was granted on the basis that the docu-
ments in the car had been stolen from Bumett Walker's office, and Tucker could
hardly steal documents from his own office. Be that as it may, Leitch and Isabel
Nicol went with the warrant to BumettWalker's office, saw Tucker and told him
that the warrant had been granted. He made a telephone call to his solicitor, David
Blair-Wilson, and then went with the police officers to his car and handed over
to them a quantity ofdocuments which were in its boot. The police officers took
the documents to Police Headquarters. Shortly afterwards David Blair-Wilson
telephoned Leiteh and said, as noted by Leitch:
"Tucker says that the documents found in his car now means that the police
have everything that can be related to him in the inquiry."
The documents were indeed used as productions in the subsequent prosecution
of Tucker.
14.10 It is not possible to establish with confidence what contact there was
between Leitch and Douglas Allan on 10 June 1988, because neither of them
appears to have attached any particular significance to such contact on that date.
It seems likely, however, that Leitch did telephone Douglas Allan to tell him about
the granting ofthe search warrant and the recovery ofdocuments from Tucker's
car, as Douglas Allan does have a recollection of a discussion about documents
which had been removed from BumettWalker's office and about a searchwarrant.
We also think it likely that there was discussion between them as to whether steps
should be taken to search Bumett Walker's office, and that Douglas Allan said
that he did not require such a search to be carried out. This would make sense
when related to the facts that, as both Leitch and Douglas Allan were aware, the
Law Society inspection of Bumett Walker's books was already well advanced,
Walker, whose dishonesty was principally responsible for the losses of clients'
funds, was dead, and there was no reason to suppose that after the recovery of
documents from Tucker's car there was anything more to discover about Tucker's
part in the movement of funds. Both Leiteh and Isabel Nicol have made it clear
to us that they did not regard Douglas Allan as being obstructive in any way when
the question ofa search of Bumett Walker's office was under consideration, and
that they have no reason to believe that a search of Bumett Walker's office
would have yielded documents which were relevant to their investigation or of
importance to the subsequent prosecution of Tucker.
14.11 Although the officers who were engaged in the investigationwere satisfied
with the day's events, other members of the Fraud Squad took a somewhat
HMA V ARTHUR COLIN TUCKER 75
different view. It will be recalled that Souter and Reynolds were the police officers
first involved in the inquiry, though by 10June 1988 they had not been involved
for some time and were not abreast ofthe work which had been done, particularly
the results of the Law Society's inspection. Nevertheless when Leitch and Isabel
Nicol returned to the Fraud Squad's Office at Police Headquarters with the
documents recovered from Tucker's car Souter and Reynolds took an interest in
what had happened and jumped to certain conclusions. Ofthe two, we mention
Reynolds first. Reynolds insisted to us at two interviews that on 10June 1988 he
understood that Tucker was under arrest and that he was released after a telephone
call had been made by Leitch and Souter to Douglas Allan. He felt critical of
the decision to release Tucker because "he was obviously trying to dispose of
evidence". We reject Reynolds's evidence because there is no question ofTucker's
having been under arrest on that date, nor was his arrest even considered until
a petition warrant was issued by the Procurator Fiscal on 12 December 1988.
14.12 Souter's evidence is of more importance because of the view which he
subsequently took of the day's events. He told us that he thought that Leitch's
inactivity in the period prior to 10 June 1988 was strange, and related it to an
instruction Leitch had received from the Procurator Fiscal. He was aware that the
Law Society inspection was still under way and was not able to give us any reason
why that should not have been regarded as a satisfactory means of examining
Burnett Walker's books for evidence ofdishonesty. He told us that when Leitch
and Isabel Nicol came back to the office with the documents he asked Leitch
whether Tucker had been arrested and when Leitch said that he had not he
suggested that he should have been. He told us that he felt that it was wrong that
Tucker should still have access to his office. He said that he asked Leitch whether
the office had been searched and Leitch said that he had been in touch with the
Procurator Fiscal and was told that he should proceed as he had done. According
to Souter he felt that the police were in an exposed position and that he told Leitch
that he should get corroboration that that was what he had been told to do.
Accordingly he telephoned the Procurator Fiscal's Office, asked for Douglas
Allan, and gave the telephone to Leitch. Leitch then spoke to Douglas Allan who
reiterated what he had said to Leitch about not searching Burnett Walker's office.
This incident does not seem to have stuck in Leitch's memory as it has in Souter's,
nor does Hepburn have any recollection of it, even though he shared an office
with Leitch at the time.
14.13 Souter told us that he felt that by instructing Leitch to leave the inquiry
to the LawSociety and not to search the office himselfDouglasAllan was somehow
keeping control ofthe inquiry, and that there was something not quite right about
it, "not that it was wrong, but that it wasn't right". We pressed him about this
and he repeatedly said that he just had a feeling that there was something wrong,
a feeling of disquiet, a doubt, but no reason to think anything was drastically
wrong. He was able to give us no rational explanation for this feeling. Since
Souter's thoughts and behaviour on that day were irrational, and since he was not
himself engaged on the inquiry which culminated in Tucker's prosecution, it
would be easy to dismiss Souter's "feeling" as of no consequence were it not for
the link which he subsequently made between that day's events and Conroy's
allegations against Douglas Allan, which we have already discussed. Since those
allegations were untruthful, and have been expressly withdrawn by Conroy, we
are left with Souter's "feeling" as the only basis for his making a link between
various cases in the way which came to be reflected in the Orr Report.
14.14 For what the matter is worth, Detective Sergeant (now Sergeant) Peter
Brown did not tell us that he thought that anything untoward had happened after
10June 1988, although he became the Reporting Officer in the case after Leitch's
retirement. He told us that he had no evidence of documents being destroyed.
"Others were closer to the inquiry at the time". We understand him to have
referred to the officers who were engaged on the inquiry rather than to Souter.
14.15 We can give a briefer summary of events up to the time of the trial in
December 1989. On 15June 1988 Leslie Cummingwasappointed interimJudicial
Factor upon the estates ofthe firm ofBurnett Walker and the partners in the firm.
The effect ofthis appointment was to put all the firm's property and assets under
d
his safekeeping for the time being. There continued to be liaison between him
and Leitch and he continued to help Leitch with the police investigation. Leitch
completed his investigation and made a report to the Procurator Fiscal at Edin-
burgh. On 12 December 1988 a petition warrant was obtained and issued by the
Procurator Fiscal for Tucker's arrest. The warrant was executed on 20 December
1988, when Tucker appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, was committed for
further examination, and was granted bail. Douglas Allan had become Sheriff at
Lanark on 1 August 1988, so that by December 1988 the Regional Procurator
Fiscal was Duncan Lowe. He instructed that bail should not be opposed. Brown
told us that he disagreed with that instruction because he regarded Tucker as "a
bogus workman in a suit", but he did not suggest to us that there was anything
sinister in the instruction.
14.16 Thereafter the case was allocated to Isabel Clark, Procurator Fiscal Depute
at Edinburgh, for precognition. Brown became the Reporting Officer after
Leitch's retirement on 31 December 1988 and attended to a number of minor
inquiries instructed by her. On 4 April 1989 the precognition was reported to
Crown Office. Crown Counsel referred the case to Norman McFadyen, Assistant
Solicitor in the Fraud Unit, requesting his views as to sufficiency of evidence,
forum of proceedings, and draft charges. Norman McFadyen returned the case
on 15 June 1989 with advice on these matters. On 23 June 1989 Crown Counsel
referred the case to the then Solicitor General, Alan Rodger, for a decision on
whether or not proceedings were to be taken against Tucker and if proceedings
were to be taken, the forum thereof. Norman McFadyen met the Solicitor General
over the period from 26 June to 6 July 1989, and on the latter date referred the
case to the Crown Office High Court Unit, confirming that the Solicitor General
had instructed High Court proceedings. A draft indictment was prepared in the
High Court Unit and on 1 November 1989 it was sent to the Procurator Fiscal
for revision with instructions as to further precognition workwhich was required.
On 3 November 1989, after a discussion by telephone about the terms of the
draft indictment, the indictment was printed. On 6 November 1989 the signed
indictment was sent to the Procurator Fiscal, Edinburgh, for service. Tucker was
then indicted for a sitting of the High Court at Edinburgh on 11 December 1989.
14.17 In the meantime preparations were being made for Tucker's defence. We
have already given an account ofthese preparations in the course ofour discussion
of Tucker's Statement in part 6 of this Report. On 4 December 1989 there were
received at Crown Office a notice by Tucker that he intended to incriminate Ian
Walker (deceased), and a list ofdefence witnesses. In the period immediately prior
to the trial a Joint Minute ofAdmissions was entered into which was in extensive
terms and made it unnecessary for substantial parts of the Crown evidence to be
led. It appears that Brown, the Reporting Officer, was not aware of this Joint
Minute or ofits consequences in terms ofreducing the evidence which the Crown
would require to lead.
14.18 The trial began on 11 December 1989 before Lord McCluskey and ajury.
The Advocate Depute was David Bums (now QC) . Tucker's counsel were Robert
Henderson QC and John Watt (now QC), and his solicitor was David Blair-
Wilson. Isabel Clark was not in attendance on the Advocate Depute because she
was absent from work through ill-health. Nothing of particular note happened
during the leading of evidence for the Crown. Lord McCluskey indicated to us
that in his view there was a degree of confusion because the two charges were
in the wrong chronological order and by leading evidence in the chronological
order in which the charges appeared in the indictment the evidence was not as
clear to the jury as it might have been. Indeed he made that point in his charge
to thejury. Brown told us that he was surprised that he was the only police officer
who was called to give evidence, although several had been cited to attend as
potential witnesses, and that all he was asked to speak to was a suicide note left
by Walker, part ofwhich he was asked to read out to the jury. Brown seems to
have concluded from this that the presentation ofthe Crown's case was defective,
but this view was reached in ignorance of the terms of the Joint Minute of
Admil'sions and ofthe matters which were being challenged by the defence as the
evidence progressed. Brown was in fact called at the request ofthe defence because
HMA V ARTHUR COLlN TUCKER 77
they wanted part of the suicide note to be read out and Brown was a convenient
witness for that purpose. Unknown to Brown, in addition to having entered into
the Joint Minute ofAdmissions, the defence did not seek to dispute evidence that
Tucker had played a part in the movement of clients' funds.
14.19 On any view ofthe matter by the close ofthe Crown case the Crown had
either secured admissions or had led evidence sufficient to entitle the jury to find
Tucker guilty ofthe two charges ofembezzlement, apart from two minor matters
in respect ofwhich the Advocate Depute moved to amend the indictment at the
close of the Crown case. There was a defence submission to the court that the
accused had no case to answer, but this submission was resisted by the Crown
and was repelled by Lord McCluskey. Thereafter defence evidence was led. It had
not been apparent to either the Judge or the Advocate Depute up to that point
what defence to the charges Tucker might have. His defence, such as it was,
emerged slowly in the course of his evidence. He did not dispute that clients'
money had been taken, but said that it had gone to Walker, and that he had only
participated becauseWalker had some hold over him. He said in cross-examination
that he did not tell anyone because he was frightened. When asked what made
him frightened he said: "Mr Walker had some hold over me." When questioned
by Lord McCluskey at the end of his cross-examination he said that he did what
he did partly because Walker had some hold over him. It was only at the end of
a brief re-examination that he said that the hold over him was that Walker had
personal information about him, that he was homosexual.
14.20 In the course of his address to the jury the Advocate Depute argued that
what Tucker had said was a "hold" over him did not amount to a "hold" at all.
This was not disputed by Robert Henderson, who concentrated, in his address
to the jury, on the major part which Walker had played in the embezzlement of
clients' funds. In his charge to the jury Lord McCluskey gave a direction that
Tucker's evidence did not amount to a defence ofcoercion, but since Tucker had
asserted that he had no intention to make off with the money and was getting
nothing out ofit for himself, it was for thejury to decide whether he had the guilty
intent necessary for the crime of embezzlement. After retiring to consider their
verdict thejuryretumed majorityverdicts ofnot guiltyon bothcharges. Following
the acquittal Tucker was discharged. John Watt and David Blair-Wilson both told
us that just as Tucker was leaving court two middle-aged female jurors came up
to him. One of them touched Tucker on the arm and said: ''You'll be all right
now", or "It's all right, son, you're all right now".
14.21 No one who was present in court when Tucker was acquitted by verdict
of the jury on 19 December 1989 is of the view that that acquittal was achieved
otherwise than by the votes of members of the jury who had heard the evidence
and the addresses ofcounsel and had been charged by theJudge as to the applicable
law. It is not for us to express any view as to whether the verdict was perverse.
We are quite satisfied that it was not achieved by any improper means. Even
though talk was current by then ofTucker's so-called "list", we find it impossible
to see how that could have influenced the jury. The Crown had done all that was
required in the way ofleading evidence and it had resisted a submission that there
was no case to answer. For that matter the Judge had repelled that submission.
No one has suggested to us that either Lord McCluskey or David Bums had any
motive other than a desire to play the usual parts ofJudge and Advocate Depute
respectively in a trial conducted in open court.
14.22 We have already commented on Orr's failure to speak to Leitch while
working on his report. In his report he wrote that the decision not to search Bumett
Walker's office "effectively allowed TUCKER to continue working and to
attempt to defeat the ends ofjustice by removing evidence beyond the reach of
the investigators". There is no evidence whatever to support this statement and
indeed Leitch and Isabel Nicol have both said the opposite. For that matter, Brown,
who became the Reporting Officer at a later stage, has not spoken to us in terms
which would suggest that that is his view. Orr would of course insist that the
information which was reflected in this part of his report was derived from both
Souter and Brown, butwe have only Souter's evidence about his "feeling" to assist
us, and we have already discussed that. The Orr Report states that "it was alleged
at the time that TUCKER'S acquittal had been facilitated by his possession ofthe
'list' and the potentially compromising nature of its content which would be
exposed should he be found guilty". Any such allegation must have been made
without any reference to the actual events of the trial and to the jury's verdict.
We have said all that we need to say in part 6 of this Report about Tucker's so-
called "list" and about Tucker's own attitude to the use of information in his
possession. Neither Souter nor Brown has professed any belief in the possibility
that Tucker was acquitted for any improper reason, with the result that Orr
appears to have repeated an allegation which was unattributable as well as incapable
of substantiation. Orr's report has also repeated a number of criticisms of the
conduct of the prosecution by the Crown, but since not one single person has
suggested that the Advocate Depute was improperly motivated we need say no
more about these criticisms.
HMA V GORDON MICHAEL MAY AND ARTHUR COLIN TUCKER 79
15. HMA v CORDON MICHAEL MAY

