Call to support the families of Scots who are killed abroad

Chief Reporter

Thursday 12 July 2012

ALEX Salmond should ensure the families of Scots who die abroad are automatically offered support from their local police force, a senior policing figure has claimed.

WAITING FOR ANSWERS: Ian Mallon.

Custom byline text:

Lucy Adams Chief Reporter

Les Gray, who recently retired as chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said some grieving relatives are being left in the dark after he raised the case of a man who was killed in an unprovoked attack in Spain.

The parents of Craig Mallon, 26, who was killed by a single blow in Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava two months ago, are backing his call after Mr Gray intervened in the case.Ian and Antoinette Mallon, of Coatbridge, were given assurances by the Spanish police that an arrest was likely seven weeks ago. However, they have heard nothing since, despite repeated attempts to contact the authorities and requests for updates from the British Consulate.Strathclyde Police appointed a family liasion officer to help them secure answers from the Spanish authorities after the Mallons turned to Mr Gray.Mr Gray then wrote to the First Minister to call for the introduction of a national protocol to ensure families in a similar situation automatically get support from their local Scottish force. Mr Mallon, 48, said their attempts to obtain information from Spain had previously been met with a deafening silence.He said: "After seven weeks of investigations we've not heard a single thing and we've had no contact at all from the consulate for three weeks. If it was not for Les Gray and Strathclyde Police I would be climbing the walls. "Craig was killed on the morning of Saturday, March 19, and my wife and I arrived in Lloret de Mar in the evening. On the Sunday morning we were taken to identify his body. "After that we had a meeting with the local police and the British consulate translated. "They said they were very close to an arrest but we've not heard anything since. "Every time I try to phone the Spanish police they say they don't understand English. "The least we want is for someone to get back to us. There should be something in place so that if this happens to any other family then they should get support from their local force – even if it is just to liaise with the family and help with the language barrier. We've now been visited by a divisional commander at Strathclyde and have been appointed a liasion officer."Craig lived in Sydney, Australia, for the past three years where he worked as a quantity surveyor. He had flown to Spain to celebrate his brother's stag weekend. Bryan Mallon, the groom-to-be, has since delayed his wedding and said he will have no best man as no-one can replace his brother.Mr Gray said: "We should bring in a process whereby if someone from Scotland is killed abroad, their family should receive support from the local force here. "There should be a family liaison officer appointed to help them through this and help them gather information from the authorities. "This is not a complex process. It can be very simple and can mean the difference between night and day for the family."The Mallon family said they were not getting anywhere. Strathclyde have stepped up on this case. But this is not the first time a Scots family would have been left in this situation and there should be a national protocol in place."The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is the main point of contact and liaison for UK citizens killed abroad. A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "A letter from Mr Gray has been received and is being given due consideration."

Contextual targeting label:

Families

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Call to support the families of Scots who are killed abroad

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED