Suspended zoo chief returns

Published on Wednesday 11 May 2011 21:01

THE BOSS of crisis-hit Edinburgh zoo has insisted the attraction has a "bright future" as suspended director Gary Wilson prepares to return to his post.

Donald Emslie, chief executive of the Royal zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) which runs the zoo, said Mr Wilson had been cleared of anonymous "despicable" allegations.

As revealed by the Evening News on Monday, Mr Wilson will resume his role as director of business operations.

Mr Wilson had been acting as interim chief operating officer at the zoo before his suspension, but will not be returning to the role, with a new chief executive to be announced soon.

Mr Emslie hit out at those behind the allegations, saying it was a "malicious smear campaign".

"After an extensive and thorough investigation into a series of anonymous allegations made against Gary Wilson, the panel has concluded that there is no disciplinary case to answer and the disciplinary process is therefore at an end," he said.

"Gary has been the subject of a deeply unpleasant and malicious smear campaign by person or persons unknown who have chosen a despicable method by which to pursue their own personal agenda to the detriment of the Society, its staff, its members and Gary."

He added that no details of the allegations - believed to include accusations he siphoned money from accounts relating to the 4.5 million Budongo Trail to pay for a 50,000 balcony at his home in Dunblane - would be released, but revealed the investigation had involved the examination of ten years' worth of documents.

"The RZSS believes the right conclusion has been reached and we will now be discussing our findings with Office of Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). We openly welcome any further investigation on their part.

"There is a bright future ahead of the RZSS and we look forward to communicating more fully with many of our members at the EGM and putting recent events behind us."

Mr Wilson, who told the Evening News on Monday he had been "devastated" by the allegations against him, said he was now looking forward to returning to work.

"I am both relieved and overwhelmed to be publicly cleared of any wrongdoing," he said.

"What my family and I have been through these last few months is something I would not wish on anyone. I would ask the person or persons responsible to examine their own conscience."

Mr Emslie also confirmed that an investigation into allegations made against Iain Valentine, the zoo's director of animals who has been suspended since March, was still ongoing.

"We will advise the outcome in due course," he said.

The developments come at a critical time for the zoo, which suffered a slump in visitor numbers last year. The attraction is also preparing for the arrival of two giant pandas. Tian Tian and Yang Guang are to be brought to the UK under an historic agreement with China.

The ongoing problems at the zoo will discussed at the RZSS EGM, being held at Murrayfield tonight.