AND ARTHUR COLIN TUCKER
15.1 On 8 May 1991 the trial of May and Tucker began at the High Court in
Dunfermline on an indictment containing two charges. The first charge libelled
that between 1January and 31 December 1987 May, while employed as a director
of a company known as Teague Homes (Scotland) Limited and Tucker, while
employed as a partner in the firm of Bumett Walker, WS, and while acting as
solicitor for that Company, having formed a criminal purpose to obtain money
due to the Company in respect ofthe sale ofproperties in a building development
by the Company, in pursuance of said criminal purpose did certain acts and did
thus embezzle £213,679. The second charge libelled that between 1 June and 31
July 1987 May, while employed as a director ofthe company, did certain acts and
thus obtained £6,753.38 by fraud. On 15 May 1991 the trial came to an end when
the Crown withdrew the libel against both accused, thus dropping the charges
against them, and the jury, on the direction of the Judge, returned unanimous
verdicts of not guilty.
15.2 May was a director ofTeague Homes (Scotland) Limited for a time until
he resigned with effect from 27 January 1988. The other directors were four
brothers called Teague. Tucker, as a partner in Bumett Walker, WS, acted as
solicitor to the Company and as its secretary for a period until about February
1988. The report and consolidated financial statements of the Company and a
subsidiary for the period from 1January 1987 to 30 June 1988 were prepared by
P Spyrou & Co, Certified Accountants, London, as the Company's auditors. The
Directors' Report, dated 8 November 1988, was signed byJames Francis Teague,
one of the directors, as secretary of the Company. The consolidated profit and
loss account and consolidated balance sheet, both dated 8 November 1988, were
signed by PatrickJoseph Teague and Daniel Martin Teague, two ofthe directors.
The notes to the financial statements for the period from 1January 1987 to 30June
1988 included the following note:
"During the period the directors discovered that Mr G. May misappropri-
ated £245,439 from the company's funds in collusion with one of the
company's legal advisers and in contravention ofthe Companies Act 1985
provisions. After taking legal advice on the matter it was resolved by the
directors that they should purchase outright the shareholding of Mr May
at £40,000, which was considered to be a fair valuation ofthe shareholding.
The balance ofthe funds misappropriated is written offas an extraordinary
charge."
Under the heading "Extraordinary Charge" there appeared "Defalcation by
Director-£205,439". The Report and Consolidated Financial Statements were
registered on 28 November 1988 at the office for the registration of companies
in England and Wales.
15.3 The alleged defalcation was not reported by Teague Homes (Scotland)
Limited to the police. The principal directors ofthe Company were the brothers
James and Patrick Teague, and it appears that they took the view that the loss
should be borne by the Company in the manner indicated in the note quoted
above. InJanuary 1990 there were reports in the press of the alleged defalcation
derived from the note quoted above. At that time May was abroad. On 19 April
1990 the Crown received information about another matter relating to May and
it was decided to investigate the allegation that he had misappropriated money
from the Company. Norman McFadyen, Assistant Solicitor in the Crown Office
Fraud Unit, asked Detective ChiefInspector (now Superintendent) Peter Wilson
of the Fraud Squad to attend a meeting at Crown Office. The Home Advocate
Depute, George Penrose QC (now Lord Penrose), was also, we believe, present
d
at the meeting. Wilson was instructed at that stage to make a limited enquiry into
the allegation, but not to make a direct approach to the Company.
15.4 The information available to the Crown was sufficient for apetitionwarrant
for May's arrest to be obtained by the Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh on 4 May
1990. On 8 May 1990 Wilson arrested May at GatwickAirport on his return to
Britain and took him to Edinburgh. On 9 May 1990 May appeared on petition
at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on a charge of embezzlement of £210,000. He was
committed for further examination and remanded in custody. On 16 May 1990
he was fully committed and bail was allowed subject to certain conditions. Subse-
quent procedure relating to the allowance of bail is not relevant for present
purposes.
15.5 In the period after May's committal there was a full investigation of the
case. Wilson was the Reporting Officer in respect ofthe police side ofthe investig-
ation while the precognition was carried out by Isabel Clark, Procurator Fiscal
Depute, Edinburgh. There was frequent consultation between them as the inves-
tigation progressed. In the course ofthe investigation on 3 October 1990 Tucker
was interviewed by police officers and was cautioned and charged with the em-
bezzlement of £210,000. On 4 March 1991 the precognition, prepared by Isabel
Clark, was reported to Crown Office. Her summary of the case referred to the
Teague brothers' lack of enthusiasm for the involvement of the police and their
concern about their position should the case proceed to trial. It contained a recom-
mendation that there was sufficient evidence to raise High Court proceedings
against May and Tucker. In her covering letter to the Crown Agent Isabel Clark
wrote that the defence for both accused appeared to be documents which
authorised the payment to Gordon May. She also wrote:
"To date, the accused Arthur Colin Tucker has not appeared on a Petition
before the court. Tucker's solicitor, Mr David BlairWilson, is anxious that
the Crown will let him know as soon as possible if he is to be an accused
or a witness. I would recommend that Arthur Colin Tucker remain an
accused in view of his actings in the embezzlement. Crown Counsel's
instructions are requested in relation to Tucker appearing on Petition before
the court."
15.6 On receipt of the precognition at Crowri Office it was considered by
Douglas Brown, Assistant Solicitor in the High Court Unit, who referred it to
Crown Counsel for instructions with a note stating:
"There appears to be sufficient evidence against both and as the amount
involved is £213,000 I would recommend an instruction to indict High
Court."
As it happened, the Advocate Depute who considered the precognition was David
Bums, who had been the prosecutor at Tucker's previous trial the previous
December. He gave an instruction on 8 March 1991 that there should be High
Court proceedings against both May and Tucker. As a result of this instruction
Tucker appeared on Petition at Edinburgh SheriffCourt on 18 March 1991 when
he was committed for further examination and granted bail. Douglas Brown
prepared a draft indictment which he sent to the Procurator Fiscal on 27 March
1991 with a letter confirming Crown Counsel's instructions.
15.7 There is continual communication between the Crown Office High Court
Unit and the Justiciary Office with a view to arranging sittings ofthe High Court
at which trials can proceed. The letter to the Procurator Fiscal dated 27 March
1991 stated:
"Please note that this trial will now take place at Dunfermline and not
Edinburgh as originally intended."
Hugh Foley, the Principal Clerk ofSession and Justiciary, informed us that it was
found to be impossible to accommodate all the forthcoming Edinburgh cases at
a sittingofthe High Court in Edinburgh and accordingly a sittingofthe High Court
at Dunfermline was arranged to accommodate the overspill from Edinburgh. In
the event four Edinburgh cases were listed for trial at that sitting. He would
emphasise that the caseload for sittin;::s is so heavy that such an arrangement is
not unusual. Accordingly a letterwas sent from the Crown Office to the Procurator
HMA V GORDON MICHAEL MAY AND ARTHUR COLIN TUCKER 81
Fiscal dated 28 March 1991 instructing him to attend to service ofthe indictmad:
against May and Tucker for trial at the sitting ofthe High Court at Dunfermline
on 7 May 1991.
15.8 Because the number and length of cases are unpredictable it is frequently
necessary for changes to be made in the provisional arrangements for the allocation
ofJudges to sittings of the High Court. Hugh Foley told us:
"We have to changeJudges round regularly. It is standard practice in order
to achieve administrative efficiency in supporting the Lord Justice General
or Lord President to keep the wheels ofjustice turning."
15.9 The original plan was that Lord Osborne would be the Judge at the sitting
in question, but a civil proofthat he had been hearing lasted longer than had been
predicted and, since counsel for the parties in that proofcontinued to be available,
it seemed appropriate for the proof to be concluded in the period of the sitting
and for another Judge to be substituted in his place. Arrangements were accord-
ingly made for Lord McCluskey to be the Judge for the sitting. It appears that
this arrangement was made shortly before 3 May 1991, which is the date ofa note
by Douglas Brown recording that the change had taken place.
15.10 Lord McCluskey told us, and it is confirmed by Douglas Brown's note,
that on learning that one of the cases for trial at the sitting was that against May
and Tucker he thought that the defence should have a say in whether he should
take the trial, in view ofwhat he had learned about Tucker's background during
the trial the previous December. It is clear to us that Lord McCluskey's concern
was not that he could not preside impartially at the forthcoming trial but that the
defence should not be in a position to complain ofa potential lack of impartiality
on the part of the Judge. David Blair-Wilson was the solicitor for both accused
and whenJusticiary Office conveyed Lord McCluskey's view to him he said that
he would object to Lord McCluskey as the trialJudge. This gave rise to a difficulty
because, as matters stood on 3 May, no other Judge was available and it was
therefore anticipated that the case against May and Tucker would require to be
adjourned to the next sitting ofthe High Court at Dunfermline on 21 May 1991.
It was, however, discovered at a late stage that Lord Milligan could be made
available to take the sitting after the first day, ie from 8 May 1991 onwards, and
it was accordingly arranged that Lord McCluskey would sit for the first day and
Lord Milligan thereafter.
15.11 The other business ofthe sitting was dealt with by Lord McCluskey on
7 May 1991. Lord Milligan sat on subsequent days. The trial ofMay and Tucker
began on 8 May 1991. The Advocate Depute for the sittingwas Alastair Campbell,
May's counsel were Robert Henderson QC and John Watt, and Tucker's counsel
wasMariaMaguire. Isabel Clarkattended theAdvocate Depute in court. Detective
Chief Inspector Wilson as Reporting Officer went to the court building on a
number ofoccasions during the trial. Severaljournalists were present in court on
the first day ofthe trial, but following remarks by Lord Milligan on the morning
of the second day in response to a motion by Maria Maguire, who complained
about inaccurate reporting of the first day's proceedings in two newspapers, the
press were less well represented for the remainder of the trial.
15.12 The first witness called by the Crown was James Teague. His evidence
lasted for the first day and most of the second day of the trial. He was followed
by Patrick Teague, whose evidence lasted for a similar period, and by Gerald and
Daniel Teague. The last Crown witness was Polycarpos Spyrou, the Company's
accountant. At the start ofthe trial Robert Henderson was allowed to lodge a late
documentary production, ofwhich he made use during the course ofthe evidence.
At the end of the first day Alastair Campbell discussed the case at length with
Isabel Clark because he was concerned about the quality of the evidence given
by James Teague. He eventually took the view that he should reconsider the
evidence once all the Teague brothers and Spyrou had given their evidence.
15.13 All those whom we have mentioned who were present in court are in
agreement that the Teague brothers were very reluctant witnesses and that their
evidence was ofsuch a quality that thejurywere most unlikely to accept it. Indeed,
it appears that at times the jury openly laughed at some ofthe evidence. Alastair
Campbell told us that on one ofthe last days on which evidence was led, 14 May
1991, the last straw for him came when Daniel Teague conceded in evidence that
May was entitled to a sum of the order of the sum which had allegedly been
embezzled from the Company. This evidence is recorded in his assistant's note-
book. In Alastair Campbell's view the evidence ofSpyrou did nothing to improve
the Crown's position. He accordingly came to the view, on the evidence that had
been led up to that point, and taking account ofthe relatively minor contribution
that would be made by the evidence that had not yet been led by the Crown, that
it would not be in the public interest for the trial to continue.
15.14 Meanwhile, as Lord Milligan explained to us, he was becoming irritated
because it seemed to him that "the Crown wasn't getting anywhere." He remem-
bers that he made a remark to that effect to his clerk, and that it was conveyed
to the Advocate Depute. There were two Depute Clerks ofJusticiary at the sitting,
Robert Sinclair, who was there from the beginning until Monday 13 May 1991,
and Gordon Ellis, who was there for the last two days. Both of them remember
Lord Milligan's remark, and that they passed it on to the Advocate Depute. Alastair
Campbell is adamant that this did no more than reinforce the view which he had
already reached. We should make it clear that we understand that Lord Milligan
was motivated solely by a desire not to take up more of the court's time, and
particularly the jury's time, than was necessary. Lord Milligan stated to us:
"Any suggestion that there was any shortcoming on the prosecution side
is as far as I am concerned complete and utter and total rubbish."
The problem, as all are agreed, lay in the quality of the evidence.
15.15 On 15 May 1991 Spyrou's evidence continued. When he had the oppor-
tunity, the Advocate Depute telephoned the Lord Advocate, Lord Fraser, who
was in London. Although it would have been open to him to withdraw the libel
without reference to the Lord Advocate he was aware of the rumours which had
followed Tucker's previous acquittal and he was concerned about the risk that
a decision not to proceed further against May and Tucker might be misinterpreted.
He explained to the Lord Advocate his view of the evidence and referred also to
what he had heard from the Judge's clerk. He and the Lord Advocate agreed that
the only reason for continuing with the trial would have been to avoid possible
criticism and that was not a proper reason. The Lord Advocate accordingly agreed
with the Advocate Depute's decision on the basis of the evidence that it would
not be in the public interest to continue with the prosecution. When counsel
returned to court for the resumption ofthe trial after lunch that day the Advocate
Depute told defence Counsel of his decision. They had no prior knowledge of
it and were accordingly somewhat surprised. When the court sat the Advocate
Depute withdrew the libel and Lord Milligan instructed thejury to return a formal
verdict of not guilty. In discharging the jury Lord Milligan said that the decision
taken by the Advocate Depute was "entirely proper and certainly on the evidence
was fair; it seemed avery proper decision; theAdvocate Depute acted impeccably" .
15.16 While Isabel Clark shared the view ofother persons we have mentioned
who were present in court about the quality of the evidence which had been led,
she disagreed with the Advocate Depute's decision to withdraw the libel. She
wrote a note to the Procurator Fiscal dated 24 May 1991 in which she stated that
she was very disappointed about what had happened and was extremely upset
about it. She stated in the note, and repeated to us, that there had been direct
communication between Alastair Campbell and Lord Milligan as well as direct
communication with the Lord Advocate and that Alastair Campbell withdrew
the libel because of what had been said to him by the Judge and by the Lord
Advocate. She persisted in that beliefnotwithstanding what we were able to say
to her about the evidence we had received not only from Alastair Campbell but
also from Lord Milligan and Lord Fraser.
15.17 Having regard to the evidence of these persons we are convinced that
her disappointment at the Advocate Depute's decision has affected Mrs Clark's
perception of the events. We accept what Alastair Campbell has written to us in
a note responding to Isabel Clark's note:
''"What Mrs Clark has failed to appreciate is that I decided on the basis of
the evidence that it would not be in the public interest to continue and that
I would have made that decision in the absence of any indication of the
HMA V CORDON MICHAEL MAY AND ARTHUR COLIN TUCKER 83
Judge'sviews: further that Iwould have made the decisionwithout reference

