The Shirley McKie fingerprint inquiry held a minute's silence for murder victim Marion Ross yesterday, after it was revealed that her cousin will play a key role in the proceedings.

The Shirley McKie fingerprint inquiry held a minute's silence for murder victim Marion Ross yesterday, after it was revealed that her cousin will play a key role in the proceedings.

Sir Anthony Campbell, the judge leading the public inquiry, announced that Malcolm Ross has been named as a "core participant", the first time that any member of the family has been appointed to represent Ms Ross's interests.

At a procedural hearing in Glasgow yesterday, Sir Anthony laid out a point-by-point remit of the public inquiry, which was established by Scottish ministers to look into the circumstances surrounding Ms McKie's treatment.

The former policewoman, from Troon, Ayrshire, was cleared of perjury after denying charges that she had left a fingerprint at the scene of Ms Ross's murder in Ayrshire in 1997, and was eventually granted £750,000 in compensation by the former Scottish Executive. The case provoked a crisis in Scotland's fingerprint service.

The full inquiry is due to start in February.