Force under fire over complaints

LOTHIAN and Borders Police have been criticised over the force's handling of complaints by a man who was arrested for allegedly making nuisance phone calls.

Professor John McNeill, the police complaints commissioner for Scotland, said the force's approach to some of his complaints were "not reasonable".

The man was arrested in December 2006 for allegedly making a string of nuisance calls to a public body.

Following his detention, the man claimed that an officer swore at him in a police car, an allegation the accused constable denied.

But Prof McNeill found that the complaint had not been dealt with in a "reasonable manner" as another officer in the car had not been questioned over it.

The man had also complained that he was not given a meal at the police station after being kept in custody for six hours.

Prof McNeill said the force should apologise for the oversight.

A number of other complaints by the man against the Lothian and Borders force were dismissed.