to the Lord Advocate had it not been for the background of press specul-
ation. It is quite, quite wrong to conclude as Mrs Clark does that I had to
consult the Lord Advocate because ofthe Judge's views. TheJudge's views
did no more than reinforce the conclusion at which I had already arrived
on considering the evidence."
15.18 We should make it clear that we do not understand that Isabel Clark was
suggesting, either in the note that she wrote or in her evidence to us, that there
was any improper motivation for what took place. Her view, quite simply, was
that no decision should have been taken until the Crown had led all the available
evidence and that, as she saw it, the Advocate Depute was induced to take a
premature decision. Her evidence is therefore not ofdirect relevance, but we have
thought it appropriate to mention it to show how even a Procurator Fiscal Depute
can not only disagree with an Advocate Depute's decision but can misperceive
the basis upon which it is made.
15.19 As we have already said, Detective Chief Inspector Wilson went to the
court building at Dunfermline on a number of occasions and in particular was
there on 15 May 1991 at a time which enabled the Advocate Depute to tell him
of his decision to withdraw the libel. Wilson told us that he was disappointed by
the outcome because his investigation had produced sufficient evidence to justify
a prosecution. He accepted, however, that the Advocate Depute had based his
decision on the quality ofthe evidence ofthe principal witnesses, and made it clear
to us that he felt there was nothing sinister about the outcome.
15.20 In preparing that part of his report which related to the case against May
and Tucker, Detective ChiefInspector Orr did not discuss the case with Detective
Chief Inspector Wilson. Instead he based that part of his report on information
obtained from Detective Inspector Souter and Detective Sergeant Brown, neither
ofwhom had any substantial involvement in the case. Souter had accompanied
Wilson when two search warrants were executed on 17 May 1990 and when
Tucker was detained and thereafter cautioned and charged on 3 October 1990.
He was not otherwise involved in the investigation. Brown had no involvement
in the investigation. Orr made some elementary mistakes. He named Tucker
rather than May as the first accused and he wrote that Robert Henderson was
Tucker's counsel, while he was in fact May's counsel. These mistakes may have
some significance in view ofSouter's beliefin the existence ofTucker's so-called
"list" and the opportunity that Robert Henderson would have had to obtain a copy
ofit at the time ofTucker's previous trial. The part ofOn's report which relates
to the case against May and Tucker refers to Tucker's homosexuality, states that
May is a practising homosexual, and alleges that May was involved in the running
of an hotel and nightclub in Thailand. According to the report this place
"is openly engaged in providing services for homosexuals particularly in
the procurement of young male prostitutes or rent boys for the sexual
gratification of visitors. The complex is thought to have been frequented
by several persons popular on the Edinburgh gay scene, including the gay
element of the legal fraternity."
We are in possession of no evidence which would support this latter allegation.
15.21 It is apparent from a later passage in his report that Orr made a connection
between Robert Henderson, Tucker, May, the premises in Thailand, and Tucker's
so-called "list". The inference which he apparently intended to be drawn from
his presentation ofthe subject matter was that the outcome ofthe case against May
and Tucker had somehow been procured by a combination ofthese features, and
in particular that Robert Henderson had been in a position to put improper pressure
on the Crown. When we pressed him about this part of his report Orr said that
he assumed that the Reporting Officer was ofthe same view as Souter and Brown
were and that they were telling him the totality ofthe Fraud Squad view. He said
that in hindsight he accepted that in that case he should have gone to the Reporting
Officer. If he had done so Wilson would presumably have told him the same as
he told us, which was that the outcome ofthe case was the consequence ofevidence
given in court by the Teague brothers and had nothing to do with any "list" or
any premises in Thailand.
j
15.22 In his report Orr even apparently treated as sinister the fact that the case
was tried in Dunfermline rather than in Edinburgh. His report states:
"One obvious effect of moving the trial out of Edinburgh would be to
reduce press coverage of the issue."
The press are of course free to attend any trial anywhere in Scotland and, as we
have already said, journalists were present in court during the trial of May and
Tucker, particularly during its first day.
15.23 We should add that, whatever they may have said to Orr, when we
interviewed Souter and Brown neither of them was prepared to state that they
regarded the outcome ofthis case as having been improperly procured or that the
Advocate Depute's decision was improperly motivated. Souter said to us that he
did not feel that anything had been wrong, he felt no unease. Nevertheless the
kind of speculation which is reflected in the Orr Report, without any reference
to the actual facts ofthe case, appears to us to be the kind ofspeculation in which
Souter would readily engage and with which Brown would readily associate
himself.
15.24 Our conclusion must be that there is no evidence whatever to support any
allegation that any decision taken bythe Crown in the case against May and Tucker
was improperly motivated. Indeed the investigation was instigated by the Crown
and the decision to make Tucker one of the accused was taken by the Crown.
But for the poor quality ofthe evidence there is nothing to suggest that the Crown
would not have proceeded further with the trial and, subject to direction by the
Judge, would not have left it to the jury to decide on the guilt of the accused.
HMA V NEIL BRUCE DUNCAN AND OTHERS 85
16. HMA v NEIL BRUCE DUNCAN AND

