Scottish first minister offers to meet family of murdered banker

John Swinney expresses readiness to listen to concerns about Alistair Wilson's murder investigation

In a significant development regarding the unsolved murder of Nairn banker Alistair Wilson, Scottish First Minister John Swinney has expressed his willingness to meet with the victim’s family. Wilson was tragically shot on his doorstep in 2004, and despite the passage of nearly two decades, no arrests have been made in connection with the case.

This meeting could provide an opportunity for the family to voice their concerns directly to a high-ranking official.

Family’s frustration with police handling

The Wilson family has been vocal in their criticism of Police Scotland’s handling of the investigation.

Andrew Wilson, Alistair’s son, recently articulated feelings of betrayal, stating that he has “zero faith in Police Scotland”. His comments reflect a broader sentiment of frustration among the family, who feel that the police have not adequately pursued leads or communicated effectively about the case’s progress. This sentiment was exacerbated by a previous incident where a planned arrest of a potential suspect was halted, and the family was misled about the developments during a meeting with police officials.

Political response and ongoing investigation

During a recent session of First Minister’s Questions, Highlands and Islands Tory MSP Douglas Ross raised the issue, prompting Swinney to respond. While the First Minister refrained from directly criticizing the police, he acknowledged the family’s anguish and reiterated his willingness to listen to their concerns. He emphasized that while he is prepared to meet with the Wilson family, there are limitations to what he can do as a politician in an ongoing police investigation.

Reinvestigation ordered by Lord Advocate

In a move that has been welcomed by the Wilson family, Scotland’s Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain KC, has instructed police to conduct a complete reinvestigation of the murder. This process, however, is expected to be lengthy, as it involves reexamining over 10,000 documents and 14,000 previous police actions. The family remains hopeful that this renewed effort will lead to breakthroughs in a case that has left them feeling disillusioned and unsupported.

Veronica Wilson, Alistair’s widow, has previously expressed her family’s loss of confidence in the investigation, describing the police’s handling of the case as “incompetent”. As the community continues to rally around the Wilson family, the hope remains that justice will eventually be served, and the truth behind Alistair Wilson’s murder will be uncovered.