Ian Walker: Wealthy senior partner with Edinburgh solicitors Burnett

Walker WS. Took his own life by hanging in June, 1988, after Law Society

investigation into the firm's accounts. Leaked police report linked him

with Edinburgh gay community.

Colin Tucker: Partner with Burnett Walker WS. As a result of Law

Society and police inquiries, he was charged with embezzling client

funds. Trial took place at High Court in Edinburgh, December 1989. Found

not guilty after defence claimed that Walker had forced his compliance

by threatening to expose him as a homosexual. Struck off the solicitors'

register in 1990. Now a footman with the Lord Mayor of London. Defended

at trial by Robert Henderson QC. Rumours begin suggesting existence of a

''list'' giving identities of high-placed and judicial homosexuals.

Lord Dervaird: Appointed a High Court Judge in 1988 but resigned

without explanation two days before Christmas, 1989 and three days after

the Tucker acquittal. His departure followed a meeting attended by the

then Scottish Secretary Malcolm Rifkind, the then Lord Advocate Lord

Fraser of Carmyllie, and Scotland's most senior judge the Lord

President, Lord Hope. Resignation highlighted in leaked police report as

coming three days after Colin Tucker's acquittal, with suggestion that

the acquittal had been facilitated by means of a secret list of

homosexual Judges.

Robert Henderson QC: One of Scotland's leading defence counsel and

among the most flamboyant figures at the Bar. Educated at Glasgow

University and admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1963. Took Silk

in 1982. Police maintained that, during Tucker trial, Mr Henderson came

into possession of the ''list'' containing the names of homosexual legal

figures. Business transactions of his were also the subject of a fraud

inquiry but the Crown Office decided that he should not be prosecuted.

Lord Penrose: Now a High Court Judge but, as George Penrose, QC, the

most senior Advocate-depute, recommended to the Lord Advocate that

proceedings should not be taken against Mr Henderson because the

evidence against him did not justify the allegations which would be

involved in the case.

Gordon May: Former financial director with builders Teague Homes

(Scotland) Ltd. Burnett Walker WS and Colin Tucker acted as company

secretaries. May was accused, along with Tucker, of embezzling company

funds. Trial at High Court in Dunfermline collapsed after six days and

both were found not guilty. Defence conducted by Robert Henderson QC.

Leaked police report, erroneously, credited Mr Henderson with defence of

Mr Tucker in this particular trial. May now operating at Boys, Boys,

Boys, a homosexual club in Thailand, along with James Lumsden, another

former secretary of Teague Homes.

Neil Duncan: Jailed for four years for his procurement role in the

Operation Planet homosexual rent-boy case. Leaked police document

claimed that one of the rent boys would accuse a High Court Judge of

illegal sexual practices. Case which followed a four-month police

investigation involved 57 charges against 10 men. Crown Office

instituted policy of no prosecution in cases of consensual homosexual

conduct involving youths over 18. By the time the Operation Planet

investigation came to court in February 1991, only 10 charges remained

and five men had not guilty pleas accepted by the court. Only one case,

involving a solicitor, went to trial and the jury returned a not proven

verdict.

Tom Dawson QC: Now Solicitor- General, Scotland's second most senior

law officer. As an Advocate-depute, prosecuted the Operation Planet

case. Arrived at Bar in 1973 and took Silk in 1986.

Tam Paton: Former manager of the 70s pop group the Bay City Rollers.

His Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, house was alleged by police to be at

the hub of the Operation Planet homosexual network.

Stephen Conroy: Jailed for six years in 1992 after being found guilty

of a #280,000 mortgage fraud. Former lover claimed Conroy had a

homosexual relationship with Lanark sheriff Douglas Allan. Later denied

by Conroy and subsequently rejected in yesterday's report. Conroy was

originally represented by Robert Henderson QC but, because of pressure

of work, Mr Henderson did not represent him at his trial.

Sheriff Douglas Allan: Appointed to the sheriffdom of south

Strathclyde, Dumfries, and Galloway at Lanark in August, 1988. Aged 50,

he joined the procurator-fiscal service in 1967 and, before becoming a

sheriff, was regional procurator-fiscal of Lothian and Borders.