OTHERS
16.1 The investigation which led to the prosecution ofNeil Bruce Duncan and
nine other accused begaIl(on 24January 1990 when police officers found a 16!year
old boy, who was named in the indictment but whom we shall call M, in a room
occupied by Duncan at 37 Palmerston Place, Edinburgh. The police gave the
investigation the code-name "Operation Planet". On 14January 1990 M had been
on weekend leave from a children's home and was returning there by bus when
Duncan struck up a conversation with him and persuaded him to go with him
to Edinburgh. Between then and 24 January Duncan systematically debauched
M. He also made it possible for other men to participate in the debauchery by
taking him to various houses in Edinburgh. The offences thus committed are best
explained by reference to the charges in the indictment to which Duncan and his
co-accused Laurie Kenyon Valdemar Pringle,John Stevenson, and IanAlexander
James Ewing pled guilty.
16.2 Charge 40 libelled that on 14 January 1990 Duncan approached M on the
bus and induced him to travel with him to Edinburgh with the intention that he
take part in homosexual acts, within the meaningofthe CriminalJustice (Scotland)
Act 1980, with other male persons and did thus attempt to procure the commission
ofhomosexual acts between M and other male persons, contrary to section 80(9)
of the Act. Charge 41 libelled that on the same date in a cemetery in Edinburgh
Duncan conducted himself in a shamelessly indecent manner towards M and
sodomised him. Charge 42 libelled that between 21 and 24 January 1990 Duncan
knowingly harboured and concealed M, who was required by a supervision
requirement to reside in the children's home and had failed to return there at the
end ofa period ofleave, contrary to the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, section
71. Charge 44 libelled that on various occasions between 14 and 24January 1990
in the house at 37 Palmerston Place, Duncan conducted himselfin a shamelessly
indecent manner towards M and sodomised him. Charge 47 libelled that onvarious
occasions between 14 and 24 January 1990 Duncan supplied cannabis resin to M
contrary to the Misuse ofDrugs Act 1971, section 4(3)(a). Charge 50 libelled that
on various occasions between 14 and 24 January 1990 in a house in Edinburgh
Duncan and Ewing conducted themselves in a shamelessly indecent manner
towards M. Charge 51 libelled that on an occasion between 14 and 24 January
1990 in another house in Edinburgh Duncan and another conducted themselves
in a shamelessly indecent manner towards M and sodomised him. While Duncan
pled guilty to this charge, the other person named in it, John Keir, pled not guilty
and after a trial the jury found the charge not proven against him. Charge 52
libelled that on 23 January 1990 in yet another house in Edinburgh Duncan and
Pringle conducted themselves in a shamelessly indecent manner towards M.
Charge 53 libelled that on an occasion between 14 and 24 January 1990 Duncan
and Stevenson conducted themselves in a shamelessly indecent manner towards
M. Charge 54 libelled that on 25 January 1990 Duncan had in his possession
cannabis and cannabis resin, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, section
5(2).
16.3 The above summary takes account ofvarious deletions which were made
from the charges when the pleas ofguilty were accepted by the Crown. We have
omitted the specification ofthe sexual acts which was set out in the charges. The
Crown accepted pleas of not guilty to all the other charges in the indictment. In
the result therefore a number of the accused were acquitted, while pleas of not
guilty to various charges were accepted from all the accused who pled guilty
to the charges referred to above. In the discussion which follows we think it
t
appropriate, therefore, to refer only in the most general terms to the evidence
which led to the inclusion of these charges in the indictment in the first place.
16.4 The officers originally involved in the investigation following the discovery
ofM at 37 Palmerston Place were Detective Sergeant (now Sergeant) Charles Orr
and Detective Constable (now Constable) Thomas Bell, both stationed at West
End Police Station, Edinburgh. Mter about a week, when it was clear that the
scope of the investigation was expanding, Detective Inspector Peter Robertson,
also then stationed at West End Police Station but now retired, was put in oper-
ational charge ofit and was in due course the Reporting Officer. Detective Super-
intendent George Ritchie had oversight ofthe whole inquiry. George Ritchie was
latterly a Detective Chief Superintendent but unfortunately died on 6 August
1991, so his evidence is not available to us.
16.5 There was no pre-determined limit to the scope of the inquiry. As a result
of information given by M and derived from a "Filofax" address book kept by
Duncan in his room it was possible to identify men who had participated in the
debauchery of M. It was also possible to identify young men under the age of
21, but older than M, who had been involved in sexual actS with older men in
what might be termed a "network" of relationships. There was no suggestion
that the behaviour of such persons was other than consensual, though it might
nevertheless have been criminal. These young men, by contrast with M, would
properly be described as rent boys. Since this latter part ofthe investigation resulted
in charges in respect ofwhich the Crown accepted pleas ofnot guilty we propose
to say no more about it.
16.6 Given, however, that the police were investigating a "network" the natural
and logical conclusion to the investigation would be the point at which the limits
of the "network" had been established. It will be recalled that during the earlier
part of the period during which the investigation was taking place there were
widespread, though unfounded, rumours following Tucker's acquittal and Lord
Dervaird's resignation. Ritchie had in mind the possibility that the investigation
might yield evidence that persons occupying positions within the legal system
formed part ofthe "network". He gave instructions that any information relating
in anyway to lawyers was to be reported to him for his decision as to the appropriate
course ofaction. In the event the accused Keir, who was a solicitor, was the only
lawyer affected by the investigation. As we have said, the Crown went to trial
against Keir on the charge referred to above and Keir was acquitted.
16.7 Both Robertson and Charles Orr have emphasised to us that the investig-
ation yielded no other information whatever about people, whether prominent
or not, in legal circles. This was confirmed by William McDougall, Higher
Precognition Officer in the Procurator Fiscal's office at Edinburgh, who carried
out the precognition after the case had been reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
According to Robertson, the press mistakenly thought they were investigating
the legal profession, perhaps because of the rumours which were then current.
Charles Orr told us that he thought that at a later stage there was so much press
speculation that Ritchie spoke to journalists and told them that there was no
substance to any rumour relating the investigation to any member of the legal
establishment. Since no one was better placed than he was to make such a state-
ment, it is a pity that it was not heeded by the press and that no account was taken
of it in the Orr Report.
16.8 It would be convenient at this point to mention an event which was not
part of the police investigation but which serves to demonstrate Charles Orr's
unreliability as a witness. In about March 1990 Robertson received information
that unauthorised use had been made ofpart ofthe Advocates' Library for sexual
purposes. At that time there were no separate security arrangements for the
Advocates' Library, so that it was possible for persons who had entered Parliament
House, by having given some pretext to the security guards at the entrance, to
make their way into the Advocates' Library. The information was that two such
persons, both adult males, might thus have been able to make use of one of the
rooms in the Advocates' Library for furtive sexual activity. Robertson made it
quite clear to us that the information he received did not relate to any member
of the Faculty of Advocates or any person under the age of 21.
HMA V NEIL BRUCE DUN CAN AND OTHERS 87
16.9 On receipt ofthis information Robertson reported it to Ritchie, who took

