Shirley McKie 'romance' inquiry

Published on Tuesday 2 June 2009 22:01

A RETIRED detective chief inspector investigated whether Shirley McKie had a "romantic liaison" in the murder house where she was accused of leaving a fingerprint, an inquiry has heard.

Les Brown, formerly with Strathclyde Police, agreed to help members of the Scottish Criminal Records Office by investigating rumours about the former police officer, who was charged with perjury, acquitted and later awarded 750,000 in an out-of-court settlement by the former Scottish Executive.

The statement was made by Gerry Moynihan QC yesterday at the start of a public inquiry into the controversy, headed by former Northern Ireland appeal court judge Sir Anthony Campbell. Mr Moynihan, in an opening speech to the inquiry, said the inquiry team had received an e-mail from Mr Brown which made an accusation against another officer, PC Mark Lees.

The inquiry is looking at the steps taken to identify and verify the fingerprints involved in the case of Ms McKie. She was accused of leaving her fingerprint at the Kilmarnock home of murder victim Marion Ross in 1997.

Mr Brown said a scene of crime officer told him that Mark Lees and Ms McKie had a heated discussion in the porch of the house during which Ms McKie used the word "contamination".

Mr Moynihan, senior counsel to the inquiry, said: "He also spoke to PC Kerr Reid who told him that he had spoken to a Kilmarnock police officer who let Ms McKie into the house because he fancied her and who told Reid: 'That bitch will get us done, it was me that let her into the house'." Mr Brown was unable to find the Kilmarnock officer.

Ms McKie, when approached by the inquiry in preliminary stages, said the rumours that PC Lees let her access the house beyond the porch were untrue.

The public inquiry, at Maryhill Community Centre in Glasgow, will begin hearing evidence next week and is expected to do so until the autumn.