Brother of World's End murder victim vows to fight for justice

Published on Monday 18 February 2008 09:53

THE brother of one of the World's End murder victims has revealed he is determined to continue to fight for justice.

In his first interview, Kevin Scott also revealed how the shocking death of his sister Helen in 1977 "ended" his childhood overnight.

Mr Scott is campaigning for a change to the double jeopardy law that prevents a person being tried twice for the same crime.

The bodies of Helen and her friend Christine Eadie, both 17, were found six miles apart in East Lothian in October 1977. Both women had been beaten, raped and strangled.

Asked how his sister's death had shaped his childhood, Mr Scott said: "It ended it. In a matter of days I grew up. I had to. I had a family that had been broken and we had to work out how to tackle that and move forward."

Mr Scott, who was 11 when his sister was killed, recently met with Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to discuss changes to the law.

In September, the case against Angus Sinclair was thrown out after the judge said there was insufficient evidence to put it before the jury.

"It wasn't the ending we had hoped for," Mr Scott said. "I found out later that the jury held a minute's silence for Helen and Christine after the judge dismissed them. Nobody could believe what had happened."

Sinclair, a convicted killer already serving a life sentence, admitted having sex with both girls but claimed it had been consensual. He blamed his late brother-in-law, Gordon Hamilton, for the murders.

Mr Scott said: "Having spoken to Kenny MacAskill, I think there is a chance of a change in terms of double jeopardy.

"I am not hugely optimistic about seeing Sinclair back in court," he added. "First the law has to change and the retrospective element has to be included, but it keeps a small door open to the possibility.

"I will continue to fight for it. This isn't something I wanted to do – for years I steered clear of it – but it is something that has to be done for Helen."

Mr Scott's mother Margaret died in 1989. His father, Morain, 78, still hopes that he will live to see somebody convicted for his daughter's murder.

Speaking outside the court following Lord Clarke's ruling, Morain Scott said: "I am absolutely shattered – words can't explain how I feel. Thirty years of trying to get a conclusion. I promised I would get justice, which I don't think I got today."

Mr Scott, who grew up with his sister in the Firrhill area, said he has been told that it could take up to two years to secure a change in the law. There is also the question of whether it would apply retrospectively, as in England, where double jeopardy was scrapped in 2005.

"If the new Scotland want to send a message that it's open to change, a change in the law would be a strong message to send," Mr Scott said. "Then perhaps we would see justice for Helen."