the view that, although there was no suggestion ofcriminality, office-bearers of
the Faculty of Advocates should be warned of the possible unauthorised use of
the Faculty's premises by intruders. Robertson accordingly made contact with
Brian Gill QC, the Keeper of the Advocates' Library, who went to see him at
West End Police Station on 31 March 1990. They discussed the information that
Robertson had received and it was arranged that police officers would visit the
Advocates' Library the next week to be shown the relevant part of the premises
and to meet the Dean of Faculty, AlanJohnston QC. The visit duly took place.
Two police officers went to the Library, met Brian Gill, were taken by him to
meetAlanJohnston, and were shown round the premises. The only action which
it was thought necessary to take thereafter was to improve the security arrange-
ments at the Advocates' Library.
16.10 One police officer who went to the Advocates' Library was Charles Orr.
We have had difficulty in establishing who the other one was. Charles Orr told
us that he is sure that Robertson went with him, but Robertson told us that he
did not and that Bell did, while Bell is quite certain that he has never been"to the
Advocates' Library. Possibly it was Ritchie who went with Orr. In any event
Charles Orr told us that it was he, not Robertson, who had received the infor-
mation, and the information was that the Advocates' Library was l;>eing used at
night time by Advocates to take young boys there for sexual purposes. This was
ofcourse quite different from what Robertson told us, and had much more serious
implications because it raised the possibility of criminal conduct by members of
the Faculty ofAdvocates. Charles Orr spoke to us about this in quite a casual way
without seeming to understand the gravity ofwhat he was saying. He took some
time to appreciate that he was in effect alleging that there was information that
members of the Faculty ofAdvocates had engaged in criminal conduct, that that
information had been conveyed to office-bearers ofthe Faculty ofAdvocates, that
no action had been taken by them and that no investigation had been carried out
by the police. Brian Gill did not support Charles Orr's version; his recollection
is consistent with Robertson's version, though he also related it to other concerns
he had about the security of the Advocates' Library. Alan Johnston said to us in
graphic terms that if he had received information of the kind Charles Orr had
conveyed to us "the roofwould have left the building". We are quite certain that
nothing of the kind was said to him.
16.11 Our conclusion about Charles Orr's evidence on this matter is that we
are entitled to regard him as an unreliable witness, liable to give an exaggerated
account of events and to sensationalise them without appreciating the full
implications of what he says.
16.12 Reports were made by Robertson to the Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh
as the police investigation progressed and as a result six of the accused appeared
on petition in Edinburgh Sheriff Court on 26 February 1990 and the remaining
four accused on 19 March 1990. All of the accused were committed for further
examination and were allowed baiL Thereafter precognition was carried out by
William McDougall, Higher Precognition Officer at the Procurator Fiscal's office,
in parallel with the remainder ofthe police investigation. On 12 November 1990
the case was reported by the Procurator Fiscal to Crown Office. In the period prior
to that date nothing ofnote occurred apart from the events which we have already
mentioned.
16.13 The Advocate Depute who marked the papers was Hugh Matthews. On
14 November 1990 he instructed High Court proceedings against all the accused.
In his instruction he wrote:
"The link with Duncan demands that all be indicted together rather than
in piecemeal fashion. Had it not been for this then some ofthem could have
been dealt with in the Sheriff Court."
On 21 November 1990 Frank Crowe, Assistant Solicitor in the Crown Office
High Court Unit, wrote to the Deputy Principal Clerk ofJusticiary stating that
it was his intention to indict the case into the Edinburgh sitting of14January 1991.
He stated that the case was likely to be a lengthy one, perhaps lasting two to three
weeks. In the circumstances he asked for the allocation ofa second court to deal
d
with the case, as he envisaged having the usual run ofHigh Court work indicted
for the sitting in addition to the case. On 26 November 1990 an Assistant Clerk
ofJusticiary replied confirming that a second court had been arranged for the
sitting and that it would be presided over by Lord Sutherland.
16.14 Frank Crowe prepared a draft indictment which he sent on 6 December
1990 to the Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh for revisal. The indictment contained
all the charges which had been reported to Crown Office, together with two
charges included by Frank Crowe for evidential reasons. It should be explained
that such a charge is added to an indictment because a witness may give evidence
about the matters set out in the charge in the course ofgiving evidence relevant to
other charges. The Crown may not expect to be in a position to lead corroborative
evidence to prove the charge, but the charge is included in the indictment in order
to give fair notice to the accused and is withdrawn at the close ofthe Crown case.
Mter revisal the indictment was sent on 12 December 1990 to the Procurator Fiscal
for service and was thereafter served on the accused.
16.15 At some point during the next few days theJusticiary Office was informed
by Crown Office that the original estimate oftwo to three weeks for the duration
of the trial had been reconsidered and the new estimate was six weeks. We are
not aware ofany written record ofthe communication ofthis increased estimate,
but Hugh Foley, the Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary, informed us that
on receipt ofthe information atJusticiary Office it became necessary to reconsider
the allocation ofthe sitting to Lord Sutherland. The provisional timetable, based
on the original estimate of two to three weeks, had provided for other business
to be allocated to Lord Sutherland immediately after the end ofthat period. Ifthe
trial lasted for as long as six weeks that business would have to be reallocated to
other Judges, and consequently the timetables of three or four Judges might be
affected. It was found that it would be less disruptive to the business ofthe court
ifLord Sutherland took over a two week sitting ofthe High Court in Kilmamock
from Lord Clyde and Lord Clyde, whose timetable made it possible for him
to take a six week trial, was allocated the Edinburgh sitting. The necessary
administrative arrangements were accordingly made. Hugh Foley insisted to us
that the decision to substitute Lord Clyde for Lord Sutherland was taken in the
Justiciary Office alone and would have been taken regardless ofthe rumour which
we now proceed to discuss.
16.16 We have already mentioned in partS ofthis Report the story about "Jason"
the rent boy which was published in the "Evening News" on 13 February 1991.
Although ''Jason" had not spoken to the police it is clear that a version ofthe story
had become current as a rumour some weeks before its publication. Ian Burrell
and David Forsyth of the "Evening News" made it clear to us that the story as
given to them by "Jason" did not contain the positive assertion that the "punter"
was aJudge, and certainly did not serve to identify any individual as the "punter" .
As we have already said, both Robertson and Charles Orr emphasised to us that
their investigation yielded no information whatever, apart from that relating to
the accused Keir, about people, whether prominent or not, in legal circles. More
specifically, neither of them had discovered any evidence whatever implicating
a Judge in their investigation. They are equally confident that "Jason" was not
one of the persons from whom they had taken statements and was accordingly
not included in the Crown List ofWitnesses for the trial. Nevertheless, such is
the nature of rumours, the rumour which became current was that one of the
Crown witnesses was a rent boy who was in a position to point to the trial Judge
and identify him as a person who had made use of his services. Robertson, who
was the police officer best placed to express such a view, described the rumour
to us as "complete rubbish".
16.17 Anyone familiar with the conduct ofcriminal trials is aware that a witness
is required to give evidence, in answer to questions, which is relevant to a charge
in the indictment. It is therefore difficult to see how, short of an uncontrolled
outburst by a witness, a situation could arise such as that postulated by the rumour
which was current. Moreover, since Lord Sutherland did not feature by name in
the rumour, in theory the alleged rent boy witness could have directed his remarks
against any Judge. Accordingly, although the rumour reached Justiciary Office,
the only degree of concern which it caused was in relation to the potentially
disruptive effect on the trial if such an event happened, rather than concern for
Lord Sutherland as an individual. Hugh Foley is certain that the rumour, as he
heard it, would not have justified a change ofJudge.
16.18 There is, however, another version ofthe rumour which we have had to
consider. Robert Henderson QC, who was instructed as counsel for one of the
accused at the forthcoming trial, and who was friendly with Detective Inspector
Peter Robertson (it will be remembered that he had given Robertson his copy of
Tucker's Statement), told us that about three weeks before the trial was due to
take place, he happened to meet Robertson in Parliament Hall. According to
Robert Henderson, Robertson said that he was very concerned about the case
"because these dreadful rent boys have all been seen by the press and we're pretty
sure one of them will name homosexual Judges just for the sake of doing it".
According to Robert Henderson, Robertson went on to say that he personally
was worried about giving evidence because Lord Sutherland's name was in his
notebook; he had received an anonymous telephone call which said that he should
be investigating Lord Sutherland, which was why Lord Sutherland's name was
in his notebook; he was worried in case counsel asked to see his notebook while
he was giving evidence. At a later interview Robert Henderson told us that he
had a strong impression that Robertson took out his notebook and showed him
the entry. He accepted that if Robertson's notebook showed nothing of the sort,
then he was wrong. At interview, Robertson denied having said any such thing
to Robert Henderson.
16.19 We are not disposed to accept that Robertson said anything to Robert
Henderson about having Lord Sutherland's name in his notebook. Police officers'
notebooks are all numbered and are retained for future reference. All Robertson's
notebooks have been accounted for. ChiefSuperintendent Gilmour has examined
the notebooks covering the period from January 1990 to January 1991 inclusive
and has found no reference to Lord Sutherland. Likewise all Charles Orr's note-
books have been accounted for, have been examined and contain no such reference.
All the information acquired during the "Operation Planet" investigation was
stored on a HOLMES computer database at Police Headquarters. A computer
check of the database has disclosed no reference to Lord Sutherland. Likewise
William McDougall, the Higher Precognition Officer who carried out the pre-
cognition, can confirm that Lord Sutherland's name did not come to his notice
in any way during the course of precognition. It would thus not have been
intelligible for Robertson to say that he had Lord Sutherland's name in his note-
book.
16.20 While we accept, therefore, that Robertson did not say to Robert
Henderson that he had Lord Sutherland's name in his notebook, we have more
difficulty in establishing what, if anything, Robertson did in fact say to Robert
Henderson. The reason for this is that Robertson denies having spoken to Robert
Henderson at all in Parliament House about the forthcoming trial. Given the lack
ofcandour in his evidence to us about the events surrounding his receipt ofRobert .
Henderson's copy ofTucker's Statement, he is a witness whose evidence we are
bound to treat vvith some caution. Robert Henderson told us that as soon as
Robertson had spoken to him he went to see the Dean ofFaculty, AlanJohnston
QC, in his room in the Advocates' Library, which is only a few yards from
Parliament Hall. AlanJohnston remembers that Robert Henderson "came rushing
in in a high state ofagitation havingjust seen a police officer" . According to him,
Robert Henderson said that the policeman had told him that one of the accused
was goingto point atthe Bench and say "that's him". We think thatAlanJohnston's
memory is slightly at fault, because all other versions ofthe current rumour related
to a witness rather than one of the accused. In any event Alan Johnston was
sufficiently concerned to make an appointment to see Lord Hope so that he could
warn him ofthe riskofembarrassmentto Lord Sutherland. Bythat time, however,
the administrative decision had already been taken to substitute Lord Clyde for
Lord Sutherland. It thus became unnecessary for Lord Hope to take any separate
action. Lord Hope does, however, remember having been told that there was
information from the police that something might be said in court about the trial
Judge. The Dean of Faculty does not remember anything being said to him by
Robert Henderson about Lord Sutherland's name being in a police notebook and
Lord Hope is confident that nothing was said to him about a notebook.
16.21 From the evidence discussed in the preceding paragraph we feel entitled
to conclude that Robertson did in fact speak to Robert Henderson and said
something to him which led Robert Henderson to speak to the Dean ofFaculty,
but what he told him related to the then current rumour derived from the "Jason"
story, without in anyway sayingthat Lord Sutherland's name was in his notebook,
or anything else to the effect that a Judge's name had come to his notice in the
course of the police investigation. Given that his speaking to the Dean ofFaculty
was well-intentioned, we are prepared to assume that in the heat of the moment
Robert Henderson did not fully grasp what Robertson had said to him.
16.22 We are however driven to the conclusion that subsequent talk of Lord
Sutherland's name being in a police notebook originated from Robert Henderson.
Several of the defence counsel heard talk that Lord Sutherland's name was in a
police notebook. Lawrence Nisbet and Neil Murray, two of the counsel for the
accused, both heard that there was a policeman's notebookwhich had been lodged
as a production and which contained a description of a Judge's house to which
a rent boy had allegedly been taken. They each made separate inquiries and found
that no such notebook had been lodged as a production in the case. There was
ofcourse no such notebook in existence, because no version of the "Jason" story
took the form of a statement given to the police. We understand that there was
subsequently a rumour that a notebook containing such a statement had been
lodged as a production but had thereafter disappeared. We have not been able to
discover how much currency that rumour had, but it had come to the notice of
at least one journalist. The obvious explanation ofits origin is as a rationalisation
ofthe fact that no such notebook had ever been lodged as a production, although
there was a rumour to the effect that it had.
16.23 While the decision to substitute Lord Clyde for Lord Sutherland was taken
for administrative reasons, they were both aware to some extent that there was
a rumour that one of the witnesses might in some way attempt to embarrass the
trial Judge. Lord Clyde's former clerk, William Gillon, was also aware of such
a rumour. We wish to state emphatically that the only possible concern for Lord
Sutherland would have been in respect ofthe embarrassment that would have been
occasioned to him as the innocent victim ofwhatever ill-founded allegation might
be blurted out in court. More serious than this personal concern would have been
the concern for the potentially disruptive effect of such an event on the progress
of the trial. We have discussed with Lord Sutherland the way in which his name
came to be mentioned in the course of the events which we have described. He
regards it as incomprehensible that he should be the subject ofany rumour ofthe
kind which Robert Henderson reported to us.
16.24 Because no regular Advocate Depute was available to prosecute at the
sittingwhich had been arranged for the trial the Lord Advocate, Lord Fraser, gave
a commission to Thomas Dawson QC, a former Advocate Depute, and now
Solicitor General, as an ad hoc Advocate Depute for the sitting. Frank Crowe, who
had drafted the indictment, was due to be replaced as Assistant Solicitor in the
High Court Unit by Douglas Brown on 7 January 1991. They worked together
on 3 and 4 January 1991. Frank Crowe told Douglas Brown that he agreed with
what Hugh Matthews had written when he instructed the indictment, and that
the emphasis was on the charges relating to M, these being the charges which
necessitated proceedings in the High Court. They had a discussion with Thomas
Dawson who shared that view.
16.25 Thomas Dawson told us that the only contact he had with Crown Office
about the case prior to its final disposal was this discussion with Frank Crowe
and Douglas Brown. He said that they certainly did not ask him to consider
