IN acquitting a young man accused of murder, High Court Judge Lord Matthews criticised the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) for presenting a weak case ("Dogwalker murder accused is cleared after 'weak case' ", The Herald, February 28).
This casts doubt on the judgment of Crown Counsel - the most senior lawyers in COPFS - who must have thought they had a strong case.
In contrast, Crown Counsel recently adjudged, in the matter of the bin lorry crash in Glasgow's George Square, that there was no evidence for criminal charges against either the lorry driver or Glasgow City Council ("George Square bin lorry crash driver will not face charges", The Herald, 25 February). In doing so, COPFS appears to have largely pre-empted the findings of the upcoming fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the accident. While the thrust and conduct of the FAI will be dictated by COPFS, it must constitute a comprehensive analysis of all the circumstances ¬almost certainly in much greater forensic detail than the evidence upon which Crown Counsel based their decision. If the inquiry's findings contain any suggestion of criminal behaviour by anyone, the presiding sheriff will surely comment, just as Lord Matthews has done, on the apparently premature decision by COPFS to rule out any prosecution.
I await the eventual outcome with interest.
Iain Stuart,
34 Oakbank Crescent, Perth.
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