Officer suspended as police force investigates conduct before murder

A POLICE officer has been suspended as an investigation into allegations about conduct before a woman was murdered continues, it emerged last night.

Northern Constabulary said the officer was suspended pending further inquiries and that a report will be submitted to the procurator-fiscal.

Donna Forrest, 30, was murdered at her home in Balintore, Easter Ross, on 11 April last year.

In July Philip Fraser, 50, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder and was told he must serve a minimum of 20 years.

He attacked the mother with a knife and a hammer in an act of "appalling violence and barbarity", the High Court in Edinburgh was told. She had 15 stab wounds to her head and body. The court also heard that Fraser was out on life licence at the time of the killing, having been released from jail about two years before.

He had been sentenced to life imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court in October 1997 for the murder of his ex-wife, Kathryn Scaife, and was released on life licence on 15 February, 2008.

Northern Constabulary Deputy Chief Constable Garry Sutherland last night said: "Having received and considered a further report on the internal investigation in relation to allegations about officer conduct prior to the murder of Donna Forrest, I have suspended a second officer pending further inquiries."

He added: "I wish to assure the public that the force deals with professional conduct matters robustly and thoroughly.

"I recognise it is frustrating for people not to know the full details, but it is essential that the legal processes are properly followed, the full facts are investigated and the two suspended officers receive a fair hearing untainted by speculation.

"A full report will be submitted to the procurator-fiscal."