dropping any charges. He himselfwas "beginning to take a pretty robust view"
of the case and was concerned to see whether the papers had ever been seen by
a Law Officer. He was told that they had not. He happened to meet the Solicitor
General, AIan Rodger, in the Advocates' Gown Room in Parliament House, on
9 January 1991, and asked him whether the papers had been seen by him or the
Lord Advocate. Alan Rodger confirmed that they had notlThomas I>awMJu said
to Alan Rodger that he would take a certain view, but would not 00fiSi1k him
as he had not been consulted in the past. He would take an independent view.
Alan Rodger told him that that was what was expected ofhim: "1bat's wbatwe're
paying you for" . Alan Rodger confirmed this account to us. He was in Parliament
House that day to appear for the Crown in criminal appeals. Thomas Dawson
also had a chance meeting with the Lord Advocate, perhaps a day later, when
similar remarks were made.
16.26 Meanwhile steps had been taken with a view to procedure in court during
the week before the trial was due to start on 14 January 1991. On 27 December
1990 intimation was given of a Minute of Notice for the accused Allan Robert
McDonald claiming that what was libelled in certain charges against him were
not crimes. On 28 December 1990 intimation was given of a similar Minute of
Notice for the accused John Keir claiming that the latitude taken in two charges
against him was excessive and thatpartofanother charge against him was irrelevant
due to lack of specification. These Minutes of Notice necessitated the fixing of
a preliminary diet for Wednesday 9January 1991 in the High Court at Edinburgh.
This diet was fixed on 3 January 1991. On 7 January 1991 intimation was given
ofa Minute ofNotice for the accused Neil Bruce Duncan claiming that the libelling
of certain charges was oppressive and that these charges were irrelevant, that
another charge was irrelevant due to an excessive latitude of time, that another
charge was irrelevant due to lack of specification, and that other charges libelled
a common intent which was not supported by any evidence. On 8 January 1991
intimationwas given ofa Minute ofNotice for the accused Andrew Hood claiming
that what was libelled in certain charges were not crimes. While these Minutes
ofNotice thus raised a number ofsubsidiary points, the main point which it was
proposed to argue at the preliminary diet related to the question whether, apart
from sodomy, homosexual acts between consenting males over the age of 16
constituted a crime according to the law of Scotland after the passing of section
80 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980.
16.27 Counsel for the accused who appeared before Lord Clyde at the prelimi-
nary diet on 9January 1991 were: Kevin Drummond QC, who appeared for Neil
Bruce Duncan;JohnWatt, Advocate (now QC), who appeared for Laurie Kenyon
Valdemar Pringle in place of Robert Henderson QC, who was not available for
the preliminary diet; James Reilly, Advocate, who appeared for John Stevenson;
Neil Murray, Advocate (now QC), who appeared for John Keir;John Watt, who
appeared for IanAIexanderJames Ewing, the accused for whom he was principally
instructed;John Mitchell QC, who appeared for Allan Robert McDonald Murray;
Thomas Welsh, Advocate, who appeared for Andrew Hood; Lawrence Nisbet,
Advocate, who appeared for Gerard Clarke; Paul McBride, Advocate, who appe-
ared for Graeme Kerr Young; and Derek Ogg, Advocate, who appeared for John
McCulloch Fisher. Some of the accused were represented by two counsel, but
we have mentioned only the senior ofthe two. We have interviewed all the counsel
named in this paragraph.
16.28 On the basis of our interviews with Thomas Dawson and the defence
counsel we are satisfied that a correct outline ofthe day's events would start with
a conversation between Thomas Dawson and Kevin Drummond in Parliament
House before the diet was called in court at 10 am. By that time Thomas Dawson
had come to the view that the interests of the public would best be served if he
could obtain pleas of guilty to the charges relating to the debauchery of M. He
did not consider that the public interest would be served by leading distasteful
evidence during a long trial about consensual homosexual acts not involving M.
He took account of the fact that the young men named in the charges were older
than M and could, in the information before him, properly be described as rent
boys. The accused from whom it was most important to obtain a plea of guilty
was Kevin Drummond's client, Duncan. When it became apparent from their
conversation that there was the possibility ofsuch a plea ofguilty Thomas Dawson
decided to seek an adjournment when the diet was called. This he duly did,
explaining to the Judge that he wanted the opportunity to continue a discussion
which had started.
16.29 Thereafter there were discussions which took up much of the morning.
We have not been able to reconstruct the exact history ofevents because different
groups ofcounsel spoke to each other at different times and there was probably
only one occasion when they all spoke together. It is, however, clear that after
Thomas Dawson had initiated discussions with some ofthe other defence counsel
he realised that it would be worthwhile to have a meeting with all the defence
counsel to state the position which he proposed to adopt on behalfof the Crown
and to establish their positions on behalf of their clients. Such a meeting was
arranged and took place in the room used by the Advocates Depute in Parliament
House. Douglas Brown was there, but otherwise only Thomas Dawson and the
defence counsel were present. Thomas Dawson explained the view he had come
to and invited the defence counsel to take instructions as to the pleas which their
clients were prepared to tender. Thereafter defence counsel went to obtain such
instructions. Various groups of defence counsel had discussions together and a
number ofthem had individual discussions with Thomas Dawson. In due course
it was ascertained that pleas would be forthcoming as summarised in the first two
paragraphs of this part of our Report. It should be particularly noted that the
accused John Keir was not prepared to plead guilty to the charge against him
alleging an offence involving M. Given, however, that Duncan in particular was
prepared to plead guilty to those charges which Thomas Dawson regarded as of
particular importance, he decided to accept the pleas which were forthcoming and
to proceed to trial against Keir.
16.30 .All of the persons who attended the meeting at which Thomas Dawson
took this decision are entirely satisfied that he did so in the exercise of his own
unfettered discretion and for no improper motive. It is clear from what we were
told that Thomas Dawson was widely regarded by defence counsel as an Advocate
Depute who wasjealous ofhis own independence and who would not shrink from
taking a robust view of the suitable disposal of a case in the public interest. One
or two expressed surprise about the acceptance of so many pleas of not guilty at
that stage in the proceedings, but did not seek to suggest that the decision could
be criticised. There was some criticism of the original decision to include in the
indictment charges in respect ofwhich Thomas Dawson accepted not guilty pleas.
For that reason we spoke to Hugh Matthews, who told us that, having regard
to the terms of his original instruction (see para 16.13), the decision taken by
Thomas Dawson was one which he could well have taken himself in the circum-
stances.
16.31 It is convenient at this point to refer to certain statements in the Orr
Report relating to the events of9 January 1991. The report states:
"Immediately prior to the trial getting underway and to the surprise and
annoyance ofboth the reporting officer and the then Regional Procurator
Fiscal, Duncan LOWE, Crown Counsel arranged a meeting with the
various defence agents involved and announced to their surprise that it was
no longer policy to prosecute consensual homosexual conduct with persons
under 18 years. The result ofthis was that 47 ofthe 57 original charges were
dropped and pleas were arranged on the remaining ten. This allowed five
potential accused to walk free. "
A further passage states:
"It was the opinion of the reporting officer in the rent boy case that the
Advocate Depute allocated the case was also extremely surprised at being
directed not to pursue the majority of the charges. Attempts were made
at the time to discuss the reasons for this strategy but Crown Counsel were
apparently instructed to make no comment whatever."
A further passage states:
"It is of interest that at the time of the enquiry it appears that Crown
Office and the Lord Advocate were beginning to consider a change in the
prosecution policy concerning consensual homosexual offences and were
beginning to ~:lke a more lenient view of such offending. The proposals
to change the prosecution policy have, however, recently been terminated."
16.32 As we have already discussed in part 3 of this Report, the review of the
Crown's policy in respect of the prosecution ofconsensual homosexual offences
did not start until after this case had been disposed of and was prompted in part
by this case. Thomas Dawson was accordingly not in a position to say, and did
not in fact say, anything about a change in Crown policy. All those who were
present are agreed on that. There is no question of his having been given any
directions as to the disposal of the case, or of his having said anything which
indicated that he had been given such directions. Again, all who were present are
agreed on that. Charles Orr told us that he had been told that "Dawson walked
into the room and said 'we're not here to mess about with people sticking their
cocks up young boys' arses, what we're going to do is this', ie a deal, and I'm
told defence counsel were absolutely stunned." All the defence counsel are agreed
that no such thing was said and that they were not "stunned". We are accordingly
unable to account for the version of the meeting which Charles Orr heard or the
version which is set out in the Orr Report.
16.33 When the diet was again called on 10 January 1991 the pleas which had
been agreed were tendered and recorded. The accused Murray, Hood, Clarke,
Youngand Fisherwere discharged. Sentence was deferred in respect ofthe accused
Duncan, Pringle, Stevenson and Ewing to 31 January 1991. The diet against Keir
was continued to 11 January 1991. Keir adhered to his Minute of Notice. On 11
January 1991 Thomas Dawson intimated to the court that the Crown would
proceed against Keir on one charge only. The Minute ofNotice for Keirwas then
withdrawn, and not guilty pleas were intimated and accepted in respect of the
remaining charges against him.
16.34 We have a substantial body ofevidence that on one ofthe days when there
was procedure in court during that week, probably 10January 1991, police officers
were present in court. These officers clearly showed anger at the decision taken
by Thomas Dawson. When counsel left court at the end ofthe day's proceedings
these police officers accosted several ofthem, using swear words and demanding
to know the name ofthe Advocate Depute. Brian Douglas, Advocate, overheard
this. All the witnesses to this behaviour on the part of police officers regarded it
as inappropriate. We have been unable to discover who the police officers were.
None ofthe officers engaged on the investigation was cited to attend court that
week, because the trial diet was set down for the following week. Robertson, the
Reporting Officer, was seconded to a murder enquiry in Musselburgh. None of
the police officers whom we interviewed would admit to having been at court
on that occasion. Thomas Dawson was not aware ofany attempt by police officers
to speak to him. We are, accordingly, unable to substantiate that part of the Orr
Report which relates to such an attempt.
16.35 Charles Orr described himself as having felt angry and upset at the
outcome ofthe case. He referred to the amount of work which he had put into
the investigation and said:
"I thought there must have been something happen that morning or very
shortly before the trial to make that happen."
Robertson told us that when news ofwhat had happened reached him at Mussel-
burgh Police Station he was surprised: "It was a complete shock." When he
attendedcourtas awitness the nextweekhe asked the Procurator Fiscal's represent-
ative if it would be possible for him to have a word with Thomas Dawson, but
was told that since he was a witness he could not discuss the case with the Advocate
Depute. He did not subsequently pursue the matter. He told us that he was only
ever annoyed at not having been given any explanation for Thomas Dawson's
decision.
16.36 Nobody from the Procurator Fiscal's office was involved in the events of
9, 10 and 11 January 1991. Linda Ruxton was the Senior Procurator Fiscal Depute
in Edinburgh in charge ofHigh Court cases from January to April 1991. She was
due to be in attendance at the trial starting on 14 January, but was not involved
in the discussions about pleas. She said to us that, while she had no great knowledge
ofwhat had taken place, she had spoken afterwards to Thomas Dawson and shared
his views. She was concerned, however, at the somewhat casual manner in which
news ofthe decision reached the Procurator Fiscal's office after it had been taken.
This was particularly because of the hard work which William McDougall had
done on the precognition, and she thought it discourteous to him. He told us that
he was angry because of the time he had spent on the precognition. He thought
that if charges were not to be proceeded with, that was a decision which should
have been taken at the time when the indictment was instructed. With hindsight,
it might have been better for a clearer explanation to have been given to the
Procurator Fiscal's office about the reasons for Thomas Dawson's decision and
the circumstances in which it had been taken. The same might be said about giving
an explanation to the police.
16.37 Linda Ruxton and William McDougall both made it clear to us that there
was no suggestion that Thomas Dawson had taken his decision otherwise than
in the exercise of his own unfettered discretion or was in any way improperly
motivated. No one in the Procurator Fiscal's office ofwhom we are aware would
say otherwise. We mention this because according to Charles Orr someone,
probably Robertson, told him that Duncan Lowe, the Regional Procurator Fiscal,
was extremely upset. According to this account, Robertson and Ritchie had gone
to see Duncan Lowe and had told him what had happened. He had no knowledge
of it and tried to obtain further information, saying something to the effect that
"that bastard Rodger will have had a hand in this". We have spoken about this
to both Duncan Lowe and Robertson and are satisfied that nothing of the kind
was said. Nor did Alan Rodger "have a hand in" Thomas Dawson's decision.
Duncan Lowe was neither surprised nor annoyed at the outcome ofa case ofwhich
he had little knowledge, though he anticipated that there would be Gonsiderable
public comment.
16.38 The trial ofKeir on the remaining charge against him was due to start on
14January 1991, but there was a failure ofthe power supply to Parliament House
and accordingly the proceedings required to be adjourned until the next day. Lord
Kirkwood attended to this formality. On 15 January 1991 the trial took place
before Lord Clyde and a jury. The witnesses for the Crown included M and
Duncan, the first accused. The case continued on 16January 1991, when the jury
found the charge not proven. The Orr Report makes no mention ofthe fact that
the Crown went to trial against Keir and called as a witness Duncan, who of all
the persons involved in the investigation had the most information at his disposal
about the homosexual activities of others. If the Crown had any reason to be
concerned about the risk ofdisclosures being made in the course ofevidence, that
risk could have been avoided by the acceptance ofa plea ofnot guilty to the charge
on which the Crown in fact went to trial against Keir.
16.39 On 12 February 1991 the accused in respect of whom sentence had been
deferred appeared before Lord Clyde, when Duncan was sentenced to four years'
imprisonment on the principal charges against him. Sentence was further deferred
on Pringle, Stevenson and Ewinguntil8 October 1991, when they appeared before
the Lord Justice Clerk and were admonished.
16.40 On 12 February 1991 Alistair Darling MP wrote to the Lord Advocate
expressing concern that the Crown decided to drop so many charges very shortly
before the trial in a case that had been investigated for some considerable time,
and asking why, after so much time and expense, the matter was dealt with in
the way in which it was. The Lord Advocate replied by letter dated 8 March 1991
in which he stated:
"I am satisfied that not only the sufficiency ofthe evidence available in this
case but also the quality of that evidence was carefully assessed by the
Advocate Depute who prosecuted and that the decisions taken represent
a proper exercise of the Crown's discretion."
That remains Lord Fraser's view of the matter and it is one which, on the infor-
mation available to us, he was fully justified in expressing.
16.41 The Orr Report refers to the correspondence between Alistair Darling and
the Lord Advocate. It continues:
"Others feel however, that the decisions made concerning the disposal of
the case were not in accordance with justice but were a deliberate means
of preventing possible compromise of prominent public figures by stop-

