Treatment of murdered woman’s family searching for answers ‘cruel and disrespectful’

A family seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding their daughter's murder have been treated in a “cruel and disrespectful” way, Russell Findlay has said.

The Scottish Conservative leader has called for the full release of a report and a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) to be established into the killing of Claire Inglis.

She was tortured then murdered by Christopher McGowan in November 2021, despite social services raising concerns about his violent behaviour in the weeks before.

McGowan was on bail to Claire’s home at the time of her murder. Social services had tried to make a visit to the home, which she shared with her young son, three days before she was killed.

First Minister John Swinney said the decision about conducting an FAI was for the Lord Advocate, though added there was a question of whether such an inquiry would shed any more light on the circumstances of Inglis’ death.

He added he was “happy” for the report – written by an independent expert and commissioned by the Crown Office – to be released if possible, but if data laws prevented this he agreed to ensure the Inglis family was engaged with.

Fiona and Ian Inglis, who were in the public gallery for the session of FMQs, have only received a summary of the findings of that report. Fiona said this “does not answer critical questions about whether Claire’s murder might have been prevented”.

Findlay said these issues demonstrated a “major failure at the heart of Scotland’s bail system”.

His party has today published a fresh paper setting out its justice policy, including backing changes to the bail system to create an obligation for authorities to check the addresses where violent offenders are to be released.

In the chamber, he told the FM to “end this bail blind spot that’s putting women and children in danger”.

Swinney agreed to “give consideration” to the proposal, though added that recent legislation meant bail decisions must take into consideration risk of harm to victims.

He offered his sympathies to the Inglis family and said the initial investigation by Stirling Council was “not good enough” – hence his intervention leading to the second report commissioned by the Crown.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also used his FMQs time to raise issues on the justice system, criticising the high number of outstanding arrest warrants and overcrowding in prisons.

Swinney said Scotland was the “safest” it has been since the SNP took office, pointing to a fall in crime.

On arrest warrants, he said this was an operational matter for Police Scotland.