Tam Dalyell MP: Labour Member of Parliament for Linlithgow. Relentless

parliamentary campaigner on issues as diverse as the sinking of the

Argentinian cruiser Belgrano, the Westland affair, and the bombing of

Libya. He was indirectly responsible for the leaked report which

highlighted police conspiracy concerns. The MP had raised the issue in a

letter to Lothian and Borders Chief Constable Sir William Sutherland and

the leaked report, intended only as an internal memorandum, had been

prepared to allow Sir William to frame a reply. Mr Dalyell refused to

give evidence to the inquiry.

David Johnston: Radio Forth news editor with first-class Edinburgh

police contacts who presents a popular Sunday morning phone-in

programme. A Magic Circle agnostic, he alerted Tam Dalyell to the

apparent homosexual links in a number of court cases and associated

events.

Michael Glenn: Convicted fraudster and police informer who shared cell

on remand with Stephen Conroy. Loretto-educated, son of a military

family, gay, he began touting story of conspiracy round newspapers

before Magic Circle report was leaked.

Sir William Sutherland: Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police

since 1983. Previously Chief Constable of Bedfordshire. As a chief

superintendent in Surrey he headed the 1974 police inquiry into the IRA

Guildford pub bombings. The ''Guildford Four'' were released from jail

in 1989 on the basis of discredited forensic evidence. Inverness-born

Sir William, who was knighted in 1988, was caused acute embarrassment

last year as a result of the so-called Fettesgate Affair when his police

HQ was broken into and a cache of sensitive police intelligence files

stolen. He also denounced the leaking of the Magic Circle report as an

act of ''gross disloyalty and unprofessionalism''.

Hector Clark: Deputy Chief Constable of the Lothian and Borders force

since 1984. He co-ordinated the nationwide investigation into the

murders of Borders schoolgirl Susan Maxwell and five-year-old Caroline

Hogg. In October of last year, he issued an unprecedented public apology

to the former Lord Advocate, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, following remarks

made at a football match. Lord Fraser, now a Scottish Office Minister

but Scotland's most senior law officer during the period of the Magic

Circle affair, had threatened to sue.

Lord Fraser of Carmyllie QC: Solicitor-General from 1982 and Lord

Advocate from 1989 until his re-entry to politics as a Scottish Office

Minister after the General Election in 1992. During his period as Lord

Advocate, he was in charge of the international investigation into the

bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie.

Lord Rodger of Earlsferry QC: Appointed Lord Advocate, Scotland's

senior law officer, in April of last year. Previously held the post of

Solicitor-General. He ordered the Nimmo Smith-Friel inquiry. Alan Rodger

was educated at Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow University, and Balliol

College, Oxford. He arrived at the Bar in 1974 and took Silk in 1985. He

became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1991 and of the Royal Society

of Edinburgh last year. He became an advocate-depute in 1985 and was

home advocate-depute from 1986 to 1988.

Detective Chief Superintendent William Hiddleston: Lothian and Borders

former top detective, with 32 years service, took retirement,

unexpectedly, in October last year. As head of CID, he signed the Magic

Circle report but was not its author. Chief Constable denied Mr

Hiddleston, 53, had been forced out.

Detective Inspector Mike Souter: Formerly deputy head of Lothian and

Borders fraud squad, he had seen a number of long-running fraud cases

thwarted. Recently returned to work after heart by-pass surgery. After

internal police inquiry into leak of Magic Circle report, he was moved

to uniform duties. Now in charge of police cells at Southside police

office.

Detective Sergeant Peter Brown: Former fraud squad member and involved

with DI Souter throughout investigation into Conroy mortgage frauds. He

was also party, with head of CID, to interview with Edinburgh lawyer who

claims immunity deal was struck over Fettesgate raid. Moved to uniformed

duties in Pilton when Mr Hiddleston retired in October.

Detective Sergeant Charlie Orr: Formerly based at West End CID, he was

involved in long-running Operation Planet investigation into gay vice

ring. Brother of officer who compiled Magic Circle report. Now moved to

uniform duties.

Detective Inspector Roger Orr: Formerly based at Leith CID, assigned

to compile Magic Circle report following chief constable's receipt of

letter from Tam Dalyell MP. Interviewed fraud squad officers and

officers involved in Operation Planet and was given access to

transcripts, tapes of interviews with informers, and other documentation

to enable him to write report. Subsequently moved to uniform duties.