ping the rent boy witnesses from giving evidence and identifying other
homosexual partners."
Another passage states:
"Persons engaged on the enquiry however, feel that the decision to drop
charges and prosecutions was a tactical one taken at the highest levels in
Crown Office to prevent the possibility ofevidence being presented which
could potentially compromise senior figures in the judiciary."
16.42 Orr told us that these passages were a reflection of what Robertson and
his brother Charles Orr had said to him. Robertson denied having spoken to Orr
in those terms. He said to us:
"I don't feel the Crown Office got the Advocate Depute to do what he did
to stop a rent boy pointing the finger at aJudge. The Advocate Depute was
not improperly motivated because there was nothing to cover up."
He was only ever concerned about the Advocate Depute's decision in case it had
been taken because the police had done something wrong, which was why he was
annoyed at not having been told the reason for it. He said that he saw the Orr
Report in draft, and he told Orr that he did not agree with the passages we have
quoted above. Orr however insists that Robertson did agree with them. We cannot
resolve this conflict ofevidence. Charles Orr, on the other hand, did give evidence
to us in support of what his brother wrote in his report. He said to us:
"I did express myself to my brother in basically these terms. They were
my feelings at the time. My feelings are still that these are decisions not
taken lightly. An improper motive could well have been a possibility and
1 saw it as such."
He said in terms that he subscribed to the passages which we have quoted above.
16.43 These passages contain a grave allegation for which there is not a shred
of evidence. We find it incomprehensible that Charles Orr should have spoken
to his brother as he did, or that Orr should have accepted what he was told at
its face value. As we have said, all the evidence points to an exercise by Thomas
Dawson of his own unfettered discretion. and if the alleged motive existed then
the obvious course would have been not to proceed to trial against Keir. Charles
Orr himself was called as one of the Crown witnesses at that trial, so he knew
perfectly well that it had taken place. Yet there is no mention of that trial in the
Orr Report and we have to conclude that he gave his brother a distorted and
incomplete account ofthe whole proceedings. We feel fullyjustified in describing
the whole treatment of this case in the Orr Report as disgraceful.
r
17. HMA v STEPHEN MARK CONROY
17.1 On 20 July 1992 Stephen Conroy pled guilty to six out of seven charges
offraud and attempted fraud libelled in an indictment against him and was sent-
enced to sixyears' imprisonment. The sums in question came to a total of£280, 153
in the charges ofcompleted fraud and £270,000 in the charges ofattempted fraud.
17.2 Although the case against Conroy does not feature in the Orr Report, for
the obvious reason that it was disposed ofafter that report was written, we think
it appropriate to discuss some aspects of it, partly because of an event which
happened during the course of precognition and partly because of the terms of
a letter which Tam Dalyell MP wrote to Lord Hope on 19 August 1992. To put
these matters in context we propose to give a brief outline of the case.
17.3 The charges to which Conroy pled guilty were not in fact the first such
charges against him which had come to the notice of the Crown. As a result of
the investigation into Conroy's activities by Detective Inspector (now Inspector)
Michael Souter and Detective Sergeant (now Sergeant) Peter Brown, which we
have previously mentioned in passing, Souter, as the Reporting Officer, made
two reports to the Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh. The first report related to three
charges ofcompleted fraud, the total ofthe sums in question being £123,325, and
one charge of attempted fraud, the amount in question being £22,750. Conroy
appeared on petition in respect of these charges at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on
29 October 1991 and was granted bail. Mter precognition the case was reported to
Crown Office on 8 May 1992. Crown Counsel instructed High Court proceedings
and the case was allocated to the sitting of the High Court in Edinburgh which
was due to take place on 5 October 1992.
17.4 Conroy persisted" in his fraudulent activities while he was on bail, and
committed the crimes which were libelled in charges 6 and 7 of the indictment
referred to above. This led, incidentally, to the eighth charge in the indictment,
to which he also pled guilty, being a charge of contravention of the Bail etc
(Scotland) Act 1980. When these further crimes were reported to the Procurator
Fiscal at Edinburgh it was decided that the public interest would best be served
ifhe remained in custody pending trial. Accordinglywhen he appeared on a second
petition at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on 16 April 1992 he was fully committed in
custody. He appealed to the High Court against the refusal to grant him bail.
The hearing of the appeal was continued on a number of occasions to allow
investigation of assertions made on his behalf that he had been providing infor-
mation which was helpful to the police, but eventually on 19 May 1992 the bail
appeal was refused. At that time the Judge, Lord Murray, made it clear that the
Crown should not expect an extension to the 110 day period.
17.5 As a result, time for precognition was very short. On 25 May 1992 the case
was allocated to lain McSporran, Procurator Fiscal Depute in the Edinburgh
office, for precognition. On 27 May 1992 there was a telephone discussion between
him and Douglas Brown, of the Crown Office High Court Unit, when it was
decided that, as the case had to be allocated to the sitting of the High Court at
Edinburgh which was due to take place on 20 July 1992 if the time limit was to
be complied with, the time available for precognition meant that only the most
substantial charges could be the subject ofprecognition and indictment. This was
confirmed by Douglas Brown to lain McSporran in writing on 1June 1992. On
10 June 1992 the case was reported to Crown Office, Crown Counsel instrUcted
High Court proceedings, and the case was allocated to the sitting of20July 1992.
Douglas Brown prepared a draft indictment incorporating all ofthe charges which
had been reported on 10 June and on 15 June 1992 he sent the draft indictment
HMA V STEPHEN MARK CONROY 97
to lain McSporran for revisal. On 17 June 1992 the indictment was sent to the
Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh for service.
17.6 By letter dated 7July 1992 Conroy's solicitor, David Blair-Wilson, offered
a plea ofguilty to the charges in the indictment relating to the completed frauds,
provided that the Crown accepted a plea of not guilty to the charges relating to
the attempted frauds, did not proceed further with the charges in the first petition,
and undertook not to prosecute Conroy in respect of other matters which might
be revealed by further police enquiries. On 8 July 1992 lain McSporran wrote to
Crown Office recommending that the Crown should hold out for a plea ofguilty
to all the charges in the indictment, but that it might be appropriate to indicate
that if the plea resulted in a substantial sentence it might not be necessary in the
. public interest to proceed with the charges in the first petition. On receipt ofthis
letter Douglas Brown prepared a note to the duty Advocate Depute, Alastair
Campbell, recommending that the proposed plea should not be accepted, but that
Crown Counsel should indicate their willingness to consider both cases together
for the purposes ofa plea and that if there was a substantial improvement in the
plea to the present indictment they might be persuaded not to proceed with the
first case. On 9 July 1992 Alastair Campbell accepted this recommendation and
a letter was sent by Douglas Brown to lain McSporran intimating this instruction.
There was of course no possibility that the Crown would undertake not to
prosecute Conroy in respect of matters which had not yet come to its notice.
17.7 The Lord Advocate, Lord Rodger, gave a commission to Edward Bowen
QC, a former Advocate Depute, and also at one time a Sheriff, as an ad hoc
Advocate Depute for the sitting of20 July 1992. The papers were passed to him
about a week before the sitting was due to start, and he was made aware of the
possibility that a plea ofguilty might be forthcoming. On considering the papers
he took the view that the evidence against Conroy amounted to "a pretty
overwhelming case". When he had not heard by Friday, 17July that a plea ofguilty
was forthcoming, he spoke by telephone with lain McSporran, who confirmed
that negotiations were proceeding with David Blair-Wilson, but that there
appeared to be a problem about Conroy's representation in court.
17.8 Robert Henderson QC was originally instructed as Conroy's counsel and
appeared for him at the hearing ofthe bail appeal. David Blair-Wilson, however,
decided to instruct another counsel for the trial. He instructed Peter Vandore QC
during the week before the trial, but Conroy preferred that a different counsel
should be instructed and accordingly the instructions were passed to John
Simpson, Advocate. John Simpson was not in fact handed the papers prepared
by David Blair-Wilson until Saturday, 18 July, and accordingly was not in a
position to give advice to Conroy until a consultation was held in Saughton Prison
on Sunday, 19July. The papers included papers prepared by Crown Office which
had formed part of the precognition reported to Crown Office. John Simpson
told us that it was the best prepared set of Crown Office papers which he had
ever seen. He told us also that his preliminary view was that Conroy's position
was absolutely hopeless and that he should be advised to plead guilty. At the
consultation, which was attended by David Blair-Wilson, there was discussion
about the possibility of a plea of guilty to the charges in the indictment if the
Crown was prepared not to proceed with the other outstanding charges. John
Simpson told us that he thought that that was unusual because there had not been
a further indictment, but he appears not to have been made aware ofthe fact that
the outstanding charges had been included in an earlier petition in respect ofwhich
bail had been granted, and that because Conroy was in custody following the
second petition, the charges in that petition had to be brought to trial sooner than
the charges in the first petition. Compliance with the statutory time limits made
it impossible to deal with all the charges in one indictment.
17.9 Acting on instructions given to him by Conroy at that consultation, John
Simpson spoke to Edward Bowen before the trial was due to start on Monday,
20 July. He offered a plea of guilty to the charges in the indictment, except for
charge 5, which libelled an attempted fraud, the sum in question being £95,000.
He also attempted to secure an agreement that the Crown would not proceed
further on the outstanding charges. Edward Bowen, likeJohn Simpson, had little
information about these outstanding charges beyond the fact that there were
charges outstanding, and accordingly he did not feel able to bind the Crown not
to proceed further. He did, however, indicate that he was prepared to accept the
plea which had been offered and that itwas unlikely that the Crown would proceed
further in respect of the outstanding charges. This position was acceptable to
Conroy and his representatives.
17.10 When the plea ofguilty had been agreed the diet was called before Sheriff
John Horsburgh QC, sitting as a temporary Judge of the High Court. The plea
was formally tendered and accepted. The Advocate Depute moved for sentence,
and John Simpson addressed the Judge in mitigation. The main thrust ofthe plea
was that Conroy was a young man who had allegedly been made use ofby a bank
manager, and otherwise could not have succeeded in his fraudulent activities. John
Simpson told us: "I put in an extremelygood plea in mitigation." Notwithstanding
this plea, the Judge sentenced Conroy to six years' imprisonment for the crimes
of dishonesty and one month's consecutive imprisonment for the contravention
of the Bail Act. In due course the question of the outstanding charges was taken
up by lain McSporran with Crown Office. After it had been confirmed with
Edward Bowen on what basis he had accepted the pleas ofguilty, Crown Counsel
on 31 August 1992 instructed that there should be no further proceedings in respect
of the charges.
17.11 Edward Bowen, Douglas Brown and lain McSporran all regarded the
overall disposal of the case against Conroy to be wholly satisfactory from the
Crown's point of view. For what their opinions are worth, Souter and Brown
had no criticism to make of the way in which the case had been disposed of, and
Brown indeed expressed satisfaction with it.
17.12 Later on 20 July 1992 John Simpson went to "Snatchers", a public house
in the High Street in Edinburgh. As we have already mentioned in paragraph 11.3
of this Report, David Johnston and Michael Glen were there. They told us that
John Simpson spoke to both of them. DavidJohnston reported to Tarn Dalyell
what he thought John Simpson had said. Tarn Dalyell wrote in his letter dated
19 August 1992 to the Lord President:
"I hear that after the case, his [Conroy's] counsel, John Simpson, who is
a serious lawyer, with a lot ofexperience, albeit not a silk, said to a number
ofpeople quite openly that the original charges, those due for October, had
been struck out altogether as part ofthe plea bargain, and that the case was
quite simply the strangest he had come across in his career. I gather that
John Simpson let it be known that he did not believe the proverbial 'single-
word' in the mitigation."
17.13 We are convinced that DavidJohnston misheard whatJohn Simpson said.
John Simpson thinks, consistently with the view that he expressed to us and to
Conroy, that he must have used the word "strongest" rather than "strangest".
We are not sure whether he said anything in the public house about the outstanding
charges, but ifhe did his remarks must have been based on his relative ignorance
ofthe procedure which had already taken place in relation to them. John Simpson
told us that he thought the passage in Tarn Dalyell's letter about his plea in
mitigation to be "very unfair". He did not accept that he said anything of that
kind in the public house.
17.14 To return to the precognition which was undertaken by lain McSporran,
we think we should mention an event which took place in his office on 24 June
1992. On that date Souter and Brown attended together to be precognosced about
documents relative to the case which were in lain McSporran's office. He told
us that Brown was not very interested in being precognosced. He said that he had
a veryvivid recollection that Brown continually inteIjected, speculating about the
so-called "list" of gay lawyers or establishment people or persons high up in the
legal system. According to McSporran, Brown said at one stage: "The list Mr
McSporran, very interesting this list, you would be very surprised about some
ofthe names", and then went on to name two persons whom he said were named
in it. One ofthese was the present Lord Advocate. lain McSporran said to us that
there is no possible doubt in his mind that Brown said that. According to him,
he told Brown that he was not interested in the contents of any list and that by
HMA V STEPHEN MARK CONROY 99
all means Brown could tell him about it after this investigation. but for the time
being he was simply dealing with a fraud investigation. He told us that Souter,
meanwhile. looked embarrassed and irritated and tried to get back to the matter
in hand. He did not. however. contradictwhat Brownwas saying. lain McSporran
was under the impression that Brown was telling him that he had the "list", and
was taking pleasure in speaking as he did.
17.15 When we interviewed Souter for the third time, we pressed him again and
again aboutwhatIain McSporran had told us, but he repeatedly stated that he could
not remember any such event. He was not prepared to say that lain McSporran was
lying to us, or to give us any explanation as to why he should be in a position
to give us such an account. When we interviewed Brown, also for the third time,
and pressed him very hard about lain McSporran's account. he described lain
McSporran as "an excellent Fiscal". and agreed that he was reliable. not given to
inventing things, and not someone who had a grudge against Brown. Ail he could
say about lain McSporran's account was that he could not recall any talk about
the "list".
17.16 We believe lain McSporran's account ofwhat Brown said to him aboutthe
"list". Brown had read Souter's copy ofTucker's Statement and was accordingly
aware of the names in it, which had "popped out" at him. We believe that he set
gn~at store by it. As we have already made clear in part 6 of this Report, AIan
Rodger's name certainly does not appear in Tucker's Statement. It is incompre-
hensible, and deplorable, that a police officer should see fit to speak to a Procurator
Fiscal Depute in such terms about a matter which was of no relevance to the
case under discussion and which, above all, could only have been intended to
undermine confidence in the senior Law Officer.
18. CONCLUSIONS
18.1 We are satisfied that we have seen all relevant papers and have interviewed
all relevant witnesses. On the basis of this evidence we feel entitled to reach the
following conclusions.
18.2 No prominent member of the Scottish legal establishment, apart from
Lord Dervaird, is or has at any material time been compromised by reason of
homosexuality or homosexual behaviour.
18.3 Prompt action was taken when Lord Dervaird was found to be compro-
mised, and he resigned. If any other person in a similar position were found to
be so compromised, nothingwould be done to protect him from the consequences.
18.4 Colin Tucker's so-called "list" is a S~tement which we have in our posses-
sion and which does not name or otherwise identify any prominent member of
the Scottish legal establishment, apart from Lord Dervaird, as a person who has
allegedly engaged in homosexual behaviour.
18.5 No other allegation of homosexual behaviour by a serving Judge which
has come to our notice is trUe.
18.6 SheriffDouglas Allan, formerly Regional Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh,
is not and never has been compromised by reason of homosexual behaviour.
Allegations against him by Stephen Conroywere untrUe and have been expressly
withdrawn. No compromising photograph of him has ever existed. All other
allegations against him are derived from Stephen Conroy's untrUe allegations and
are equally untrue. .
18.7 No person engaged at any point in the investigation and prosecution ofthe
case againstColin Tucker was improperly motivated. He was acquitted by verdict
of the jury.
18.8 No person engaged at any point in the investigation and prosecution ofthe
case against Gordon May and Colin Tucker was improperly motivated. The
Advocate Depute withdrew the charges during the course of the trial because of
the quality of the evidence.
18.9 Robert Henderson QC had a copy of Colin Tucker's Statement which he
handed to a police officer without Colin Tucker's authority. He has never been
in possession of other evidence which would be capable of compromising any
prominent member ofthe Scottish legal establishment by reason ofhomosexuality
or homosexual behaviour.
18.10 Robert Henderson's business transactions were subjected to a thorough
investigation by the Crown with aview to possible prosecution. The investigation
was additional to and far more extensive than the police investigation. The decision
not to prosecute him was taken at the highest level on evidential grounds and was
not improperly motivated. Robert Henderson in no way influenced the decision.
18.11 No person engaged at any point in the investigation and prosecution of
the case against Neil Duncan and others was improperly motivated. The decision
to accept pleas and withdraw charges was taken by the Advocate Depute in the
exercise ofhis own unfettered discretion. The alleged motive for his decision has
no evidential basis.
18.12 There is no link between any of the above events apart from the coinci-
dental involvement of legal representatives, none of whom was in a position to
use, and none of whom did use, improper means to influence their outcome.
18.13 There is accordingly no evidence:
(a) that there has been a conspiracy to pervert the course ofjustice in Scotland;
(b) that the course ofjustice has been perverted in any of the above cases;
or
CONCLUSIONS 101
(c) that the alleged motive for such a conspiracy has ever existed.
18.14 The only matter onwhich our remit requires us to make a recommendation
is whether any part of this Report should remain confidential. We alone have
decided on the terms ofthis Report. We can see no reason why any part ofit should
remain confidential.
REPORTED BY:
W A NIMMO SMITH QC
] D FRIEL
Edinburgh, 15 December 1992

Magic Circle Affair

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Magic Circle Affair

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Report on an Inquiry

By W A Nimmo Smith QC and

Return to an Address of the Honourable the

Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed

AIastair CAMPBELL, Advocate

Maria MAGUIRE, Advocate

opportunity to defend themselves. The only proper place for a person to be

2. THE JUDICIARY, THE CROWN AND

3. HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE

3.1 Although it has been no part of our Inquiry to investigate homosexual

receives a report involving individuals in this age group and none of

4. HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE

5. THE RESIGNATION OF LORD

it to be thought, that Lord Dervaird's official conduct as aJudge had in anyway

6. COLIN TUCKER'S STATEMENT OR

in the events which culminated in Lord Dervaird's resignation. We should make

6.9 The giving ofconfidential information to an office-bearer of the Faculty of

appears to have originated from Robert Henderson's disclosure of information

7. RUMOURS ABOUT MEMBERS OF

to AIan Rodger. David Blair-Wilson told us at interview that Robert Henderson

8. "JASON" THE RENT BOY AND THE

9. MICHAEL JUNIOR'S STORY ABOUT

9.1 On 3 and 8 September 1992 MichaelJunior gave a statement to a Detective

10. ALLEGATIONS BY STEPHEN

headed "Allegation of Fraudulent Activity-Stephen Mark Conroy". The only

in the disco he comes in stands watches everything that goes on

DI So how long is it since he possibly was in possession of these

SUSPECT Steel rimm glasses silver steel rimmed ehh.

just generallyjust outyou know more to further my career ehmm

11. OTHER ALLEGATIONS AGAINST

12. THE ORR REPORT

desired to. It is true that sometimes the decision to prosecute or otherwise

13. ROBERT HENDERSON QC

merely re-interviewed. There must also be a question as to why when the

well-and certainly better than is done in many other countries. I regret

14. HMA v ARTHUR COLIN TUCKER

15. HMA v CORDON MICHAEL MAY

Judge'sviews: further that Iwould have made the decisionwithout reference

16. HMA v NEIL BRUCE DUNCAN AND

16.9 On receipt ofthis information Robertson reported it to Ritchie, who took

of preventing possible compromise of prominent public figures by stop-

17. HMA v STEPHEN MARK CONROY

Edinburgh, 15 December 1992

You might also like